Newark Drinking Water Crisis

[question everything]

The levels of lead in Newark, New Jersey’s drinking water are some of the highest recently recorded by a large water system in the United States. And we know the cause: City and state officials are violating the Safe Drinking Water Act in several ways, such as failing to treat its water to prevent lead from flaking off from pipes into residents’ drinking water and neglecting to notify people about the elevated levels and the health risks.

Experts agree that there is no safe level of lead exposure. Pregnant women and children are most at risk: Even low lead levels are associated with serious, irreversible damage to developing brains and nervous systems. Lead exposure is also linked to fertility issues, cardiovascular and kidney problems, cognitive dysfunction, and elevated blood pressure in otherwise healthy adults.

The high lead levels are especially alarming because there has been long-standing concern about children’s exposure to toxic lead levels in Newark. For years, the city has had the greatest number of lead-poisoned children in New Jersey. This likely stems from a variety of exposures to lead, including from contaminated tap water and other sources. Indeed, 2016 tests revealed 30 public schools with elevated water lead levels.

https://www.nrdc.org/newark-drinking-water-crisis

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First it was Flint and now Newark. How long before other, old cities find the same thing?

Infrastructure is not just roads and bridges; it is water pipes and floods.


Also a report from PBS NewsHour

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/amid-newarks-water-crisis-questions-about-why-its-taking-so-long-to-resolve

[mopinko]

1. same thing happening in chicago.

we have a pretty good water system here, but much of it is 150+ yo.
they are replacing water mains now, but it will take years.

about the time flint hit the news they started testing drinking fountains in schools and found high lead in many.
now they have halted installing water meters, as it is apparently stirring up lead residues.

[MichMan]

4. Lead testing has been required long before Flint became an issue.

Maybe if other municipalities started firing and prosecuting those who failed to react, something might get done. I've been telling people for a few years now that Flint was not an anomaly and there are many, many cities with much worse lead levels.

[katusha]

2. tax the rich, fix the country n/t

[MichMan]

3. Are there going to be demands that those responsible are fired and prosecuted ?

This is sickening for this to happen, given that Newark has had known issues for several years; with all the attention given to Flint, it is unconscionable that the same thing would occur in Newark.

Multiple political rallies and protests were held in Flint demanding that responsible State and Local officials be fired and criminally prosecuted for their roles in poisoning poor residents.

Are the presidential candidates going to hold town hall forums in Newark, like they did in Flint demanding people are not only fired, but also prosecuted like they have in Flint ?

[Takket]

5. why is this not the #1 news story in the media.... is Israel barring two congresswomen

really more important than an entire city AGAIN being poisoned with lead?

[question everything]

6. Good question. I actually searched the site before posting this story

and found none.