JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop and the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) announced on April 1 that testing conducted in February and March by a third-party independent consultant reveals that Jersey City’s drinking water supply meets all federal and state environmental standards.
“Jersey City was the first city in the state to proactively test its water supply by an independent third party following the crisis in Flint, Michigan,” said Mayor Fulop. “We wanted to take every measure possible to ensure our drinking water was safe from all contaminants. The results we received this week confirm what we believed, but we will continue to be proactive when it comes to health matters affecting our residents.”
Approximately 34 samples were collected citywide and stringently evaluated as part of the testing for all contaminants listed on both the federal and state drinking water standards lists, including lead and copper, amongst others.
Currently, these tests are conducted by Suez Jersey City at frequencies mandated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The testing, which was conducted by Garden State Laboratories after reviewing approximately 50 environmental labs, included 30 additional chemicals that require specialized tests and are not mandated by the EPA and DEP, but were included as an added precaution.
In addition to testing the water supply, Jersey City has significantly increased the number of residents tested for lead since Mayor Fulop took office. The Jersey City Department of Health & Human Services increased lead testing from 103 in calendar year 2014 to 3,351 in 2015 and continues to conduct outreach to families, community groups, and non-profits.
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