Summertime motorists driving through Cinnaminson Township in the 1960s would see corn stalks growing on farms, apple and peach orchards, and roadside stands selling fresh tomatoes, fruit and vegetables.
Along the scenic drive there were also signs of a residential housing boom that had started slowly after World War II. Soldiers returning from the horrors of battle wanted to start families in a peaceful setting and get on with their lives.
The building of new homes reached its peak in 1965, and in the Master Plan that year, township officials stressed the need to build new schools, expand access to utilities and address the high-density development.
However, most of the homes built from the late 19th century until the late 1960s received water through lead or galvanized steel water service lines that with age can be dangerous to people. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there is no safe level of lead or galvanized steel exposure.
Last week, the New Jersey American Water (NJAW) began a door-to-door outreach in Cinnaminson as part of its Lead Service Line Replacement Program (LSLRP) mandated by state law to identify and replace lead and galvanized steel service lines going to homes by 2031.
“The utility’s local, qualified contractor, CDM Smith, will conduct service line material assessments and inspections moving through the community over the next several weeks,” stated NJAW officials in a press release, adding that the company launched its program in 2022.
“CDM Smith inspectors will knock on doors in designated neighborhoods to request permission to visually inspect water service line materials and briefly speak with customers. Customers may participate by allowing an inspection during canvassing when they are home, or by proactively scheduling an inspection appointment online by visiting calendly.com/njaw.
“Customers also have the option to identify their water service line material themselves by completing a short survey at newjerseyamwater.com/leadsurvey. If a service line is confirmed to be lead or galvanized steel, New Jersey American Water will coordinate replacement in accordance with its statewide plan.”
Under the program, the utility will replace water service lines as needed from the curb stop into the house at no cost to the homeowner if the existing one is identified as lead or galvanized steel.
The inspectors will carry photo ID badges and wear logoed, high-visibility vests, and residents are urged to ask for identification before allowing anyone access to the property or their home.
“Residents may continue to use their water as usual. Water provided by New Jersey American Water continues to meet all state and federal water quality standards, including those for lead,” officials stated.
Additional program resources, an interactive service line inventory map, and tools to self-identify service line materials are available at newjerseyamwater.com/leadfacts.
According to the EPA, lead water service lines pose a severe, hidden health hazard because lead is a toxic heavy metal that can leach into drinking water when the pipes corrode. For adults, long-term exposure increases the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, decreased red blood cell production causing anemia, and kidney damage.
Lead is a neurotoxin that can impair brain development and cause learning disabilities, behavioral problems and developmental delays for children. Also, it poses health risks to fetuses during pregnancy.
Galvanized steel water lines installed in homes built from the 1880s through the 1960s also pose major health, water quality, and structural risks as they age past their 50-year lifespan.
The protective zinc coating applied to steel pipes often contained trace impurities of lead and cadmium. As the zinc erodes over decades, these heavy metals become trapped in interior rust scales and can leach into the drinking water.
Even if the municipal water supply is clean, old galvanized lines can absorb and release lead accumulated from historical lead service lines or lead-based thread sealants.
Longtime exposure can cause people to get galvanized steel sickness, also known as “galvie flu,” “metal fume fever” and “Monday morning fever. It is a short-term illness that is caused by inhaling zinc oxide fumes.
New Jersey American Water encouraged residents to cooperate with the inspectors to make sure the tap water they are drinking is safe for human consumption.
