U.S. House to hold hearing on lead contamination in water Tuesday in Jersey

October 2019

WASHINGTON — A U.S. House subcommittee will hold a hearing Tuesday in Bloomfield to examine the problem of lead in drinking water.

The hearing will be led by Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-11th Dist., who chairs the House Science subcommittee on investigations and oversight. It comes in the wake of the Newark water crisis, where high lead levels led to government authorities handing out bottled water to residents.

“As our water infrastructure ages, we need to confront immediate challenges and look to current and future technologies to assist in lead remediation," Sherrill said.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka recently announced that the city would stop distributing bottled water after tests showed that city-issued filters would keep the lead out of the drinking water.

Baraka isn’t able to attend the hearing, which will take place just hours before the House returns to Washington after a two-week recess.

Three other local officials will testify, Essex Couty Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Nutley Mayor Joseph Scarpelli, and Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia.