N.J. group cited for policy innovation, leadership in lead service line replacement

The Jersey Water Works Lead Service Line Implementation Workgroup received an award from the Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative.

The group was honored in the Policy Innovation and Leadership category for its leadership and significant contributions to advancing lead service line replacement.

The Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative’s “Honoring Excellence in Lead Service Line Replacement” award ceremony was held at the American Water Works Association conference on June 23 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. National experts in water infrastructure convened in Washington, D.C., to celebrate and honor innovation and leadership in lead service line replacement initiatives.

Replacing lead service lines eliminates a major source of toxic lead in drinking water, positively impacting public health. The effort to remove lead from the state’s drinking water began eight years ago, with water utilities, advocacy groups, academic experts, public health organizations, and government officials working together.

In 2018, Jersey Water Works, with support from The Fund for New Jersey, created the Lead in Drinking Water Task Force, which soon issued policy recommendations. The recommendations informed a major law, signed in 2021, that now requires all public community water systems to locate and replace every lead and galvanized service line in the state within 10 years.

Utilities have created programs such as New Jersey American Water’s Lead Service Line Replacement Program that follows the 2021 state law requiring all water providers to identify and replace lead and galvanized steel service lines by 2031. A service line is the pipe that brings water from the water main in the street into a home or building. It includes both the portion owned by a utility and the part owned by the property owner.

The number of lead or galvanized service lines in New Jersey has decreased to 115,121 in 2025, down from 163,382 in 2022, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

The Jersey Water Works Lead Service Line Implementation Workgroup provides peer-to-peer support to ensure the law’s implementation. For the past five years, they have met regularly to find solutions, share best practices, develop toolkits and resources and track progress.

“This recognition in the area of Policy Innovation and Leadership is a powerful validation of what’s possible when government, utilities, advocates, and communities work together with urgency and purpose,” said Yolanda McCollom, environmental engineer, Ridgewood Water, co-chair of the LSL Implementation Workgroup.

“From the foundational 2019 report to the landmark 2021 legislation and the practical tools we’ve developed for implementation, our Workgroup has helped position New Jersey as a national leader in eliminating lead from drinking water. This recognition belongs to every partner who remains fully committed to supporting utilities and municipalities so that by 2031 every lead service line in New Jersey is replaced, protecting our children and ensuring equitable access to safe water for all.”

Jersey Water Works is a collaborative of more than 600 organizations and individuals working to transform New Jersey’s water infrastructure by investing in sustainable, cost-effective solutions that deliver multiple community benefits. New Jersey Future serves as the backbone organization for the collaborative.