Frequently Asked Questions

There is no lead in the Hawthorne water supply.  Although there are no lead pipes in the Hawthorne water system, the State of New Jersey believes there is a possibility that galvanized pipe (steel coated with zinc) can be a source of lead contamination, and as of 2021, an estimated 45% of the water service lines for Hawthorne Water customers were made of galvanized pipe. Lead could also enter the water from lead fittings and some brass fixtures inside a house. Thirty years of testing water inside homes pursuant to teh federal governmetn's "Lead and Copper" rule has not revealed a lead problem in the Hawthorne water system.

The Hawthorne Water System has no actual lead service lines.  Roughly 45% of the service lines in the system were made all or in part of galvanized pipe, which the State of New Jersey has legislatively defined to be "lead." All customers with galvanized service lines were sent notices on 2/22/2022 via certified mail providing this information. To check whether or not you have a galvanized service line, refer to our inventory, which has been updated to reflect replacement of galvanized lines since 2021.

The Borough's contracted water testing lab can conduct a test for lead  in water drawn from your home at a cost of $75 to the customer.  For more information, call Trish at Agra at 973 989-0010. Other laboratories may also be able to perform this test.

You should contact your familiy pediatrician.  If, for some reason, you do not have a family pediatrician, call the Hawthorne Board of Health at 973-427-4012.

Galvanized service lines will all be replaced by June 30, 2031. A Phase 3 contract for replacement is underway.  A Phase 4 contract for replacement is awaiting NJ-DEP approval to bid.  A schedule for replacement of the remaining lines has not yet been established.   You will receive a notice before the Borough does this work.

The Borough will pay the cost of replacing galvanized service lines - both the Borough's portion from main to curb, and the customer's portion from curb to the meter. The Borough will, however, will raise water rates in order to have the funds to repay debt taken on to pay this cost.  The amount of this rate increase is unknown at this time, until we receive actual bid prices on the line replacement, and find out whether we will receive grants and/or low interest loans to help lower those debt service costs.

If no water has been drawn for six or more hours, then turning on the tap and letting it run for 45 seconds or more would flush out all the water that has been sitting in the pipe. It is when water has had a long contact time with the pipe, sittings or fixtures containing lead that there is a danger of lead leaching ino the water..So water used for drinking or food preparation after flushing the lines this way should have have a risk of lead.

Other steps are: having your water tested for lead, or switching to bottled water for drinking. Some water filters may remove lead, but please read lables on filters to see if they are certified for lead removal.

Lead can cause serious health problems if too much enters your body from drinking water or other sources. It can cause damage to the brain and kidneys and can interfere with the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of your body. The greatest risk of lead exposure is to infants, young children, and pregnant women. Scientists have linked the effects of lead on the brain with lowered IQ in children. Adults with kidney problems and high blood pressure can be affected by low levels of lead more than healthy adults. Lead is stored in the bones, and it can be released later in life. During pregnancy, the child receives lead from the mother’s bones, which may affect brain development. Contact the Hawthorne Board of Health at 973-427-4012 or your healthcare provider to find out how you can get your child tested for lead if you are concerned about lead exposure. You can find out more about how to get your child tested and how to pay for it at https://www.state.nj.us/health/childhoodlead/testing.shtml. 

Even if the customer portion of a service lines (from the curb into the house) has been replaced with copper, the Borough portion of the service line (from the main to the curb) may still be galvanized, which would be the reason for the notice.  You can help the Borough ensure the accuracy of its database by callting 973-427-5330 and reporting that your portion of the service line is copper.

No. Replacing any pipoes or fixtures within a building is the responsibility of the proeprty owner.