A few days back, I was talking to someone about the water quality in New Jersey, and I was asked what I thought about the probability that our water quality is potentially worse than that of Flint, MI. Flint has infamously been in a public health emergency since 2014 due to high leads content in drinking water. The high amounts of lead have killed 10 people and affected 77 other. Hearing that pollutants in my own state might be worse than that of those in a place known for poor quality water came as a shock to me. Looking into the issue on my own, I don’t think that we are as bad of as Flint is, but it is still a matter of concern that needs to be dealt with.

An online report stated that in New Jersey, of 323 tested schools, there were 137 schools that had at least point of discharge that held above the legal limit of 15 ppb (parts per billion) of lead. A majority of these cases were found in the northeastern part of the state, mainly Newark, but could also be found in Trenton and Camden.

The lead in New Jersey schools is a concern, because there are any number of things that lead can do to harm children. High levels of lead in a child’s body can cause stomach pain, headaches, vomiting, confusion, muscle weakness, seizures, hair loss, and anemia. Along with these symptoms, exposure to lead can cause a loss of focus in children, and can potentially lead to a lowered IQ.

There are a few ways that lead can get into our water, and there are also ways that we can reduce our exposure to lead. Lead can enter water through metal water taps, interior water pipes, or pipes connecting a house to the main water pipe in the street. The lead enters the water when these sources start to corrode, or from the solder that was used to connect the pipes. If there is a possibility that lead content is to high in the area, then only use tap water that comes out cold. tap water that comes out hot may indicate higher levels of lead. Drinking bottled water of purchasing a water filtration system can reduce the risk of taking in lead.

It is important for our state’s water to be clean. Water itself is a basic human right because it is something we need to survive. Making sure it is clean is a necessity, and shouldn’t be overlooked, whether you’re in a public health emergency or not.