Water Testing

These are resources shared by the NJ Department of Education:

• The NJ Department of Health’s Childhood Lead webpage includes fact sheets regarding lead and drinking water, lead in drinking water at schools and child care centers (available in English and Spanish),preventing lead poisoning, testing for lead exposure, and other resources.
• The NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s Lead webpage includes FAQs about lead in drinking water, steps consumers can take to reduce exposure from lead in drinking water, and other resources. Customers can check New Jersey Drinking Water Watch, which is an online resource enabling users to view drinking water information for New Jersey water systems.
• The NJ Department of Human Services, Division of Medical Assistance & Health Services, has established a Lead Poisoning Prevention Resource site to share informational materials created (in multiple languages)to explain how children ages 6 and younger get lead poisoning, how it harms a child’s health, and how to prevent it.
• The Murphy Administration and the NJ Poison Control Center have established a 24/7 Health Hotline for residents with questions and concerns about the health effects of lead exposure. The phone number for the Health Hotline is 1-866-448-2432. Calls to the Health Hotline are answered 24/7 by trained medical professionals – doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. Assistance is available in 150 languages.
• The Department of Health has renewed its #kNOwLEAD public education campaign to increase awareness of all lead hazards including lead-based paint in homes built before 1978, leaded pipes and imported goods such as certain spices, ceramic pottery, and some herbal remedies and folk medicine. #kNOwLEAD educational posters are available in English, Spanish, and Hindi.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Division of Food and Nutrition Services, provides fact sheets and other helpful information regarding Water Availability in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, Federal Nutrition Programs: Reducing the Impact of Lead Exposure, and Resources for Making Potable Water Available in Schools and Child Care Facilities.

• Concerned families can also focus on giving their children healthy foods – with calcium, iron, and Vitamin C – that may prevent lead from being absorbed into the body. Milk, yogurt, cheese, and leafy vegetables like spinach offer calcium. Lean meats, beans, peanut butter, and cereals provide iron. Oranges, green, and red peppers are a good source of Vitamin C, as well as juices with Vitamin C, such as orange, tomato, and grapefruit. For information regarding nutrition assistance services available for low-income families, pregnant women, infants and children under five years old, and others who may be eligible, please see The New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children and New Jersey’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
• The NJ Department of Human Services encourages anyone who is feeling stressed or anxious to call New Jersey Mental Health Cares at (877) 294-HELP (4357). A TTY line is available for the deaf and hearing impaired at (877) 294-4356.
• The NJ Department of Human Services encourages anyone whose child needs health insurance coverage to visit NJFamilyCare to learn if you are eligible for free or reduced cost coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.