CREWS WORKING SIX DAYS A WEEK AS SUEZ CONTINUES ITS  SWEEPING ATTACK ON LEAD SERVICE LINES

Nineteen crews are working in 11 municipalities in Bergen and Hudson counties this week as part of an aggressive $16 million project by SUEZ to remove the remaining lead service lines from the system.

With multiple crews working in multiple towns six days a week, lead service lines have been replaced in 35 municipalities this year. More than 2,300 lines will be replaced this year. And SUEZ will keep going until all the lead is removed.

“Lead is an issue we take seriously. We are committed to our customers. We, too, live and raise our families here,” said Mark McKoy, Vice President and General Manager. “We will not stop working to ensure our customers receive the highest quality drinking water.”

Recent tests show, once again, that the water in the reservoirs and wells and at the treatment plant contains no lead. There is no lead in the mains. Most customers are not affected by this issue — less than five percent of homes are served by a utility-owned lead service line (the pipe that extends from the main to an individual home). For those that are, our commitment to them remains our priority.

Since January, 2,200 customers with lead service lines have requested a free sample of the drinking water in their homes and 99 percent of the results are within health standards. In fact, the vast majority show no trace of lead. When testing has identified a problem in a home, a team from SUEZ has visited the property to meet with the homeowner and determine the possible source of lead – and address the issue.

While SUEZ continues its comprehensive attack on lead lines, the company urges customers to check their homes for lead. Older homes commonly have lead pipes and solder, which can leach lead into the drinking water. Until 2014, kitchen and bathroom faucets were allowed to contain up to 8 percent of lead. Shower heads and faucets not designed for drinking purposes – such as those used in laundry sinks – traditionally had no standards. Improperly-maintained home water softeners can also contribute to corrosion.

In addition to its service line replacement project, SUEZ has taken these steps for customers:

• Customers can obtain more information or determine if they are served by a utility-owned lead service line or gooseneck by: Checking their online account, visiting www.SUEZWQ.com or www.mysuezwater.com/njwq, emailing SUEZ at sueznjcustserv@suez-na.com or calling the SUEZ customer service center at 800-422-5987.
• Customers who are served or may be served by a utility-owned lead service line or gooseneck can request a test of their drinking water and an assessment of their portion of the service line by calling the SUEZ customer service center at 800-422-5987.
• If a test result is above the government’s standard, SUEZ will provide a water pitcher with a filter that removes lead from drinking water

About SUEZ in North America

SUEZ North America operates across all 50 states and Canada with 2,825 employees dedicated to environmental sustainability and smart and sustainable resource management. The company provides drinking water, wastewater and waste collection service to 6.6 million people on a daily basis; treats over 560 million gallons of water and over 450 million gallons of wastewater each day; delivers water treatment and advanced network solutions to 16,000 industrial and municipal sites; processes 160,000 tons of waste for recycling; rehabilitates and maintains water assets for more than 4,000 municipal and industrial customers; and manages $4.1 billion in total assets. The company posted revenues of $1.1 billion in 2018 and is a subsidiary of Paris-based SUEZ.

About SUEZ

With 90,000 people on the five continents, SUEZ is a world leader in smart and sustainable resource management. We provide water and waste management solutions that enable cities and industries to optimize their resource management and strengthen their environmental and economic performances, in line with regulatory standards. To meet increasing demands to overcome resource quality and scarcity challenges, SUEZ is fully engaged in the resource revolution. With the full potential of digital technologies and innovative solutions, the Group recovers 17 million tons of waste a year, produces 3.9 million tons of secondary raw materials and 7 TWh of local renewable energy. It also secures water resources, delivering wastewater treatment services to 58 million people and reusing 882 million m3 of wastewater. SUEZ generated total revenues of $19.36 billion in 2018.