New Jersey American Water began lead service line replacement work this week in South Orange Village, as part of a public health initiative aimed at improving drinking water infrastructure. The work will progress through neighborhoods in phases — starting with streets identified by South Orange Village as in need of repaving. The work in mandated through the state requirement that all water systems replace lead service lines by 2031.
South Orange Village sold its water distribution system to New Jersey American Water, which took ownership in October of 2025. The move — which was approved by voters in 2024 — affected about 5,000 customer connections across South Orange, where the company had already been under contract to handle day-to-day operations since 2016.
Since acquiring the system, according to a press release issued on Tuesday, January 20, the company has been working with Village officials to “review communications, plan construction activities and establish a comprehensive approach to identifying and replacing lead service lines.” As required by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, every property in South Orange Village will be inspected to confirm service line material, even if prior work or meter upgrades have occurred.
“Even if a home has had similar work done in the past, we’re still checking every property in South Orange to meet today’s standards,” said Mike Malloy, senior manager of operations, New Jersey American Water. “By inspecting every property and replacing lead and galvanized lines as we go, we’re taking real, visible steps to protect drinking water and reduce unknown service lines across the Village.”
Once it is determined that a service line is made of lead or galvanized steel, the replacement will be scheduled for a future date, according to the release. While scheduling does not occur immediately following inspection and is completed by a separate crew, the service line replacement work itself is typically completed during a single day, according to the company. During replacement, customers can expect a temporary water service interruption of approximately four hours.
As part of this work in South Orange Village, New Jersey American Water says it will also install outdoor meter pits at each property to support future meter relocation and improve service efficiency. The utility-owned portion of the service line (from the water main to the curb) and/or the customer-owned portion (from the curb to the home) will be replaced if necessary.
The release went on to say that following construction, temporary restoration will be performed immediately to grant safe access to the property. Permanent restoration — including sidewalks, driveways, curbs, and lawns — is weather-dependent and may take place weeks or, in some cases, months later, particularly during colder months. Lawn restoration may be delayed until appropriate seasonal conditions return, and restoration work will be coordinated in phases to help ensure quality and durability once conditions allow.
According to the company, replacement of lead service lines is funded through New Jersey American Water’s Lead Service Line Replacement Charge, a separate surcharge approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities that currently appears as a line item on customer water bills. This statewide approach allows New Jersey American Water to recover costs associated with replacing customer-owned lead and galvanized service lines as part of a public health initiative, rather than requiring eligible homeowners to pay a direct, upfront cost for replacement work on private property. Without this approach, individual replacements could cost homeowners thousands of dollars.
New Jersey American Water will continue to provide neighborhood-specific updates as work advances, including advance notice for customers whose properties are scheduled for inspection or replacement. Residents are encouraged to respond promptly to outreach and allow access to their property to support progress toward the statewide 2031 deadline. Additional information and resources about lead service line replacement are available on the company’s website.
Work will initially begin on the following streets in South Orange:
- Wesley Court
- Church Street
- South Ridgewood Road
- 1st Street
- 2nd Street
- 3rd Street
- 4th Street
- 5th Street
- West Fairview Avenue
- South Kingman Road
Meanwhile, on January 16, the company also announced that it filed a request with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) for new rates to support over $1.4 billion in ongoing water and wastewater service system investments through December 2026. The request reinforces the company’s commitment to implementing critical system upgrades and continuing to improve water quality and reliability for approximately 2.9 million people served statewide.
“As we continue to invest in our infrastructure, we’re strengthening our systems, enhancing reliability, and improving water quality from treatment to the tap for the communities that count on us,” stated New Jersey American Water President Mark McDonough in the release. “These improvements reflect our commitment to providing our customers with affordable, high-quality service – made possible by our dedicated employees, who remain focused on protecting the health and safety of the people and communities we serve.”
According to the release, the request will support “the company’s continued investment to modernize and strengthen its water and wastewater systems in communities across New Jersey, including the replacement or rehabilitation of nearly 120 miles of aging infrastructure, the ongoing replacement of lead service lines, and investments to address emerging contaminants such as PFAS in drinking water.”
If approved, the company says, the typical average residential water customer would see an increase of approximately $10 per month.
