House subcommittee holds hearing on lead in New Jersey drinking water
BLOOMFIELD, New Jersey (WABC) -- A U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee praised New Jersey for their reaction to the problem of lead in drinking water.
The hearing was held in Bloomfield Tuesday and comes in the wake of the Newark water crisis, where high lead levels led to government authorities handing out bottles water to residents.
TIMELINE: How Newark's water lead contamination crisis unfolded
Representative Mikie Sherrill led the hearing, saying she wants to make sure everything possible is done to tackle the problem.
"Let me say how fantastic it is that countless New Jersey state and local officials, the water utilities and the Department of Health and Environmental Protection have locked arms to confront this issue," she said. "But lead exposure in New Jersey is a kitchen sink problem, and we need to throw everything we have at it."
Governor Phil Murphy announced last week that he will push for a $500 million statewide bond initiative to address lead contamination.
Sherrill chairs the House Science subcommittee on investigations and oversight
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