New Jersey American Water says test holes will help locate lead and galvanized pipes for replacement. The notice provides no street-by-street schedule.
MENDHAM, NJ – New Jersey American Water plans to inspect water service lines whose pipe material is unknown, according to a notice posted by Mendham Borough on Sept. 24. Crews may excavate small test holes near water meters or curb stops to identify the pipes connecting individual homes to the water main.
The posting says work is scheduled for September. Its attached utility letter specifically names Mendham Township, while the borough’s web announcement refers more generally to Mendham. Neither document provides a street list, individual appointment schedule or a firm completion date, so residents should confirm whether their property is included.
The inspections support the company’s effort to replace lead and galvanized steel service lines. The notice concerns pipes that have not yet been identified; it does not say that every property receiving an inspection has a lead line.
A service line has two ownership sections: one belonging to the utility and another belonging to the property owner. The letter says crews may expose either or both sections to determine the material. Montana Construction, the utility’s contractor, is scheduled to perform the test-hole work block by block.
If an inspection identifies lead or galvanized pipe, the company says it will work with the owner to schedule replacement. That work can include the connection entering a basement or crawlspace.
Owners must sign a consent agreement for replacement because the contractor needs access inside the property to connect the new line to the home’s plumbing. The letter says New Jersey American Water will pay the replacement, permit and associated restoration costs, with no direct out-of-pocket charge to the customer at the time of replacement.
The company’s lead-service-line program page explains that customers retain ownership of their portion of the new line after installation. It also provides an address-based inventory and instructions for residents who want to identify and report their own pipe material. Self-reporting is optional.
The program is part of the utility’s response to New Jersey’s requirement to identify service-line materials and replace lead and galvanized lines by 2031, according to the company. Identifying an unknown line is an initial step; any replacement must then be arranged with the property owner.
Residents can review the letter and inventory through the borough notice and utility program page. The borough lists 201-957-6527 for project questions. New Jersey American Water’s emergency customer-service number is 800-272-1325.