There’s one less obstacle in the way for utilities trying to get the lead out of water systems across the state -- but you’ll be giving up a bit of autonomy over your private property to make it happen.

On Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a new law that allows municipalities to create local ordinances that allow public water utilities to enter private property without permission of the property owner in order to replace a lead service line.

The goal, officials said, is to speed up the process of replacing lead service lines — garden-hose sized pipes that connect individual properties to the water main.

“As municipalities around our state replace lead service lines, we must ensure that they have timely access to properties,” Murphy said. “This law equips cities and towns with a crucial tool in combatting the nationwide issue of lead in water.”

Lead service lines have been the driving source of elevated lead levels in recent years in water systems across New Jersey, including high-profile cases like Newark, Trenton, and SUEZ’s Hackensack system.

In each of those cases, lead was not present in water leaving the treatment plant. Instead, lead entered the water just before it reached customer’s taps as it passed through lead service lines.

“This law will help municipalities address the problem with greater urgency, both in Newark and statewide,” said Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin, D-Essex, a sponsor of the measure. “It’s an extremely time-sensitive issue and by authorizing municipalities to enter properties to replace lead service lines, we will ensure the job gets done properly and expeditiously.”

There are at least 161,000 lead service lines known to exist in New Jersey, according to state records from August, and that number is expected to increase as water systems report their lead service line inventories to the state.

The American Water Works Association has estimated that there may be 350,000 lead service lines in New Jersey, and that replacing all of them could cost about $2.3 billion.

“The cost of upgrading our water infrastructure falls disproportionately on older American cities, and it’s critical that we create a permanent solution to eliminate the risk of lead in our water for all families. This bill will help municipalities achieve that, even when they are unable to reach property owners,” state Senator Teresa Ruiz, D-Essex, another bill sponsor, said.

“Especially in communities with large renter populations, this will ensure towns can take action to protect families and individuals living in homes with unresponsive landlords.”

In October, Murphy pledged to replace every lead service line in the Garden State within 10 years. That goal is part of the Governor’s larger push to deal with lead contamination in New Jersey.

Under the law, new local ordinances must include a provision that property owners be given 72 hours warning before work is done, unless an emergency is determined by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

New ordinances must also specify that public workers can only access parts of private property that are directly related to the lead service line replacement work.

Earlier this year, Newark passed an ordinance that made it mandatory for all property owners in the city to sign up for a lead service line replacement. A provision in that ordinance empowered the city to enter a property and replace a lead service line if the property owner fails to sign up for the program.

Murphy also signed a new law aimed at strengthening awareness of drinking water emergencies.

The law requires that water systems notify officials in each affected municipality within one hour whenever a boil water advisory is issued.

The measure was sponsored by a number of Mercer County lawmakers. Trenton Water Works has experienced multiple boil water advisories in recent years, most recently one in September.

MORE: See our comic that draws out how lead got into drinking water across N.J.

Read more of NJ.com’s coverage of New Jersey water issues here.

Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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