Toxic drinking water problem far more widespread in NJ than reported
More than 50 systems – including 17 public drinking water systems and 11 schools – violate DEP standards
NJ Spotlight is knowingly misleading readers by failing to report the Statewide extent of violations of new DEP drinking water standards on a class of toxic chemicals knowns as “forever chemicals” (i.e. PFOA, PFOS, PFNA).
NJ Spotlight has written 3 detailed stories over the last weeks on controversial violations of DEP’s new drinking water standards, and focused that coverage exclusively on Middlesex County water (i.e. see the first, and the second and the third).
The progress of this coverage appears to downplay the risks and put the water company in a more favorable light. It’s almost as if they were running away from their original coverage.
NJ Spotlight has done this narrow reporting despite the fact that:
1) prior to their NJ drinking water stories, they wrote an EPA focused story on thousands of contaminated sites nationally (with over 2,500 in New Jersey, including this one in Milford NJ that has levels 900 times DEP groundwater standards that NJ Spotlight has failed to report on); and
[Full disclosure: that national story was based on the work of PEER, my former employer. I had no knowledge of or involvement in that work.]
2) I provided reporter Jon Hurdle with DEP’s own enforcement data showing violations by more than 50 NJ systems, including 17 public drinking water systems and 11 schools and daycares.
I publicly disclosed that DEP enforcement data the day after I obtained it from DEP via filing an OPRA public records request. Much of the DEP data show violations that are as bad or worse than NJ Spotlight reported in Middlesex County.
The people if NJ – and their children – drinking that water have a right to know about that.
The also need to know about the science and flaws in DEP’s regulatory response, including such facts that:
- DEP does not require installation of treatment to remove these chemicals
- DEP allows “blending” (dilution) to evade the drinking water standards
- Pregnant women, infants, and children are highly vulnerable to these chemicals
- there are many additional unregulated toxic chemicals in your drinking water
The NJ Spotlight reporting’s exclusive focus on Middlesex County water generates a host of troubling questions, beginning with why?
Are they intentionally trying to downplay the magnitude and scope of the problem?
Did DEP withhold the Statewide enforcement data I obtained from Mr. Hurdle?
Is DEP trying to downplay the magnitude and scope of the problem?
Did Mr. Hurdle obtain that data but just not report it? If so, why?
Do they have some other reason to target Middlesex County?
If I drank the water from any of these 50+ systems or ran the Middlesex County water department that has received this exclusive focus, I’d sure want answers from DEP and Mr. Hurdle at NJ Spotlight.
[Note: and this is not the only story on drinking water NJ Spotlight is misreporting and downplaying, see these, stories they’ve completely ignored:
- NJ Residents Are Still Drinking Rocket Fuel In Tap Water
- Endocrine Disruptor Study Buried At The Pinelands Commission
- NJ Drinking Water Quality Institute Seeking Public Input On How To Regulate Chemicals
Meanwhile, as recently passed journalist and writer William Greider once asked: Who will tell the people about this?