Mayor Ras J. Baraka and the Department of Water and Sewer Utilities Director Kareem Adeem today announced that the Lead Service Line Replacement Program is featured in a major exhibition entitled Health Is a Human Right: Achieving Health Equity at the CDC Museum in Atlanta, Georgia.
The exhibition presents case studies of how communities, organizations, and local, state, and federal governments across the U.S. are addressing persistent health inequities in the 21st century. Newark’s program is recognized for setting the stage in expediting the replacement of lead service lines in residential homes, further protecting the health and safety of more than 300,000 residents.
Beginning in 2019, under the leadership of Mayor Baraka and Director Adeem, Newark replaced more than 23,000 lead service lines with copper in less than three years. Newark accomplished this feat in part by securing millions of dollars in bonds and adopting an ordinance that allowed it to replace lines independently of the owner.
“We’re proud of our inclusion in this exhibition,” said Mayor Baraka. “It recognizes Newark’s efforts to be at the forefront of expedient, responsive governance. Once we realized the magnitude of this public health issue and the peril to our residents, we removed every bureaucratic hurdle and sprinted to a permanent solution.”
Newark’s success was highlighted by Vice President Kamala Harris as “the model city” for Lead Service Line Replacement in an event hosted by Mayor Baraka and attended by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan on February 11, 2022.
“As a ‘case study’ we are the perfect example of collaboration between all levels of government, trade unions, and most importantly, our residents,” said Director Adeem.
The Newark Department of Water and Sewer Utilities has lent the CDC Museum examples of some of the replaced lead pipes, as well as water filters distributed to the residents of Newark and digital copies of historic water pipe records. The department also collaborated with Bloomberg News in providing a video of Director Adeem discussing how the work was done.
In addition to Newark’s program, the exhibition includes contributions from more than 100 individuals, organizations, and government agencies from across the United States addressing a range of environmental and public health challenges and solutions.
Health Is a Human Right: Achieving Health Equity is open to the public until Friday, August 1, 2025 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters at 1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329. The physical exhibition, which includes photographs, documents, media, artwork, and objects, will be complemented by an online experience available at: https://cdcmuseum.org/exhibits/show/health-is-a-human-right/health-is-a-human-right-home