Officials in Passaic County announced that they will be replacing lead water service lines in cities across the county – free of charge for the residents.

“All of New Jersey deserves to drink clean water,” says Rep. Bill Pascrell.

This is why the Passaic Valley Water Commission is taking the necessary steps to replace about 6,500 lead service lines.

“They've been here since morning. Just after 7 a.m. they started; they're changing all the lead pipes to copper,” says Passaic resident Malti Bhokkal.

They’ve got about 11,000 additional service lines to go. What would normally cost upward of $10,000, will be done for free.

“The goal is to have our lines lead free - for free - for our residents. Vulnerable families sometimes suffer for lack of resources,” says Passaic Mayor Hector Lora.

Officials are counting on the residents to cooperate with the commission to speed up the process. Every member will be wearing a badge as they go door-to-door. They will request about 10-15 minutes access to a resident’s water meter.

“We try to make it as quick as possible. It is house-specific, depending on the layout of the house. For the most part, the work is done in a day,” says Jim Mueller, executive director of the Passaic Valley Water Commission.

Officials say this is a priority not only of Passaic County but the state as a whole.

“There is no safe level of lead…We find lead around us in many ways. The greatest risk is in dust in our homes and finds their way into our children as blood. Drinking water comes from aging infrastructure,” says Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette.

Legislation per Gov. Phil Murphy states that all service lines in New Jersey will be replaced by 2031.