After further investigation this week, officials told anyone who drank the medical center’s tap water between Jan. 22 and Feb. 25 they could have been exposed to a small amount of lead. Morristown Medical Center has taken the necessary steps to notify those who may have been exposed, according to the report.
As the medical center works with the state’s Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Health, investigators have found the level of lead in the water has decreased recently. But until lead levels diminish completely, Morristown Medical Center will continue to use bottled water for drinking and food preparation.
Officials have not identified the cause of the contamination. “At this time, we are investigating the possibility that a lapse in a water treatment called orthophosphate, a commonly used chemical that keeps lead from entering our water system, may have caused lead particles to enter the water,” said Morristown Medical Center spokeswoman Elaine Andrecovich.
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