Newark calls Harvard water quality report “inaccurate”

A Harvard University study that accused Newark of having unsafe drinking water is “inaccurate and misleading” according to Newark officials.

The initial Harvard report claimed that drinking water in Newark, Delaware had unsafe levels of toxic chemicals. Not just unsafe, but the report accused the city’s water supply of having chemical concentration levels 25 times the amount allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency.

But the report was wrong, according to City Manager Carol Houck. “The information is inaccurate and misleading,” Houck said in a statement refuting the report. “The samples referenced in the study were taken from a well located in close proximity to the New Castle Airport and is in no way associated with the City of Newark’s water system.”

Since Newark’s objection, the Harvard report removed the reference to water contamination in Newark. Despite the correction, the incorrect news about water quality in Newark got national attention online through articles on websites including CNN.com and sciencealert.com

“None of the contaminants in question were detected in the city’s water source,” Houck said. “We are confident our water quality meets or exceeds quality standards and does not pose any risk to those who consume it.”