Water Utility Resumes Normal Chloramine Treatment

Editor’s Note: The following two news releases were issued by New Jersey American Water concerning water treatment and fire hydrant flushing. Hydrant flushing in Lawrence Township by New Jersey American Way is scheduled to take place between April 12 and April 23.

New Jersey American Water has resumed the use of chloramine (a mixture of chlorine and ammonia) to treat water at its Canal Road and Raritan Millstone Water Treatment Plants, which serve customers in parts of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, and Union Counties.

In February, as part of an annual system maintenance program, New Jersey American Water temporarily changed its treatment process from chloramine to chlorine. The two-month changeover to free chorine allowed the company to perform maintenance on chemical feed systems.

During the water treatment transition, some customers noticed changes to the taste and odor of their water. When the chloramine treatment resumes, the taste and smell of chlorine should abate.

Specifically, the treatment process should improve taste and odor for customers in the following municipalities:

Bedminster, Belle Meade, Bound Brook, Branchburg, Bridgewater, Chester, Clark, Cranbury, Cranford, Dunellen, Elizabeth, Edison, Fanwood, Flemington, Franklin, Garwood, Green Brook, Hillside, Hillsborough, Jamesburg, Kenilworth, Kingston, Lawrence, Linden, Manville, Martinsville, Middlesex, Millstone, Montgomery, Mountainside, North Plainfield, Peapak/Gladstone, Piscataway, Plainfield, Plainsboro, Pottersville, Princeton, Raritan, Roselle, Roselle Park, Readington, Scotch Plains, Somerville, South Bound Brook, South Brunswick, South Plainfield, Tewksbury, Union, and Westfield.

Each year, New Jersey American Water scrubs our pipes in the nearly 200 communities we serve. This is an essential part of our system maintenance program, because it helps us to continue to provide you with high-quality water service.

To cleanse the system, we systematically open our fire hydrants to increase water flows – allowing us to “flush” any minerals and deposits from the pipes. While flushing the system won’t interrupt your water service, when crews are working in your area, you may notice a temporary drop in water pressure or discolored water. This is normal. If this happens, simply let your water run until it is clear.

Customer Tips

• Avoid running your tap water and using the washing machine or dishwasher while crews are flushing in your area.
• If discolored water occurs, simply run the cold water for a few minutes until it clear. This will allow the sediment to work its way through your pipes.
• Check for discolored water before using the washing machine or dishwasher. Wait until the water runs clear at the tap before doing laundry or running the dishwasher. NOTE: If your laundry becomes stained, DO NOT PUT YOUR LAUNDRY IN THE DRYER. Rewash clothes immediately using detergent and add a rust remover. Most rust removers can also be used on stained fixtures.
• In some cases, slight discoloration might linger for a few hours. This discoloration only affects the appearance of the water and does not affect water quality. No health hazards are associated with discolored water from hydrant flushing.
• If water pressure or water volume seems low after flushing has been completed, check your faucet screens for trapped particles.

2012 Flushing Schedule

Below is a link to the areas where flushing is scheduled. Please know this is partial. Check website weekly to find out when we're flushing in your area.

• 2012 Spring Flushing Schedule