Water treatment to change

By: centraljersey.com
As part of its annual distribution system (pipeline) maintenance program, New Jersey American Water will be temporarily changing its water treatment process at the Raritan-Millstone and Canal Road surface water treatment plants from a chloramine (combined) residual to a free chlorine residual.
The change will continue until mid-April.
During this time period, customers may notice an increase in the taste and smell of chlorine in the water. This is normal and will only be temporary while the company completes this annual system maintenance.
The company will monitor water quality to ensure it meets or is better than federal and state drinking water standards.
When the project is completed, the company will transition back to chloramines. There will be an update to its website (select "alerts" on the home page) when the treatment process is transitioned back to chloramines.
Both are approved methods of disinfection by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
This periodic, scheduled change in disinfectant is a standard water treatment practice. It is performed to further disinfect the pipelines in the distribution system and allows the company to perform necessary maintenance on the chemical feed systems.
The Raritan-Millstone and Canal Road Surface Water Treatment plants serve customers in Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset and Union counties.
To remove the taste of chlorine, follow these tips: Place the water in a glass container in the refrigerator overnight uncovered. This will allow the chlorine to dissipate at a faster pace.
Bring water to a rolling boil for five minutes and allow the water to cool. This should reduce the chlorine taste and smell in the water.
Add a lemon slice or a few drops of lemon juice to a glass of drinking water.