Saturday update: Boil-water advisory now reduced to 22 towns
By Joanne Degnan, Managing Editor
New Jersey American Water Co. and Monmouth County officials reduced the countywide boil-water advisory on Saturday to only 22 towns directly affected by the collapse of three large water pipes at the Swimming River Reservoir.
The mandatory ban on outdoor water use, however, remains in effect countywide. Watering lawns, washing cars and filling swimming pools is prohibited. Residents are also being asked to conserve water use indoors by avoiding running washing machines and dishwashers, and limiting showering time.
The collapse of three large pipes at the Swimming River Reservoir in Tinton Falls on Friday at noon directly effected thousands of New Jersey American Water Co. customers with either a total loss of water or a reduction in water pressure.
Other water companies will be rerouting water to New Jersey American Water Co. customers, but not enough to meet normal demand, county officials said.
”That’s why it is so important to conserve water regardless of what utility you receive your water from,” Monmouth County Emergency Management Coordinator Michael Oppegaard said.
Allentown Mayor Stuart Fierstein said Saturday the borough’s water is safe to drink because Allentown has its own water utility.
”There is no need to boil water in Allentown,” the mayor said.
However, the outdoor water-use ban, and the voluntary indoor water conservation measures, apply to Allentown just as they do to every other Monmouth County community, he said. Borough police will enforce the outdoor watering ban and restaurants have been asked not to serve patrons water unless it is requested.
On Friday, the county’s first advisory to boil drinking water as a precaution against illness was initially limited to homes and businesses in 18 eastern Monmouth County communities: Middletown, Holmdel, Aberdeen, Highlands, Rumson, Fair Haven, Little Silver, Oceanport, Sea Bright, Tinton Falls, Shrewsbury, Long Branch, Eatontown, West Long Branch, Deal, Allenhurst, Loch Arbor and Neptune.
By Friday night, the state of emergency was expanded to include all municipalities, not just towns served by New Jersey American Water Co. County officials said the action was taken because different water providers in the county have shared agreements and interconnected distribution systems. (Residents with private well water were not affected.)
On Saturday morning, however, the list of communities under a boil-water advisory was reduced to the original 18, plus Monmouth Beach, Lake Como, Shrewsbury and Ocean townships.
“While things are looking a little better for many county residents today, a state of emergency remains in effect until further notice,” Freeholder Director John P. Curley said in a news release. “We are all in this together and it is critically important that each of us does our part to conserve water.”
In the 22 communities directly affected by the crisis, drinking water should be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute and then cooled prior to use.
Water distribution sites have been established at Middletown High School North, 63 Tindall Rd., Middletown; Middletown High School South, 900 Nut Swamp Rd., Middletown; and Wolf Hill Park, 3 Crescent Place, Oceanport. Hours at all sites are from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Additionally, New Jersey American Water Co. recommends taking the following steps:
• Throw away uncooked food or beverages or ice cubes if made with tap water during the day of the advisory;
• Water should be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute then cooled prior to using;
• Keep water that has been boiled in the refrigerator for drinking;
• Rinse hand-washed dishes for a minute in diluted bleach (one tablespoon of household bleach per gallon of tap water)
• Do not swallow water while you are showering or bathing;
• Provide pets with boiled water after cooling;
Do not use home filtering devices in place of boiling or using bottled water; most home water filters will not provide adequate protection from microorganisms, and
• Use only boiled water to treat minor injuries.
Residents are urged to check the county website www.visitmonmouth.com for the latest updates on the situation.