As part of an annual maintenance program for its water distribution system, New Jersey American Water will temporarily change the water treatment process from a chloramine (combined) residual to free chlorine residual at the company’s Raritan-Millstone and Canal Road water treatment plants.
These surface water treatment plants serve New Jersey American Water customers in Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union counties.
“This periodic, scheduled change in disinfectant is a standard water treatment practice that allows us to continue to provide safe, high-quality water for our customers,” Matthew Csik, Director of Water Quality and Environmental Compliance, New Jersey American Water, said in a prepared statement. “We perform this distribution system maintenance program every year as an added measure to further disinfect the pipelines in our distribution system.”
The temporary treatment process will begin on Jan. 12 and continue until the end of April.
During this period, some customers may notice a slight taste and smell of chlorine in their water. This is normal and will only be temporary until the system maintenance is complete, according to the statement. Customers who wish to reduce the taste of chlorine can place water in an uncovered glass container in the refrigerator overnight to dissipate chlorine faster.
“As always, we will continue to monitor water quality in the system to provide that customers receive water that meets or is better than federal and state drinking water standards,” Csik said in the statement.
The temporary treatment change applies to New Jersey American Water customers in Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township, Princeton Borough, Princeton Junction, Princeton Township, West Windsor Township;
Cranbury, Edison, Jamesburg, Monroe, North Brunswick and South Brunswick; and
Hillsborough and Montgomery, among dozens of other municipalities in the area.
New Jersey American Water has used chloramines in its water treatment process since the 1970s, according to the statement.
For more information, visit newjerseyamwater.com.