NJ Water May Taste, Smell Different For A Couple Months

NEW JERSEY — Tap water could taste and smell a bit different for millions of state residents in the coming months. New Jersey American Water will soon add chlorine to its supply as part of its annual-maintenance process.

The company will temporarily change its water-treatment process from a chloramine (combined) residual to free chlorine residual at several of its treatment plants. The process will begin the week of Feb. 20 and last through the end of April, impacting many customers throughout North and Central Jersey. (See exactly where below.)

During that time, some may notice a "slight taste and smell" of chlorine in their water, says New Jersey American Water, which serves about 2.8 million people in the state. Those who wish to reduce the taste of chlorine can place water in an uncovered glass container in the refrigerator overnight to dissipate chlorine faster.

"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," said Laura Norkute, the company's director of water quality. "We perform this distribution system maintenance program every year as an added measure of disinfection in our distribution system."

Most customers won't notice a change, New Jersey American Water says. The smell and taste will return to normal once the utility completes its system maintenance.

New Jersey American Water has used chloramines in its water-treatment process since the 1970s. In 2012, the company began using the substance to treat water in its coastal system, which serves customers throughout Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency accepts chloramine as an effective treatment to prevent the waterborne transmission of parasites. One in five Americans receives drinking water from systems that administer the process, according to New Jersey American Water.

But kidney-dialysis patients and fish owners should take extra precautions, the company says. As with chlorine, chloramine must be removed from water used in the dialysis process. Dialysis systems already pre-treat their source water to remove chlorine, but some modifications may be necessary to remove chloramines. Find more info here.

Low levels of both chlorine and chloramine are toxic to aquatic life and must be removed from water they'll use. Fish owners should contact their local pet-supply store for assistance and recommended products. See more info.

Chloramine is safe for dogs, cats and birds.

The temporary change will impact the following communities (those with an asterisk purchase water from New Jersey American Water):

• Essex County: Irvington, Maplewood and Millburn.
• Hunterdon County: Flemington Borough*, Raritan Township, Readington Township and Tewksbury Township.
• Mercer County: Hopewell Borough*, Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township*, Princeton Borough, Princeton Junction, Princeton Township, Trenton* and West Windsor Township.
• Middlesex County: Cranbury Township, Dunellen Borough, Edison Township, Jamesburg Borough, Middlesex Borough, Monroe Township, North Brunswick*, Piscataway Township, Plainsboro Township, South Brunswick Township and South Plainfield Borough.
• Monmouth County: Aberdeen*, Allenhurst, Asbury Park City, Atlantic Highlands, Avon*, Bay Head, Belmar*, Bradley Beach, Colts Neck Township, Deal, Eatontown, Elberon, Fair Haven, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel Township, Interlaken, Keansburg*, Keyport*, Lake Como*, Little Silver, Loch Arbor Village, Long Branch City, Matawan*, Middletown Township, Monmouth Beach, Naval Weapons Station Earle*, Neptune City, Neptune Township (incl. Ocean Grove), Ocean Township, Oceanport, Red Bank, Rumson, Sea Bright, Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls, Union Beach, Wanamassa and West Long Branch.
• Morris County: Chatham Township, Florham Park Borough, Long Hill Township, Mendham Township and Mendham Borough.
• Ocean County: Bay Head, Point Pleasant Borough*.
• Somerset County: Bedminster Township, Bernards Township, Bernardsville Borough, Bound Brook Borough, Branchburg Township, Bridgewater Township, Far Hills Borough, Franklin Township, Green Brook Township, Hillsborough Township, Manville Borough, Millstone Borough, Montgomery Township, North Plainfield Borough, Peapack & Gladstone Borough, Raritan Borough, Rocky Hill*, Somerville Borough, South Bound Brook Borough, Warren Township and Watchung Borough.
• Union County: Berkley Heights Township, City of Rahway*, Clark Township, Cranford Township, City of Elizabeth (Liberty)*, Fanwood Borough, Garwood Borough, Hillside Township, Kenilworth Borough, Linden City, Mountainside Borough, New Providence Borough, Plainfield City, Roselle Borough, Roselle Park Borough, Scotch Plains Township, Springfield Township, Summit, Union Township, Westfield Township and Winfield Park Township*.