Why Tap Water May Soon Taste Different In These 7 NJ Counties

NEW JERSEY — If you're a resident of one of several North Jersey counties, your tap water could taste a little funny starting Feb. 12.

Here's why: As part of its annual maintenance program, New Jersey American Water announced this week it will temporarily change its water treatment process from a chloramine residual to a free chlorine residual at the company’s Raritan-Millstone and Canal Road water treatment plants.

The affected water treatment plants serve New Jersey American Water customers in Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union counties. The change in treatment will start on Feb. 12 and continue through the end of April.

During the change, officials said customers in the affected counties may notice a slight taste and smell of chlorine in their water. This is normal, the company said, and customers wishing to reduce the taste of chlorine can place water in an uncovered glass container in the refrigerator overnight to dissipate chlorine faster.

Laura Norkute, director of water quality with New Jersey American Water, said the switch is made annually to provide an extra measure of disinfection to the company's distribution system.

"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," Norkute said in a statement.

The temporary treatment change applies to New Jersey American Water customers in the following communities:

Essex County

• Irvington

Hunterdon County

• Flemington Borough
• Raritan Township
• Readington Township
• Tewksbury Township

Mercer County

• Hopewell Borough
• Hopewell Township
• Lawrence Township
• Princeton Borough
• Princeton Junction
• Princeton Township
• Trenton
• 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
• South Plainfield Borough

Morris County

• Chatham Township
• Long Hill Township
• Mendham Township
• Mendham 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
• 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
• Summit
• Union Township
• Westfield Township
• Winfield Park Township