NJ American Water Continue To Flush System As Taste, Odor Issues Remain

SOMERSET/UNION COUNTY, NJ — New Jersey American Water is continuing to flush targeted areas of the Raritan system as changes in the taste and odor of the water remain in the Somerset and Union County areas.

NJ American Water is also performing additional sampling throughout the communities that are reporting a changed odor in the water.

"Additional laboratory testing of the samples confirmed that water meets state and federal drinking water standards," said NJ American Water Spokeswoman Denise Venuti Free. "We are working with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection to determine if any other course of action or precautionary measures are necessary."

Hillsborough Township Public Schools announced on Friday morning, "Out of an abundance of caution, we will continue to restrict water fountains/filling stations at our schools for today, Friday December 20th. Students are encouraged to bring bottled water and we have lots of bottled water available on site for children if needed. We anticipate being back to normal as it relates to water upon students' return on January 2nd."

Customers in the Raritan System and surrounding areas began reporting the odor and taste issues with the water on Wednesday, prompting the water company to send out an urgent message.

Impacted towns include:

• Belle Mead,
• Berkeley Heights,
• Bernards Township,
• Bound Brook,
• Bridgewater,
• Branchburg,
• Chester,
• Clark,
• Cranbury,
• Cranford,
• Dunellen,
• Edison,
• Fanwood,
• Far Hills,
• Flagtown,
• Flemington,
• Franklin Township,
• Garwood,
• Gladstone,
• Green Brook,
• Hightstown,
• Hillsborough,
• Hillside,
• Hopewell Borough,
• Hopewell Township,
• Jamesburg,
• Kenilworth,
• Kingston,
• Lawrence,
• Linden,
• Long Hill Township,
• Manville,
• Martinsville,
• Middlesex,
• Millstone,
• Monroe Township,
• Montgomery,
• Mountainside,
• Neshanic Station,
• New Providence,
• North Plainfield,
• Peapack,
• Piscataway,
• Plainfield,
• Plainsboro,
• Pottersville,
• Princeton,
• Princeton Junction,
• Raritan Borough,
• Raritan Township,
• Readington,
• Roselle,
• Roselle Park,
• Scotch Plains,
• Somerset,
• Somerville,
• South Brunswick,
• South Plainfield,
• South Bound Brook,
• Summit,
• Tewksbury,
• Three Bridges,
• Union,
• Vauxhall,
• Warren,
• Watchung,
• West Windsor,
• Westfield,
• Whitehouse
• Whitehouse Station

If customers' water is discolored, run the cold water taps only, at the lowest level of the house for about 3 to 5 minutes until the water runs clear.

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