NJ American Water To Resume Use Of Chloramine In Somerset County

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — New Jersey American Water will resume using chloramines in water treatment at its Raritan-Millstone and Canal Road Water Treatment plants beginning on the week of April 15.

These plants serve New Jersey American Water customers in Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union counties.

In mid-February, as part of an annual routine maintenance program for its water distribution system, New Jersey American Water temporarily changed the water treatment process from a chloramine residual (a combined residual) to a free chlorine residual.

Chloramines have long been an effective method of water disinfection that meets all EPA and NJDEP drinking water standards and have been used by New Jersey American Water since the 1970s, according to NJ American Water.

The treatment change applies to New Jersey American Water customers in the following communities: (Communities with an asterisk purchase water from New Jersey American Water.)

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

The two-month changeover to free chlorine residual enabled the company to perform routine annual maintenance. During the transition to free chlorine residual, some customers may have noticed a slight chlorine taste and odor in their water. With the resumption of the chloramine process, the taste and smell of chlorine will subside, according to NJ American Water.

For more information about the use of chloramine in water treatment, visit
newjerseyamwater.com.

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