Livingston Releases Annual Drinking Water Report

Do you know where your water comes from?

Every year, Livingston releases a Drinking Water Quality Report, which is composed of data from the most recent tests required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

This report contains important data such as water sources and detected contaminant levels.

See Livingston’s full 2015 report here.

“Livingston’s water supply is derived from 12 production wells located within the township and water purchased from New Jersey American Water (NJAW),” the report states.

“The water purchased from NJAW is a blend of sources that includes groundwater from the Brunswick Shale Formations, the Buried ValleyAquifer System and the Gneiss Rock Formations, and surface water from the Canoe Brook Reservoirs, Passaic River, Raritan River and the Wanaque Reservoir.”

The municipality was awarded “Best Tasting Water in New Jersey” by the American Water Works Association in 2013 and 2014, according to the report.

“We at the Township of Livingston Water Department work hard to provide top quality water to every tap,” the report states. “We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community, our way of life and our children’s future.”

CONTAMINANTS

No violations of EPA drinking water standards were found in the town’s well water supply during the previous year, the 2015 report stated.

The township recorded six, positive Total Coliform Bacteria samples in its well-water system in December of 2014, according to the report.

“We immediately took extra samples and all of those sample results were negative,” the report states.

In addition, water samples taken by the NJAW (Short Hills System) exceeded the 50 parts-per-million Recommended Upper Limit (RUL) for sodium, ranging from 16 to 110 ppm.

“For healthy individuals the sodium intake from water is not important, because a much greater intake of sodium takes place from salt in the diet,” the report states. “However, sodium levels above the Recommended Upper Limit (RUL) may be of concern to individuals on a sodium restricted diet.”

The NJAW Short Hills System also exceeded the 50 ppb (RUL) for manganese which is based on staining of laundry.

“Manganese is an essential nutrient, and toxicity is not expected from levels which would be encountered in drinking water,” the report states. “Manganese is a naturally occurring element in soil, groundwater, and some surface waters. Manganese is considered harmless to health, however, they may give water an off taste or color, cause splotchy yellow stains on laundry, and clog water systems.”

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