Water Restrictions In Long Valley Extended Through October

LONG VALLEY, NJ — The Washington Township Municipal Utilities Authority (WTMUA) has extended the current restrictions due to the continued drought watch in Morris County and several other areas throughout New Jersey.

Because of the drought, the WTMUA has decided to extend the current mandatory water restrictions for Schooley's Mountain Water System residents until Oct. 15.

The Schooley's Mountain service area includes the Fawnridge tract and areas north of it, as well as the portion of the Township north of Springtown Road. Each customer in the designated area is responsible for adhering to the restrictions imposed.

Weekend water use is prohibited and restricted to odd/even days between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. The odd/even schedule means that houses with even house numbers can water on even-numbered weekdays and houses with odd house numbers can water on odd-numbered weekdays.

Exceptions to the rules include:

• Adding water to a partially filled pool using only the minimum amount of water necessary,
• Cleaning such as cars, sidewalks, driveways, patios, outdoor furniture and structures only with the use of a handheld non-leaking nozzle with an automatic shut-off.
• Use of pressure washers.
• Kiddie pools (6-foot diameter or less), slides, sprinklers or the like.
• Watering of newly laid sod or newly seeded grass.

Violators of the imposed restrictions may face penalties and/or have their water service disconnected, officials said.

In addition to all enforcement options available to the MUA, any violation of the Water Restrictions may be subject to the following fines:

• $50.00 for the first violation
• $500.00 for the second violation
• $1,000.00 for the third violation

"Efforts by all residents to conserve water—especially for outdoor use—will help ensure adequate water supplies until the Drought Watch is lifted," Washington Township MUA said.