Mandatory Boil Water Advisory Issued In Somerset County

WARREN, NJ — A mandatory boil water advisory has been issued in Somerset County after a water main broke at the intersection of Mountain Boulevard and Mt Bethel Road in Warren Township on Wednesday.

New Jersey American Water issued a mandatory boil water advisory to customers within Green Brook, Martinsville, Warren Township, and Watchung.

"A potential or actual threat to the quality of water being provided to the above areas currently exists. As a precaution, we are implementing a limited Boil Water Advisory until testing of the water supply is deemed satisfactory," said NJ American Water.

A notice will be sent out when the advisory is lifted.

Customers within the impacted area are instructed to bring tap water to a rolling boil for one minute and allow cooling before using or use bottled water.

Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking; preparing foods; mixing baby formula, food, juices or drinks; washing vegetables and fruit; cooking; making ice; brushing teeth; and washing dishes until further notice.

Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.

Warren Township is holding a water distribution center at Central Elementary School, 109 Mt. Bethel Rd., in Warren from 3 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday.

New Jersey American Water also recommends the following steps:

• Throw away uncooked food or beverages or ice cubes if made with tap water during the day of the advisory.
• Keep boiled water in the refrigerator for drinking.
• Do not swallow water while showering or bathing.
• Do not use home filtering devices in place of boiling or using bottled water, most home water filters will not provide adequate protection from microorganisms.
• Use only water that has been boiled (and cooled) to treat minor injuries.
• Rinse hand-washed dishes with a diluted bleach solution (one tablespoon of household bleach per gallon of tap water) or clean your dishes in a dishwasher using the hot wash cycle and dry cycle.
• Upon boiling water for potable use, it is suggested that 2-3 gallons of boiled (and cooled) water be stored in the refrigerator in one gallon-containers for use in cooking, drinking, etc. Water can be stored in this manner for 2-3 days.
• Pets should be provided with drinking water that has been boiled (and cooled) in the manner indicated above.

New Jersey American Water crews began emergency repairs at 8 a.m. As of 10 a.m., crews were able to stop the flow of water, said Warren Township Police Lt. Paul Dziedzic.

Warren Township closed Town Hall on Wednesday at 10 a.m. as a result of the water main break.

Residents in Warren, Watchung, and Green Brook may experience discolored or cloudy water, low water pressure, or no water, said NJ American Water.

Repairs are expected to take about 9 hours to complete.

Once repairs are complete and water service is restored, customers may experience discolored water. If water is discolored, customers are asked to run the cold water taps only, at the lowest level of the house for about 3 to 5 minutes until the water runs clear.

For more information or to see a map of the affected area click here. Customers can also call 1-800-272-1325 for more information.

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