2023 Water Flushing Schedule For West Orange Announced: NJAW

WEST ORANGE, NJ — New Jersey American Water announced its annual flushing schedule for 2023 on Thursday, which includes West Orange.

According to New Jersey American Water (NJAW), it will begin the annual maintenance work in West Orange on April 30. The flushing is scheduled to end on May 12 in the township.

Flushing in other Essex County towns served by NJAW – including Cedar Grove, Irvington, Maplewood, Millburn and North Caldwell – will kick off over the next few months. See the town-by-town schedule here.

Here’s what it means for water customers, the company said:

“While water mains are being cleaned, customers may notice short periods of low water pressure or discolored water. If customers experience temporary water discoloration, New Jersey American Water recommends running the cold water until it is clear.”

Some recommended steps include:

• Draw water for cooking prior to the flushing period
• Store a large bottle of water in the refrigerator for drinking
• Check for discolored water before using the washing machine or dishwasher
• If water pressure or water volume seems low after flushing has been completed, check faucet screens for trapped particles

What is “flushing” and why is it needed? According to NJAW:

“Flushing involves simultaneously opening fire hydrants in a specific area to create increased water flows. This routine flushing program also includes flushing blowoff valves on dead-end water mains throughout the system.”

“Flushing our system helps to clean out any mineral deposits or sediment that may have built up over time inside the pipes,” said Thomas Shroba, vice president of operations.

“While we’re flushing, we also check our hydrants to confirm they are operational and check fire flows in the system,” Shroba said.

“In addition to continuously investing in our infrastructure, essential maintenance activities such as our hydrant flushing program are key to providing our customers with high-quality drinking water, and it is an annual requirement of the Water Quality Accountability Act,” Shroba added.

New Jersey American Water provides water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.8 million people.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch West Orange Facebook page.