UNION COUNTY, NJ — On April 19, New Jersey American Water will resume using chloramines in water treatment at its Raritan–Millstone and Canal Road water treatment plants. These plants serve NJAW customers in Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union counties.
In mid-January, as part of an annual routine maintenance program for its water distribution system, NJAW 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 meet all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and N.J. Department of Environmental Protection drinking water standards and have been used by New Jersey American Water since the 1980s.
The treatment change applies to NJAW customers in the following Union County communities: Berkeley Heights, Rahway, Clark, Cranford, Elizabeth, Fanwood, Garwood, Hillside, Kenilworth, Linden, Mountainside, New Providence, Plainfield, Roselle, Roselle Park, Scotch Plains, Springfield, Summit, Union, Westfield and Winfield Park.
The three-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.
For more information about the use of chloramine in water treatment, visit www.newjerseyamwater.com.