WATER SLOW RETURN

NJ American Water's latest bad news notice:



New Jersey American Water Expects Gradual Return to Normal Water Service

New Jersey American Water anticipates customers in Essex and Union Counties who have been without water or who have had low water pressure will see a gradual return to normal service over the next two weeks. The company estimates that its Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant in Millburn, Essex County will begin to recover from severe flooding and a loss of power from Hurricane Irene beginning late this week, and the plant is expected to be fully operational within two weeks.
Customers in West Orange, Short Hills, Millburn, Maplewood, Irvington, Springfield, and Summit could see service improvements by the end of the week continuing through next week. As water service recovers over the next several days, customers may still be under a boil water advisory, and water service pressures may vary in different areas.
The boil water advisory has been in place since Sunday morning for the municipalities listed above and will remain in effect until the results of water samples indicate that water pressures have recovered and stabilized and that the water meets state and federal standards for drinking water.
New Jersey American Water will provide information to customers as to when the advisory is lifted through customer phone notification system, the news media, on the company’s web site (www.newjerseyamwater.com), and on its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/newjerseyamericanwater).
For updated information, customers can visit Jersey American Water’s website at www.newjerseyamwater.com, under the Alerts Notifications section.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection requires us to issue the following advisory:

The Department of Environmental Protection has determined that a potential or actual threat to the quality of water being provided to you currently exists. Therefore until further notice, bring tap water to a rolling boil for one minute and allow to cool before using for consumption; drinking, ice cubes, washing vegetables and fruit, and for brushing teeth. Please continue to boil your water until you are notified that the water quality is acceptable.
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;
 Rinse hand-washed dishes for a minute in diluted bleach (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.
 Do not swallow water while you are showering or bathing;
 Provide pets with boiled water after cooling;
 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 boiled water to treat minor injuries.
Please be advised that the company is doing all it can to make sure water is of the highest quality. New Jersey American Water Company will notify customers as soon as the advisory is lifted. If customers have any questions they may call 1-800-652-6987.