Roselle Park residents, along with almost 50 other municipalities throughout six counties, may notice an increase in the taste and smell of chlorine in their water starting February 1st.
This is due to New Jersey American Water’s annual pipeline maintenance program, when the water utility company will temporarily change the water treatment from chloramines (a combination of ammonia and chlorine) to ‘free chlorine’ (hypochlorous acid), which is a strong oxidant and the active species in most drinking water disinfection processes. This process is normal and will only be temporary until the system maintenance is complete. During this period, water quality will be continually monitored to ensure that it meets or surpasses federal and state drinking water standards.
According to information provided by External Affairs Manager Richard G. Barnes, for those customers who may not prefer the taste of free chlorine when compared to the normal water treatment process, here are some helpful tips to reduce/remove the taste of chlorine:
- Fill a glass container with water and place it in the refrigerator overnight uncovered. This will allow the chlorine to dissipate and reduce the taste and smell of chlorine in the water.
- Add a lemon slice or a few drops of lemon juice to a glass of drinking water.
The treatment is expected to last through March of this year.
Anyone requesting more information can visit NJ American Water’s website (link).
Municipalities to be affected by this temporary treatment change are listed below:
- Bedminster
- Belle Meade
- Bound Brook
- Branchburg
- Bridgewater
- Chester
- Clark
- Cranbury
- Cranford
- Dunellen
- Elizabeth
- Edison
- Fanwood
- Flemington
- Franklin
- Garwood
- Green Brook
- Hillside
- Hillsborough
- Jamesburg
- Kenilworth
- Kingston
- Lawrence
- Linden
- Manville
- Martinsville
- Middlesex
- Millstone
- Montgomery
- Mountainside
- North Plainfield
- Peapak/Gladstone
- Piscataway
- Plainfield
- Plainsboro
- Pottersville
- Princeton
- Raritan
- Roselle
- Roselle Park
- Readington
- Scotch Plains
- Somerville
- South Bound Brook
- South Brunswick
- South Plainfield
- Tewksbury
- Union Township
- Westfield