On April 15, New Jersey American Water (NJAW) will resume the use of chloramines (a mixture of chlorine and ammonia) to treat water at its Canal Road and Raritan Millstone Water Treatment Plants. Municipalities that receive service from these plants include Dunellen, Green Brook, Middlesex, Piscataway, and Plainfield.
According to a NJAW spokesperson, chloramines have been used in the system for more than 25 years and are an effective method of water disinfection meeting all national and state drinking water standards.
In mid-January, as part of its system maintenance program, NJAW temporarily changed its treatment process from chloramines to chlorine. The three-month changeover to chlorine allowed the company to perform maintenance on its chemical feed systems and remove any residual ammonia from the water distribution system. Consumers may have noticed a slight chlorine taste and odor in their water during the chlorine-only period. This will abate with the resumption of the chloramination process.
Consumers may contact the NJAW Customer Service Department for further information: 1-800-272-1325.