If the water coming out of the tap has a bit too much chlorine taste or smell for the next few
weeks, there's a reason.
New Jersey American Water has announced a change in the water treatment process for its water customers in Somerset and five other counties as part of its annual pipeline maintenance program.
The water utility will change the water treatment from a mixture of ammonia and chlorine to free chlorine at its Raritan-Millstone water treatment plant in Bridgewater and its Canal Road water treatment plant in Franklin Township beginning Monday and continuing through February.
For this period, customers may notice an increase in the taste and smell of chlorine in their tap water, which is normal and temporary until the system maintenance is completed, according to the utility.
The utility said it will monitor water quality continuously to ensure that it meets or exceeds federal and state drinking water standards.
Somerset County customers in Bedminster, Bound Brook, Branchburg, Bridgewater, Franklin, Green Brook, Hillsborough, Manville, Millstone, Montgomery, North Plainfield, Peapack-Gladstone, Raritan, Somerville and South Bound Brook are expected to be affected.
Additionally, towns in Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris and Union counties including Chester, Clark, Cranbury, Cranford, Dunellen, Elizabeth, Edison, Fanwood, Flemington, Garwood, Hillside, Jamesburg, Kenilworth, Kingston, Lawrence, Linden, Middlesex, Mountainside, Piscataway, Plainfield, Plainsboro, Pottersville, Princeton, Roselle, Roselle Park, Readington, Scotch Plains, South Brunswick, South Plainfield, Tewksbury, Union and Westfield could be affected.
Customers can help remove the taste and smell of chlorine by following these steps:
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Place water in a glass container in the refridgerator overnight uncovered.
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Bring your water to a rolling boil for five minutes and all the water to cool.
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Add a lemon slice or a few drops of lemon juice to a glass of drinking water.