Mercer County residents served by New Jersey American Water will see a shift in water treatment the week of April 21, as the company resumes the use of chloramines following the completion of its annual maintenance program.
The change affects customers in Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township, Princeton, Trenton and West Windsor Township.
Several of these communities purchase water from New Jersey American Water, which supplies drinking water from its Raritan-Millstone Water Treatment Plant in Bridgewater and Canal Road Water Treatment Plant in Somerset.
Since mid-February, the utility has used free chlorine as a temporary disinfectant in place of chloramines, as part of a standard 10-week maintenance practice aimed at flushing the water distribution system and maintaining water quality.
The company is now restoring its primary disinfection method of chloramination.
Chloramines are a combination of chlorine and ammonia used to disinfect drinking water. They have been used by New Jersey American Water since the 1970s and are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).
According to the company, chloramines are effective at maintaining water quality over longer distances in the distribution system and tend to produce fewer byproducts, such as trihalomethanes, than free chlorine.
Some residents may have noticed a more pronounced chlorine taste or odor in their tap water during the chlorine-only treatment period. With the reintroduction of chloramines, those characteristics are expected to diminish.
The company emphasized that the water remained safe to drink throughout the maintenance period and continues to meet all state and federal safety standards.
Residents who have kidney dialysis, use specialized home medical equipment, or keep fish tanks are advised to be aware of the change, as chloramines must be removed or neutralized through filtration for those sensitive uses.
More information is available at www.newjerseyamwater.com.
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