New Jersey American Water to flush water mains

CAMDEN, NJ — Beginning mid-March and continuing into the fall months, New Jersey American Water will perform the annual flushing of its water distribution system to support the continued provision of high-quality, reliable water service to its customers.

“Flushing the system helps to clean out any buildup of mineral deposits and sediment inside the pipes,” Vice President of Operations Thomas Shroba said. “The company also flushes its hydrants to confirm they are operational and to check fire flows in the system.”

Flushing involves simultaneously opening fire hydrants in a specific area to create increased water flows. This routine flushing program also includes flushing blowoff valves on dead end water mains throughout the system. The service areas and dates when flushing begins are posted at www.newjerseyamwater.com, under “Alerts.”

“In addition to continuously investing in our infrastructure, essential maintenance activities such as our hydrant flushing program are key to providing our customers with high-quality drinking water and is an annual requirement of the Water Quality Accountability Act,” Shroba said.

While water mains are being cleaned, customers may notice short periods of low water pressure or discolored water. If customers experience temporary water discoloration, New Jersey American Water recommends running the cold water until it is clear. NJAW also recommends that customers: draw water for cooking prior to the flushing period; store a large bottle of water in the refrigerator for drinking; check for discolored water before using the washing machine or dishwasher; and, if water pressure or water volume seems low after flushing has been completed, check faucet screens for trapped particles.

The flushing schedule in Essex County is as follows: Cedar Grove from April 10 through April 14; Irvington from May 2 through May 6; Maplewood from April 24 through April 28; Millburn from April 3 through April 7 and from April 24 through April 28; North Caldwell from April 10 through April 14; and West Orange from May 1 through May 5 and from May 8 through May 12.

  NJAW, Water