SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — In response to concerns expressed by residents about the potential of lead in the water from a Newark source, the South Orange Water Utility wants to be absolutely clear that South Orange’s water supply is not affected nor supplied by Newark, according to an Aug. 16 press release from the village.
South Orange’s water is supplied by New Jersey American Water from their new, state-of-the-art Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant in Millburn. While the village also maintains several emergency water supply interconnections, previously including one with the city of Newark, these interconnections are used for emergency situations only. In the case of the Newark interconnection, it has not been used in years and is in the process of being decommissioned.
In short, South Orange residents are not exposed to lead from Newark’s drinking water.
When operation and maintenance of the water system was transitioned from East Orange Water Commission to New Jersey American Water, great care was taken to maintain the proper chemical content in the water using corrosion inhibitors to maintain the protective coating on pipes so that lead would not leach off. The village continues to regularly monitor and test the quality of water to the highest standards. South Orange residents who have lead lines and are concerned about lead and would like to participate in ongoing lead testing for their homes, can find information and sign up at https://www.southorange.org/584/Lead-and-Copper.
For general information on South Orange water quality, view the most recent water quality report at https://www.southorange.org/DocumentCenter/View/1709/2018-Annual-Water-Quality-Report.
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