New Jersey American Water Lifts Boil Water Advisory in West Orange and Most of Maplewood and Millburn

New Jersey American Water has lifted the boil water advisory for its customers in the Township of Millburn (including Short Hills), the Township of West Orange, and Township of Maplewood with the exception of the Wyoming section of Maplewood and Millburn Township. Customers in those municipalities no longer have to boil water before consumption as water quality results show that the water meets all state and federal water quality standards.

Water pressure to the Maplewood and Millburn highly elevated Wyoming section was restored Thursday evening and customers there remain under a boil water advisory. New Jersey American Water is working to stabilize water pressure and testing water quality before lifting the boil water advisory for the 219 customers impacted on the following streets, west of Wyoming Ave. (Rte. 577):

Customers in the following streets REMAIN UNDER A BOIL WATER ADVISORY:

Maplewood Township:

• Claremont Avenue, West of Wyoming Ave. (Rte. 577)
• Collinwood Road, West of Wyoming Ave. (Rte. 577)
• Collinwood Road South
• Crestwood Drive
• Durand Road, West of Wyoming Ave. (Rte. 577)
• Fairview Terrace
• Lewis Drive
• Morse Drive
• West Lane
• Sagamore Road, from Mountain Ave to Wyoming Ave. (Rte. 577)
• Tower Drive
• Warner Road
• Woodhill Drive
• Wyoming Ave (Rte. 577) from Claremont Ave to Woodhill Dr.

Millburn Township

• Clinton Avenue, from Clinton Place to Sagamore Road
• Sagamore Road from Mountain Avenue to Fairview Terrace.

NOTE: If customers return to normal water consumption patterns, it will put undue stress on the system and potentially impact our emergency efforts to store stability. New Jersey American Water customers in the impacted areas are required to limit water consumption to essential needs only and discontinue outdoor water use.

"It has certainly been a very challenging week for our customers who remained patient for their water service to be restored,” said John Bigelow, president of New Jersey American Water. "We thank them for their understanding and cooperation as we worked and continue to make progress in bringing our water treatment and distribution system back to full strength.

"While the situation has seemingly returned to normal, it is important to remember that the Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant will not be back at full power for nearly 10 more days. So we again ask for our customers’ cooperation in suspending outdoor water use, and use all possible conservation measures indoors.”

Customers are strongly encouraged to take the following steps now that the boil water advisory is rescinded:

• Run your water faucets for 3-5 minutes to flush your service connection and interior plumbing with water from the service main.
• Empty and clean your automatic ice makers and water chillers.
• Drain and refill your hot water heater if the temperature is set below 113 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Service connections with a water softener/cartridge filters should be run through a regeneration cycle or other procedures recommended by the manufacturer.
• Water reservoirs in tall buildings should be drained and refilled.

The boil water advisory had been in effect since last Sunday when the company’s Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant in Millburn was flooded and lost power as a result of Hurricane Irene. Earlier this week, New Jersey America Water also removed a boil water advisory for the Township of Irvington, Springfield Township, and the City of Summit, which were also impacted in the storm’s aftermath.

Customers can continue to visit New Jersey American Water web site for Hurricane Irene Updates at www.newjerseyamwater.com, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/newjerseyamericanwater.

New Jersey American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE:AWK), is the largest publicly traded water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.5 million people. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15 million people in more than 30 states, as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com. In 2011, American Water is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a yearlong campaign to promote water efficiency and the importance of protecting water from source to tap. To learn more, visit www.amwater125.com.