MONMOUTH COUNTY – The boil water advisory has been reduced to four towns. Only residents in Aberdeen, Highlands, Holmdel and Middletown should continue to boil their water, accordion to county officials. Restrictions on using water, however, continue countywide.
Water distributions sites have been reduced to one for Monday. The site at Middletown High School North, 63 Tindall Road, will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.Monday. Residents will be limited to one case of water for each car load.
New Jersey American Water Company, in cooperation with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the county’s Office of Emergency Management, on Sunday afternoon removed the boil water advisory in 18 of the 22 towns that had been in affect since Friday.
“I want to commend residents throughout Monmouth County because it was through their effort to conserve water that enabled New Jersey American Water Co. to lift the advisory for 18 of the 22 towns affected,” Freeholder Director Jon P. Curley said. “But we are not out of the woods yet. It is still critically important to continue conserving water in order to keep the restriction off.”
The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders declared a state of emergency Friday afternoon following the collapse of three large water pipes at New Jersey American Water Co.’s water treatment plant at the Swimming River Reservoir.
The ongoing water emergency means that:
- All New Jersey American Water Company customers are under mandatory water restriction that bans all outdoor water use and encourages indoor water conservation. It is illegal to water your lawn, shrubs or gardens, fill swimming pools and wash cars. Indoor conservation measures include refraining from using washing machines and dishwashers, limiting showering times and flushing toilets less frequently.
- Outdoor water conservation is highly encouraged by residents of the 31 towns not directly impacted by the water emergency.
Officials also reminded Monmouth County residents that possession of fireworks is illegal in New Jersey and that a fires started by fireworks put further strain on emergency services throughout Monmouth County.
“With the Independence Day holiday upon us, it is important to understand the risks of illegal fireworks,” Curley said. “Our current water emergency makes this even more critical.”
The water company has recommended consumers who have been under the boil water advisory take the following steps:
• Throw away uncooked food or beverages or ice cubes if made with tap water during the day of the advisory.
• Keep boiled water in the refrigerator for drinking.
• Rinse hand-washed dishes for a minute in diluted bleach (1 tablespoon of household bleach per gallon of tap water) or clean your dishes in a dishwasher using the hot wash cycle and dry cycle.
• Do not swallow water while you are showering or bathing.
• Provide pets with boiled water after cooling,
• Do not use home filtering devices in place of boiling or using bottled water; most home water filters will not provide adequate protection from microorganisms.
• Use only boiled water to treat minor injuries.
New Jersey American Water’s Swimming River Treatment Plant delivers 36 million gallons of water each day to 55,000 customer accounts.
For updates, customers can visit www.newjerseyamwater.com or www.facebook.com/newjerseyamericanwater.
