Maplewood water safe?

hows the water in this town ?   is it safe to drink?  neighbor got one of those reverse osmosis filter things and showed me the filter, and it was full of black gunk...  ever since reading about Flint I'm paranoid !

It's fine.

The water is fine, but it sounds like someone's filter has a mold problem. 

I spoke with someone who went through multiple types of water filters before finding one they liked.  I don't recall the types, but I do remember them saying that one type did end up with mold growth.  As Dave already said I don't think it is our water supply but rather the specific type of filter that caused the issue.

Tomorrow morning, fill a big pot with water and set it to boil. Keep adding water throughout the day until about 6 PM. Let that last bit keep going until the pot is empty. See? No black gunk.

Now throw away that pot because those calcium deposits are permanent.

The water is fine. Black gunk in an RO filter sounds like they haven't changed/maintained the filter in a timely manner.

RobB said:


Now throw away that pot because those calcium deposits are permanent.

Nah. Soak it in hot water with a couple of cups of vinegar for an hour and it will come right off. 

I simmer a LOT of water during the winter to help raise the humidity on those super cold days.   

from Robert Rpe, Health Officer:   I get questions concerning our water supply pretty regularly.   Note that NJ American posts the most recent water testing results on their web site.  Look under the Short Hills wells.

The water supply that we have from NJ American is a mixture of well water, reservoir water (across from the Short Hills Mall), and Passaic river water that flows from the Great Swamp and before it gets polluted downstream.  So it is a good source.  Also the NJ American Water supply plant for this area has had major upgrades in recent years.  

The water supply can be considered slightly to moderately hard, meaning that it has calcium and magnesium.  (These are good chemicals to have in drinking water.)  It has a phosphorous chemical added to reduce corrosion and the pH is controlled to about seven.  So, the water tends to be coating rather than corrosive.   But remember from chemistry that water is the "universal solvent" so all water is at least a little bit corrosive.   

Questions concerning lead in the water have been a concern, especially since the Flint Michigan disaster.  As noted above, our water supply is not corrosive.   The water supply has no lead.   There are still some old lead water supply lines running from water main to the house and there is more likely lead in solder in old plumbing fixtures.  NJ American has a partial list of these old lines and is systematically replacing them.  

The way to remove concern about lead in water that you may be using for drinking or cooking is to simply flush the water in the faucets for a few seconds.   Also by flushing toilets and showering you will be removing any lead in water.   Lead in water may be a problem if the water sits in old pipes and fixtures for and extended period of time.  Again, this is removed by flushing.  When I return from vacation, I like to flush the pipes when I return before using it for drinking or cooking.  If you wish to have your water tested for lead, a specialized procedure is required and it can be done by some local laboratories.   Call me for details. 

Finally, old lead paint that is on houses, old windows, and in the soil near houses is the major lead danger to children.  These can be fixed to remove any danger.   

Sorry for the long post, but I took courses on water supply chemistry in college and I like to expound on this subject.   

RobertRoe said:

from Robert Rpe, Health Officer:   I get questions concerning our water supply pretty regularly.   Note that NJ American posts the most recent water testing results on their web site.  Look under the Short Hills wells.

The water supply that we have from NJ American is a mixture of well water, reservoir water (across from the Short Hills Mall), and Passaic river water that flows from the Great Swamp and before it gets polluted downstream.  So it is a good source.  Also the NJ American Water supply plant for this area has had major upgrades in recent years.  

The water supply can be considered slightly to moderately hard, meaning that it has calcium and magnesium.  (These are good chemicals to have in drinking water.)  It has a phosphorous chemical added to reduce corrosion and the pH is controlled to about seven.  So, the water tends to be coating rather than corrosive.   But remember from chemistry that water is the "universal solvent" so all water is at least a little bit corrosive.   

Questions concerning lead in the water have been a concern, especially since the Flint Michigan disaster.  As noted above, our water supply is not corrosive.   The water supply has no lead.   There are still some old lead water supply lines running from water main to the house and there is more likely lead in solder in old plumbing fixtures.  NJ American has a partial list of these old lines and is systematically replacing them.  

The way to remove concern about lead in water that you may be using for drinking or cooking is to simply flush the water in the faucets for a few seconds.   Also by flushing toilets and showering you will be removing any lead in water.   Lead in water may be a problem if the water sits in old pipes and fixtures for and extended period of time.  Again, this is removed by flushing.  When I return from vacation, I like to flush the pipes when I return before using it for drinking or cooking.  If you wish to have your water tested for lead, a specialized procedure is required and it can be done by some local laboratories.   Call me for details. 

Finally, old lead paint that is on houses, old windows, and in the soil near houses is the major lead danger to children.  These can be fixed to remove any danger.   

Sorry for the long post, but I took courses on water supply chemistry in college and I like to expound on this subject.   

Love this guy. Sometimes the right man lands in the right office.

Jackson_Fusion said:

Love this guy. Sometimes the right man lands in the right office.

Unfortunately, the news rarely covers people who are doing their job well.

True.  But I'm sure the town knows what a valuable person it has.

Thank you for the information, Robert.  

from Robert Roe:  Thanks for compliments.  I try my best.    Now a couple of more points about the water supply:   In the springtime, NJ American systematically flushes the water mains.  Water may run brown at this time.  It is not unsafe, but I recommend waiting to use this for drinking or to do laundry until the water runs clear.  During the year, hydrants are sometimes opened and this can also cause brownish water.  It is the rust and sand in the water mains causing the brown color.

Sometimes there are strange odors in the water.  This is usually after a hard rain or change in temperatures.  The reservoir water gets "churned" and mud from the bottom gets stirred up.  The water treatment filtration system cannot remove these odors.  Our noses are very sensitive and can detect these very tiny amounts of odorous chemicals.  But, there is no health hazard.  An activated carbon filter on faucets can remove odors.  

Finally, I have been in my job long enough to "never say never."  Stuff happens.  And since this is March, Murphy's law is in full effect.   But, I know the workers at NJ American, and I know they work their very best to get us safe drinking water.  The NJ State water supply laws are very strict, and if there is deliberate falsifying of water results, a person can go to jail.  It there are water safety issues, NJ American issues boil water alerts and we as Township officials also pass these on to residents.