New Jersey’s Water Quality 2021 – What’s the Top Water Problems in Major Cities of NJ

As a state featuring a heavy presence of industrial zones, New Jersey faces quite a few challenges when attempting to provide water to its residents.

Over 75 percent of the New Jersey water supply comes from surface-water sources with the remainder being pulled from subterranean aquifers.

Both surface and groundwater supplies are vulnerable to the myriad contaminants found nearing industrialized areas. However, the reliance on surface water makes pollution a particularly significant problem.

Industrially influenced pollutants include toxic chemicals, waste runoff, and more. New Jersey faces a difficult battle against contaminants in its drinking water supplies.

Common Water Problems by City

Cities in the state of New Jersey must battle industrial pollutants along with the strain of a rapidly increasing population. Each city and region of New Jersey has its own water source featuring different requirements for disinfection and treatment.

Given the burgeoning population, New Jersey cities often retrieve water from multiple sources and at times rely on each other to help with the increasing demand. Like most coastal states, New Jersey is finding a need to be creative with dwindling water supplies.

Newark

Newark sources much of its water from underground aquifers. While not directly impacted by industrial runoff, some pollutants can seep through the ground and contaminate the supply.

Due to the potential for contamination, Newark relies on chlorine to disinfect the water. Chlorine is safe to drink at the volumes used for disinfection, however, creates a smell and in some cases a bad taste.

A common issue for cities that source water from aquifers is the high levels of minerals found in the water. This is a natural process that does not affect water safety but does create hard water.

Hard water leads to many symptoms including soap scum buildup, reduction of efficiency in appliances that use water, and dry skin or dandruff.

Jersey City

As surface water is the primary water source for Jersey City residents, some concern lies in the ability to protect the Jersey City Reservoir and Split Rock Reservoir from external contaminants.

Jersey City uses a chlorine disinfection process that can lead to a bad smell and poor tasting water. While completely safe to drink, the taste and smell of chlorine are considered unpleasant to some.

Hard water is a problem for Jersey City residents, leading to limescale build ups appearing. Limescale is often a housekeeping nuisance but can lead to more serious issues. If left unchecked, limescale can damage plumbing or heating and cooling systems.

Paterson

Paterson, New Jersey retrieves its water from the Passaic River. To ensure enough supply, it often blends the water from the Passaic with water sourced from the Wanaque Reservoir in Wanaque, New Jersey after it has been treated in their water treatment facility.  

Water from the Passaic River is vulnerable to contaminants from runoff like microbial pathogens, pesticides, and excessive nutrients. This leads to the use of disinfectants (primarily chlorine).

While chlorine disinfection is safe, many people will notice the taste and smell of it in their water supply. It can be unpleasant at times, depending on the overall water quality and treatment requirements at the moment.

Paterson has also discovered some traces of Cryptosporidium in their water supplies. This is a result of human and animal fecal matter entering a water source. While it can impact those with compromised immune systems, it is generally not known to cause illness at the levels reported by the water authority in Paterson, New Jersey.

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