Water's back, but keep boiling it

Nov 6 2012 4:50 a.m. POWER RESTORED TO MIDDLESEX WATER COMPANY INTAKE, CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM REGARDING SUSTAINED POWER RELIABILITY; WATER PRESSURES SLOWLY RISING; BOIL WATER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT

POWER RESTORED TO MIDDLESEX WATER COMPANY INTAKE, CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM REGARDING SUSTAINED POWER RELIABILITY; WATER PRESSURES SLOWLY RISING, BOIL WATER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT
November 6, 2012 (ISELIN, NJ) 4:50 a.m. Primary power was restored to Middlesex Water Company’s intake at approximately 2:00 a.m. Water pressures can be expected to slowly increase over the next 8 hours assuming electric power can be sustained. Tap water may initially appear cloudy, this is harmless and is simply the result of excess air in the water mains resulting from the initial loss of water pressure.
Middlesex Water customers in Carteret, Clark, Edison, Highland Park, Metuchen, the Melrose section of Sayreville, South Amboy, South Plainfield, and all sections of Woodbridge had been affected by the initial loss in pressure. Customers are urged to continue to conserve water until further notice as previously directed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
“We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our customers as the employees of Middlesex Water Company continue to work tirelessly to address the ongoing challenges associated with the widespread loss of electric power to our company posed by Hurricane Sandy,” said Dennis W. Doll, Middlesex Water President and CEO.
Due to significant loss of system pressure, customers in the affected communities or sections of communities are advised to boil water before drinking. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection requires the following language to be included in any boil water advisory:
The Department of Environmental Protection has determined that a potential or actual threat to the quality of water being provided to you currently exists. Therefore until further notice, bring tap water to a rolling boil for one minute and allow to cool before using for consumption; drinking, ice cubes, washing vegetables and fruit, and for brushing teeth. Please continue to boil your water until you are notified that the water quality is acceptable.
We also recommend the following steps as of the time of this advisory:
-Throw away uncooked food or beverages or ice cubes if made with tap water made after the time of the issuance of this advisory;
-Keep boiled water in the refrigerator for drinking;
-Rinse hand-washed dishes for a minute in diluted bleach (one 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.
Individuals with severely compromised immune systems, infants, or the elderly may be at increased risk and should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly, for example people in apartments, nursing homes, schools and businesses. You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
Middlesex Water will be issuing updates, through media sources, municipal and health departments, the home page of its website at www.middlesexwater.com and through its Facebook and Twitter site. Customers seeking more information may call the company at 732-634-1500.