Trenton, NJ — Trenton Water Works announced today that it received a violation from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM). The notice is available on TWW's website at trentonwaterworks.org/tthm.
The violation, which occurred from July 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021, is for Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) or Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs). DBPs form when chlorine and bromine interact with natural organic materials in water, such as in chlorinated drinking water. The standard for TTHM is 80 micrograms per liter (µg/L) and determined by averaging samples collected at nine sampling locations in the TWW system. One sample site exceeded the standard, indicating 82 micrograms per liter (µg/L).
To address this condition, TWW continuously adjusts its treatment systems while ensuring an adequate level of disinfection, following industry-standard procedures. Also, TWW flushes water mains systemwide to reduce water age.
"The water utility has taken corrective action on this matter,” said Mark A. Lavenberg, Director of the city's Department of Water and Sewer, which operates Trenton Water Works. “This is NOT an emergency that warrants boiling your tap water. However, we encourage our customers and service-area residents to carefully review the notice that we mailed, which is available on TWW's website."
TWW increased its regular and high-velocity water-main flushing systemwide to reduce water age and maintain high water quality. TWW is also completing several infrastructure projects and is evaluating treatment performance to reduce DBP levels systemwide. It also launched several capital projects under its six-year, $405-million capital plan announced in 2019, including replacing the media in all 24 filters at the water-filtration plant and rehabilitating its chlorine contact basins to improve disinfection. A project is currently underway to upgrade its concrete intake to make it less susceptible to ever-changing conditions in the Delaware River.
In the spring, TWW will organize five virtual H2Open Community Forums to give residents in its service area an opportunity to learn more about TWW’s operations and ask water-related questions. You can follow TWW on Facebook or visit its website trentonwaterworks.org to get further details about these community events.
Purchased by the City of Trenton in 1859, Trenton Water Works (TWW) is one of the oldest and largest publicly owned water systems in the U.S., supplying 28 million gallons of water per day to a quarter-million consumers in a five-municipality service area in Mercer County, NJ. This includes Trenton, Ewing Township, parts of Hamilton Township, Lawrence Township, and Hopewell Township. TWW operates a 60-million-gallon water-filtration plant and water-distribution system that consists of a 100-million-gallon reservoir, 683 miles of water mains, three pump stations, nearly 8,000 valves, 3,517 fire hydrants, and six interconnections between TWW and other water suppliers. TWW has approximately 63,000 metered customers.