IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

(Note: Bloomfield's Official website has long since been capable of updating residents on issues like this. We will add updates here, as we receive them, but suggest calling their suggested hotline -- Water Operator at 973-680-4168 -- until this is resolved.)

Total Trihalomethanes Violation at Bloomfield Water Department

Our water system recently violated a drinking water standard. Although this incident was not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we are doing to correct this situation.

We routinely monitor for the presence of drinking water contaminants. Testing results from third quarter and fourth quarter 2011 show that our system exceeded the standard, or maximum contaminant level (MCL), for Trihalomethanes. The standard for Trihalomethanes is 80 ug/l. It is determined by averaging all samples collected by our system for the last 12 months. The level of Trihalomethanes averaged at our system for third quarter 2011 was 83 ug/l and fourth quarter 2011 was 86 ug/l.

What should I do?
• There is nothing you need to do unless you have a severely compromised immune system, have an infant, or are elderly. These people may be at increased risk and should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

• You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions. If a situation arises where the water is no longer safe to drink, you will be notified within 24 hours. We will announce any emergencies on Channel 35, Bloomfield Public TV.

What does this mean?
This is not an emergency. If it had been an emergency, you would have been notified with 24 hours.

People who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

What is being done?
The Township of Bloomfield purchases 100% of its water supply from the City of Newark, and does not maintain any sources or treatment processes.

We are working with the City of Newark, our water supplier, to improve water quality and establish compliance.

We intend to perform additional monitoring in our service area to better characterize the water supply and elevated Trihalomethanes levels.

We will evaluate our hydrant flushing program (normally performed twice per year) to determine if additional flushing in our service area will minimize water age and reduce Trihalomethanes (disinfection by-products) in our water supply.

For more information, please contact Anthony Marucci, Water Operator at 973-680-4168 or Township of Bloomfield, Engineering Department – Room 203, One Municipal Plaza, Bloomfield, N.J. 07003

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.

This notice is being sent to you by The Township of Bloomfield Water Department. State Water System ID# NJ0702001. Date Distributed: January 11, 2012.