Paul Lasek's Response to Our Water Quality Questions

It's on the agenda for tonight's conference meeting, and we know several residents who plan to attend. Bloomfield's chief engineer, Paul Lasek, has emailed a response to most of the issues this blog raised last week:

Geoff,

 Regarding your post, please note the following: While Nutley, Montclair and Bloomfield all belong to the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission we do not all use the same water. Nutley receives their water via an aqueduct belonging to the Passaic Valley Sewer Commission. Montclair gets their water via North Jersey District which is also supplemented with well water. Bloomfield gets their water through the City of Newark. The Newark Water is from the Pequannock Watershed.

The treated water is transported through an aqueduct (not connected or part of Montclair or Nutley) and held in an open reservoir in Cedar Grove. All water systems are different. It is therefore not fair to compare one system to another when there are variances in the location of the water source; the methods of treatment and storage as well as the size and operation of the individual systems.

 Regarding your questions:

During my past seven years as the township engineer, other than the TTHM issue, there are no major water quality issues regarding Bloomfield water.

Water Samples are taken sinks from a combination of residences and businesses. The health department is responsible for the sampling and testing. The testing is actually performed by a state certified lab, Garden State Laboratories.

 I would defer to the Health Department regarding expertise on immune systems or poison control.

 Notices were mailed to every party in Bloomfield who has a legal postal address. Therefore apartments were mailed a notice. If you receive mail via the US Postal Service a notice was mailed to you in accordance to the NJDEP Bureau of Safe Drinking Regulations.

 Questions related to tolerance of toxins should be addressed to a medical professional I defer to the Health Department regarding medical tests to determine a vulnerability to toxins. I

f you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me