Community Corner

Part of Morris Twp. Under Boil Water Advisory

Chance of bacteria contamination stems from Sunday water main break.

A water main break in Morris Township may have allowed disease‐causing organisms to enter the water system, according to Paul A. Kozakiewicz, superintendent of the Southeast Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority.

"A water main break at the intersection of Lord William Penn Drive and Baer Court in Morris Township caused a significant drop in water pressure in your vicinity," said Kozakiewicz. "There is a very slight possibility that disease‐causing organisms may have entered SMCMUA’s water supply due to the drop in pressure."

According to Kozakiewicz, repairs to the water main break on Dec. 15 jeopardized the integrity of the potable water quality because a section of water main had to be replaced. The map provided by the SMCMUA shows the impacted area to be Lord William Penn Drive, Baer Court and Jason Lane.

Kozakiewicz said the chance of bacterial contamination was very small  and the SMCMUA has notified the NJDEP, disinfected the section of new water main and flushed out the water main and collected water samples to be analyzed for the presence or absence of bacteria. 

Until the results are available, Kozakiewicz said residents should take a few precautions. 

• Do not drink the water without boiling first. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.  

• Consuming tainted water may cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, headaches or other symptoms. If you experience one or more of these symptoms and they persist, contact your doctor. People with severely compromised immune systems, infants and someelderly may be at increased risk.  These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.


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