United Water New Jersey customers receive their water from four reservoirs -- Oradell, Woodcliff Lake and Lake Tappan reservoirs in Bergen County, New Jersey, and Lake DeForest Reservoir in Rockland County, New York. Together they hold about 14 billion gallons of water. The reservoirs are located on the upper or fresh water portion of the Hackensack River and cover nearly 6,000 acres. The Hackensack River Watershed is 113 square miles.

Our customers in Franklin Lakes receive water from wells located throughout that community or from our Haworth Water Treatment Plant. Customers in Sussex County are supplied by wells located in Vernon Valley. And, our customers in Passaic County receive water from wells in West Milford.

From time to time, customers in Bergen and Hudson counties receive water from interconnections with other water suppliers. Interconnections provide us with additional water to meet your needs. As a result, you may also receive treated water from United Water Jersey City, United Water New York, the Park Ridge Water Department, the Passaic Valley Water Commission or the Ridgewood Water Department. In addition, United Water New Jersey and the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission are partners in the Wanaque South Project. This is a regional network of pipelines, pumping stations and reservoirs that can provide up to 40 million gallons of water per day to our customers.

At United Water we take great pride in our ability to provide you with drinking water that meets or surpasses all state and federal standards. We treat surface water from our reservoirs and from the Wanaque South Project at our Haworth Water Treatment Plant in Haworth, New Jersey. This plant uses a combination of ozone, chlorine and ammonia to purify water for our customers in Bergen and Hudson counties. Groundwater from our wells in Franklin Lakes, Sussex and Passaic counties is purified with chlorine.

We constantly monitor the quality of your drinking water -- before, during and after the treatment process. We patrol the watershed and routinely test the water at our wells and in the rivers and streams that supply our reservoirs. We also test the water in each community we serve and provide the results to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Our Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) provides detailed information about your water quality. You can download a portable document format (pdf) of our CCR.

Consumer Confidence Report
Andover Consumer Confidence Report
Bergen/Hudson Consumer Confidence Report
Bergen/Hudson Sodium Information
Franklin Lakes Consumer Confidence Report
Saddle Brook Conusumer Confidence Report
Saddle River Consumer Confidence Report
Sunset Ridge Consumer Confidence Report
Vernon Valley Consumer Confidence Report
West Milford Consumer Confidence Report

To view or print, please download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Algae occurs naturally in the water supply. During warm weather, algae grows rapidly and has an unpleasant affect on the taste and odor of drinking water. While the taste is unpleasant, the water is still safe for drinking and cooking purposes. United Water applies copper sulfate in the reservoirs to help control algae growth and improve the taste of your drinking water. We apply copper sulfate in a manner which complies with all environmental and health standards.

Copper Sulfate Application Information

Surface Water Treatment Process

Most of United Water New Jersey's water supply comes from reservoirs, rivers, lakes and streams. This type of water is called surface water because it is stored on the earth's surface.

We treat surface water at our Haworth Water Treatment Plant. The process begins when we pump the water from the Oradell Reservoir into the plant. Then we add chemicals called coagulants to the water. This helps microscopic or suspended particles bind together to form larger particles. We do this because it's easier to remove larger particles from the water. Next the water is treated with ozone -- a form of oxygen -- to destroy bacteria, viruses and parasites. The ozone-treated water then flows to a flotation compartment. Here skimmers remove particles brought to the surface. After skimming, the water flows into a detention basin where large particles settle out. The water then enters a filtering chamber where it flows through layers of coal, sand and gravel to remove the smallest remaining particles. Next, we treat the water with a small amount of chlorine and ammonia to be sure that the water remains pure and safe as it travels to your home. Finally, we add corrosion control chemicals. This step helps prevent corrosion of water mains and household plumbing. It also reduces the chance of lead dissolving in the water from your plumbing. Now the water is safe to drink and we pump it to your home.

• Surface Water Treatment Schematic

Well Water Treatment Process

Groundwater or well water is stored below the surface of the earth in large gravel deposits or deep, porous rocks called "aquifers." Groundwater is purified naturally as it filters through layers of soil, clay, rock and sand. This process, known as "percolation", takes years to complete. As a result, groundwater requires less treatment than surface water. We pump groundwater out of the aquifer through a well. Then we add chlorine to destroy any bacteria and viruses in the water. Next, we add corrosion control chemicals. This step helps prevent corrosion of water mains and household plumbing. It also reduces the chance of lead dissolving in the water from your plumbing. Now the water is safe to drink and we pump it to your home.

• Well Water Treatment Schematic

Our Haworth Water Treatment Plant uses ozone, a form of oxygen, to purify drinking water. This state-of-the-art plant is one of the largest and most modern ozone facilities in the country. It is capable of pumping up to 200 million gallons of water a day through 2,000 miles of mains to 750,000 residents of Bergen and Hudson counties.

For more information on water-related issues, visit these sites:

American Water Works Association
http://www.awwa.org

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw

State of New Jersey
http://www.state.nj.us

NJ Department of Environmental Protection
http://www.state.nj.us/dep

NJ Board of Public Utilities
http://www.bpu.state.nj.us

National Association of Water Companies
http://www.nawc.org

NJ Utilities Association
http://www.njua.org

Please email us.