The Hackettstown Municipal Utilities Authority has issued a boil water advisory after E. coli bacteria were detected in one of its drinking water wells.
According to the authority, a water sample collected July 25 from Well No. 4 (WL004011) tested positive for E. coli, prompting officials to immediately remove the well from service and issue the advisory.
The Hackettstown MUA provides water service to portions of five municipalities in the Hackettstown area: the Town of Hackettstown, Independence Township and Mansfield Township in Warren County, and Mount Olive and Washington townships in Morris County.
Customers are advised not to drink tap water without boiling it first. Water should be brought to a rolling boil for one minute and allowed to cool before being used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes or preparing food. Bottled water may also be used until the advisory is lifted.
According to the Hackettstown MUA, the presence of E. coli indicates the water may be contaminated with human or animal waste. Such contamination can cause short-term health effects, including diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches and other symptoms, and may pose a greater risk to infants, young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
The authority said bacterial contamination can occur following heavy rainfall, a break in the water distribution system or a failure in the water treatment process.
Officials said Well No. 4 has been disconnected from the distribution system, additional confirmation samples are being collected and water is being supplied from an alternative source while the issue is investigated. The authority is also conducting a comprehensive assessment of its water system, monitoring and operational practices to identify and correct the source of the contamination.
The Hackettstown MUA said it will notify customers when testing confirms the water is safe to drink and the boil water advisory can be lifted. Officials anticipate resolving the issue within 24 to 48 hours.
For more information, residents may contact Charles Volkert at 908-852-3622 or bvolkert@hmua.com. General information about drinking water safety is available through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
