Gloucester County Water Treatment Plant

Municipal water, including bottled varieties, typically contains at least small amounts of various contaminants. The presence of these substances doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. For more details, contact the Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Municipal Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Water sources (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over land surfaces or underground, it dissolves natural minerals and sometimes radioactive materials, potentially acquiring substances from animal presence or human activities.

Potential contaminants in source water include:

• Microbial contaminants like viruses and bacteria from septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants such as salts and metals, occurring naturally or from stormwater runoff, wastewater discharges, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from agricultural sources, stormwater runoff, and residential usage
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile compounds from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants that occur naturally or result from mining operations

EPA regulations limit contaminant levels in public water systems to ensure tap water safety. FDA regulations establish similar limits for bottled water to provide equivalent public health protection.

Some individuals may be more vulnerable to water contaminants than the general population. Immunocompromised persons—cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS or immune disorders, elderly individuals, and infants—may face increased infection risks. These individuals should seek advice about municipal water from healthcare providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on reducing infection risks from cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available via the Safe Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Our municipal water comes from two sources. Surface water from Beaverdam Reservoir is treated at our Surface Water Treatment Plant (SWTP) using conventional technology including coagulation, sedimentation, and filtration. Raw water is treated with potassium permanganate to remove iron, organics, and manganese, plus activated carbon for color removal and taste/odor control.

The treatment process includes mixing with alum and polymer for coagulation, pulsation through Superpulsator™ Clarifier units for floc formation and particle settling, followed by chlorination, dual media filtration, pH adjustment, and corrosion control. Our second source is groundwater treated through Reverse Osmosis (RO) from two deep wells. This process includes antiscalant addition, cartridge filtration, and high-pressure membrane filtration to remove dissolved solids and pathogens.

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