Manchester Twp Water Utility - Western

We are pleased to present our Annual Municipal Water Quality Report for the Eastern Service Area. This area encompasses the portion of the Township along Route 37 and east of Route 37, including Lakehurst Borough and the Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Station and Warfare Center.

This report provides a snapshot of water quality from the past year. It includes information about water sources, contaminant testing, and compliance with Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and State standards. The Manchester Township Water Utility rigorously tests and treats municipal water according to EPA regulations, and last year all results met federal and state health standards.

The Manchester Township Water Utility (PWSID # 1518005) draws raw water for the Eastern Service Area from nine municipal wells drilled between 75 and 1150 feet into the Cohansey and Upper Raritan Aquifers. The Township maintains strict control of the surrounding property to prevent contamination. All water undergoes treatment at one of four facilities located near the wells.

Municipal water sources (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over land or underground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and sometimes radioactive material, and can pick up substances from animal or human activity.

Potential contaminants in source water include:

• Microbial contaminants from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants like salts and metals from natural sources, urban runoff, wastewater discharges, and farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture, urban runoff, and residential use
• Organic chemical contaminants from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants from natural sources or oil/gas production and mining

The EPA sets strict limits on contaminants in public water systems to ensure safety. Similarly, FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water to provide comparable protection.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has completed a Source Water Assessment Report for our system, available at www.Country.Nj.Us/dep/change or by contacting NJDEP's Bureau of Safe Drinking Water at 609-292-5550. This assessment determined susceptibility ratings for our nine wells across eight contaminant categories, ranking each well as high (H), medium (M) or low (L) risk.

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