United Water Rahway

Regarding your water supply, the City of Rahway obtains water primarily from the North Branch of the Rahway River. This water source is situated in the North Branch Watershed, covering 45 square miles across Union and Kent counties, and includes densely populated areas like Lemon, Maplewood, Irvington, Institute, Springfield, Westfield, Cranford, and Clark.

The city occasionally supplements this supply by purchasing treated water from Middlesex Water Company and New Jersey American Water Company. For water safety questions, contact the EPA Safe Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.

On a typical day, the facility pumps 4.85 million gallons of filtered water to approximately 26,500 residents. The treatment process begins at the Westfield Avenue Water Treatment Plant, where river water undergoes several purification steps:

• Aeration to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Addition of coagulants and polymers to remove silt and particles
• Sedimentation to allow particles to settle
• Filtration through sand, anthracite, and activated charcoal
• Chlorination to eliminate bacteria and viruses
• Addition of corrosion inhibitors to prevent copper or lead contamination
• Addition of fluoride for dental health

The finished water travels through 96 miles of mains throughout the city. The utility regularly monitors water quality to meet EPA and New Jersey DEP standards. While EPA doesn't specify a maximum sodium level, the NJDEP recommends an upper limit of 50 parts per million (ppm). Recent testing showed elevated sodium levels—79 ppm in 2016 (range: 26-301 ppm) and 107 ppm in early 2017 (range: 91-512 ppm).

For most individuals, sodium from water isn't significant compared to dietary intake, but those on sodium-restricted diets should consult healthcare providers. The Safe Drinking Water Act allows monitoring waivers for asbestos, volatile organic chemicals, and synthetic organic chemicals; Rahway has received waivers for asbestos and synthetic organic chemicals.

Lead exposure is a serious concern, particularly for pregnant women and children. While water leaves treatment plants lead-free, service lines and home plumbing materials can introduce lead. After water sits for several hours, flushing taps for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before use can reduce potential lead exposure.

Immunocompromised individuals, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS, the elderly, and infants may be more vulnerable to water contaminants and should seek medical advice about drinking water safety.

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