New Jersey – A 60-inch water main break today in Franklin Township has had a ripple effect on 100,000 customers in Somerset, Middlesex and Union counties, prompting officials to close schools and telling residents to boil water.

Complaints ranged from low water pressure to no water at all 18 towns, said Richard Barnes, a spokesman for New Jersey American Water. As a precaution, the utility issued a boil water advisory for the following towns:

Middlesex County

Dunellen
Edison
Middlesex
Piscataway
South Plainfield

Somerset County

Bound Brook
Bridgewater
Green Brook
Hillsborough
Millstone
Montgomery
Raritan
Somerville
South Bound Brook

Union County

Clark
Linden
Plainfield City
Roselle Boro

Please note that this is a standard precaution that is taken whenever we lose pressure in our pipes due to a main break. There is no evidence of any contamination.  New Jersey American will provide information as to when the advisory is lifted. 

New Jersey Amercian also recommends the following steps:

*Throw away uncooked food or beverages or ice cubes if made with tap water during the day of the advisory;
*Keep boiled water in the refrigerator for drinking;
*Rinse hand-washed dishes for a minute in diluted bleach (one tablespoon of household bleach per gallon tap water) or clean your dishes in a diswasher using the hot was cycle and dry cycle;
*Do not swallow water while you are showering or bathing;
*Provide pets with boiled water after cooling;
*Do not use home filtering devices in place of boiling or using bottled water; most home water filters will not provide adequate protection from microorganisms;
*Use only boiled water to treat minor injuries.

Please be advised that New Jersey American is doing all it can to make sure water is of the highest quality. This notification is a precautionary measure only. New Jersey American anticipates that the boil water advisory will be over in the next 24 hours and notify customers as soon as the advisory is lifted. If customers have any questions they may call 1-800-272-1325.

(Yehuda Drudgestein – YWN)