Learn About Your Water

Cloudy/milky water is usually caused by air dissolved in the water. If you see that appearance in your water, take a glass of cold water from the tap and set it on a flat surface. If the water begins to clear (from the bottom up) within few minutes, it can be concluded that dissolved air is the cause of the cloudy appearance. If the water in the glass does not clear, or if it contains particles that settle to the bottom of the glass, please feel free to contact the PVWC Customer Service Department at 973-340-4300 for help.

Water discolored from rust has no health significance. Although it is safe to drink, it is understandable that people will find it aesthetically unappealing. Customers are advised to avoid doing laundry until after discoloration clears. If you are uncomfortable with the color or clarity of your water, please contact the PVWC Customer Service Department at 973-340-4300 for assistance.

PVWC does not add fluoride to your drinking water. There is a very small amount of naturally-occurring fluoride in the water, but it is insignificant in terms of dental health.

Flushing of distribution system piping is done to clean out the pipelines by removing rust, scale, and sediment that may be present in the pipe.

Oxidized metals, mostly iron (rust) and manganese, along with calcium and mineral salts, build up over time and are deposited on the inside of the water mains. These minerals are harmless, but as the water demand changes (and thus the water flow rate in the pipes changes) these minerals can become loose and end up in your water supply. This happens primarily when hydrants are being flushed or there is a break in a distribution system pipe, but it can also occur in the summer when more and more people start watering their lawns and turning on sprinkler systems.

As needed, PVWC flushes out distribution system pipes to ensure the water being delivered is clear and free of particles. However, flushing can also create some problems for you, our customer. If you are running water when we are flushing, you could get some dirty water. Typically water discolored due to hydrant flushing is still of acceptable microbiological quality (based on USEPA and NJDEP standards). However, we realize that many consumers may be uncomfortable drinking discolored water or water with sediment in it.

If you do encounter discolored water following hydrant flushing, you should not run your hot water or do any laundry as staining may occur. Turn on and run your cold water until the dirty water clears out of your pipes, then flush your hot water tank by opening the valve at the bottom of the tank. If stains from the water appear on laundered clothes, do not put the clothes in the dryer as this will set the stains. Washing the clothes again usually will remove any stains, but if this procedure does not solve the problem, you can contact our Customer Service Department at 973-340-4300 for help.

Hardness is defined as the ability of water to lather soap, with higher hardness requiring additional amounts of soap to produce an equivalent lather. Hardness is caused by salts of divalent cations (positively charged atoms with a charge of +2), primarily calcium and magnesium. Aside from requiring additional amounts of soap and detergent, hard water can also cause buildup of mineral scales in hot water heaters and boilers and on plumbing fixtures.

Water in the PVWC main system is considered to be moderately hard to hard; it ranges from approximately 4 to 8 grains per gallon (or approximately 70 to 140 mg/L as CaCO3). Most people do not need a water softener unless their water is very hard (above approximately 200 mg/L as CaCO3). Since the water is not very hard, we do not recommend the use of water softeners in our main service area. Further softening the water may cause corrosion of your plumbing system that could lead to costly repairs.

The water in the High Crest Lake system in West Milford, NJ, is considered to be moderately hard. The hardness ranges from approximately 3 to 4 grains per gallon (or approximately 58 to 70 mg/L as CaCO3). Since the water is not very hard, we do not recommend the use of water softeners in the High Crest service area. Further softening the water may cause corrosion of your plumbing system that could lead to costly repairs.

The water in the Post Brook system in West Milford, NJ, which is supplied by groundwater wells, is considered to be very hard. The hardness ranges from approximately 20 to 22 grains per gallon (or approximately 340 to 375 mg/L as CaCO3). The USEPA does not consider hard water to be a health issue, and thus it should be considered safe to drink. It is the individual choice of the customer as to whether to use a water softening system.

Please visit the Lead Information page.

Your drinking water should be free from objectionable tastes and odors. You may smell some chlorine (bleach) in the water, but that is there deliberately to serve as a disinfectant to ensure the bacteriological safety of the water. If you believe that your water has an objectionable taste or odor, please contact the PVWC Customer Service Department at 973-340-4300.

Water in the PVWC main system is moderately hard to hard; it ranges from approximately 4 to 8 grains per gallon (or approximately 70 to 140 mg/L as CaCO3). Since the water is not very hard, we do not recommend the use of water softeners in our main service area. Further softening the water may cause corrosion of your plumbing system that could lead to costly repairs.

The water in the High Crest Lake system in West Milford, NJ, is considered to be moderately hard approximately 3 to 4 grains per gallon, or approximately 58 to 70 mg/L as CaCO3). Since the water is not very hard, we do not recommend the use of water softeners in the High Crest service area. Further softening the water may cause corrosion of your plumbing system that could lead to costly repairs.

The water in the Post Brook system in West Milford, NJ, which is supplied by groundwater wells, is considered to be very hard. The hardness ranges from approximately 20 to 22 grains per gallon (or approximately 340 to 375 mg/L as CaCO3). The USEPA does not consider hard water to be a health issue, and thus it should be considered safe to drink. It is the individual choice of the customer as to whether to use a water softening system.

Passaic Valley Water Commission (PVWC) is required to distribute an annual Water Quality Report, or Consumer Confidence Report, to each customer it serves as a result of amendments made in 1996 to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Copies of the report are mailed to customers by July 1 each year, and are also posted to the Water Quality Reports page.

Numerous sources of information are available regarding water quality and water quality issues. View a listing of some authoritative sources of information available on the internet.

Other water educational resources are available. View a listing of some educational sources of information available on the internet.