Treatment Process

PVWC operates three open (uncovered) finished water reservoirs in Woodland Park and Paterson to provide storage capacity (the Great Notch Reservoir, New Street Reservoir, and Stanley Levine Reservoir). The treated water from the Little Falls water treatment plant (WTP) is pumped to these reservoirs, and that water is then withdrawn for distribution to PVWC’s customers. Unfortunately, since these reservoirs are uncovered, they are subject to bacteriological and chemical contamination from wildlife and other natural and man-made causes, and thus the high quality of this already-treated water from the Little Falls WTP may be compromised. While the water withdrawn from the reservoirs is rechlorinated onsite to provide further disinfection, chlorine is not considered very effective against all pathogenic microorganisms such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Federal law requires that all uncovered finished water reservoirs in the U.S. must either be covered or treatment applied beyond chlorination to ensure adequate disinfection (there are currently a total of 34 open finished water reservoirs in the United States, of which three are owned by PVWC). PVWC has entered into an Administrative Consent Order with the NJDEP for closing these reservoirs and constructing covered storage systems. Those plans are currently being finalized, and when implemented will help maintain the high quality of water that is provided by the Little Falls WTP and thus provide appropriate protection of public health.

Note: Add table from the CCR of the:Administrative Consent Order (ACO)

Many public drinking water supplies contain a phosphate-based corrosion inhibitor to minimize leaching of lead into the drinking water from household plumbing systems and lead service lines. However, the phosphate can promote algal growth when exposed to sunlight, and thus PVWC cannot add corrosion inhibitor to the water supply that goes into the uncovered finished water reservoirs. As a result, PVWC’s water is susceptible to lead leaching, and we are currently not in compliance with the Federal and State requirements for lead. Once the covered reservoirs are constructed, PVWC will be able to add corrosion inhibitor to the full water supply, thus providing further protection of public health.

The Alan C. Levine Little Falls Water Treatment Plant (WTP) is a multiple-stage high-tech treatment system and operated to provide a high degree of disinfection (for pathogenic microorganisms that can cause disease), removal of a variety of chemical contaminants, and treatment for aesthetic concerns such as taste, odor, and color. The treatment system uses four means for dealing with these contaminants, including two particle removal systems (high-rate sand-ballasted coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation, and filtration with granular activated carbon and sand) and two chemical disinfection systems (primary with ozone, and residual disinfection with chlorine).