Non Emergency Water Quality Parameter Notification

Click HERE for a Non-Emergency Water Quality Parameter Notification.

All Ridgewood Water customers should have recently received a Notice of Violation (NOV) that pertains to Water Quality Parameters sampling that occurred between July and December 2019. Water Quality Parameters include values set by the State for pH levels in drinking water. pH is a simple measure of how acidic or basic a given water sample is determined to be and is highly variable based on factors such as an increase or decrease in temperature, alkalinity, or carbon dioxide levels. The notice does not pertain to any primary contaminant in the drinking water. The drinking water meets all Safe Drinking Water requirements.

These parameters are tested bi-weekly at the twenty-five (25) active points of entry and twice every six months at ten (10) different points throughout our distribution system. Three (3) of the active system points of entry had a slightly lower pH than the level prescribed by the NJDEP, which triggered this notice requirement. It is important to note that although these individual points tested below the established minimum pH value, the distribution system’s overall pH was never below the NJDEP-prescribed 7.0 level, due to blending with the other system points of entry. Ridgewood Water tests over 1,000 of these Water Quality Parameters samples each year, and we remain committed to complying with all NJDEP-issued guidance and regulations.

The reason that the Notice of Violation based on pH contains DEP-mandated language referencing lead and copper levels is that pH can affect the optimum level of corrosion control. Again, at no point did the distribution system’s overall pH fall below the NJDEP-prescribed level of 7.0 for optimized corrosion control. Additionally, it is important to note that the pH excursions occurred during the same period as 2019 lead and copper sampling, which yielded the lowest total lead values in the history of Ridgewood Water, the 90th percentile of 1.92 parts per billion (ppb), which is considered non-detect by laboratory standards.

Any customers who wish to have an elective water sample analyzed for lead may contact Ridgewood Water to have a sample bottle delivered to their residence. Ridgewood Water has arranged with Agra Environmental & Laboratory Services to perform these lead sampling analyses for our customers. While Ridgewood Water can answer most questions about how the samples are conducted, pricing for our customers, etc., Agra can be reached at (973) 989-0010.