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The level of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) in the water of all its customers in Carteret, Clark, Edison, Metuchen, South Plainfield and Woodbridge had exceeded acceptable regulatory standards, Middlesex Water Company said in a notice.
Chemicals in PFOA have been linked to cancer.
Middlesex Water in September was notified that PFOA samples were found at the treatment facility in South Plainfield.
"Because we exceeded a drinking water standard, we were required to provide notice to customers served by that treatment facility. PFOA is one of a number of molecular compounds under the broader category of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) you may have heard about in the news in recent months," the company said.
Those compounds have been regulated by the New Jersey Department ofEnvironmental Protection (NJDEP), first applicable to public water systems this year.
"Drinking water systems like ours are not producers or users of PFOA, instead, their source waters are potential receivers of these chemical compounds used by manufacturers and consumers," Middlesex Water said.
"As a result, we must now implement solutions to remediate PFOA from our groundwater supplies to meet the new standard."
The company is building a treatment to address PFOA in groundwater but construction takes time.
PFOA has been detected in drinking water supplies throughout New Jersey and across the US, MWC said.
"The company has already started construction of the new treatment facility to mitigate PFOA and have initiated litigation in U.S. District Court against the party we believe is responsible for the presence of PFOA in the groundwater," the company said.
Water customers with questions are urged to contact Middlesex Water Company at 800-549-3802 or info@middlesexwater.com. Translated copies of the public notification also are available to customers.
Click here for the full notice from MWC.
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