Denville well malfunctions, prompting water emergency. What you need to know
A malfunctioning well has forced Denville to declare a water emergency and restrict car washing, lawn watering and other residential uses, though an official on Tuesday said the township was making progress toward a fix. The town had already imposed limits this month ahead of a scheduled refurbishment of a water tower. That and the borderline drought conditions around the region left the water supply in a precarious position, Denville said in an advisory sent to residents on Sunday.
"The combination of ongoing maintenance of the township's main water tank, the recent unusually dry conditions, and now the malfunctioning well, is causing a very low water supply to the township," the advisory read. "As a result, all outdoor water use (lawn watering, car washing, etc.) is strictly prohibited until further notice."
Tuesday, Denville Recreation Director Nick Panetta said what he believed to be a mechanical issue at the well was resolved by DPW workers who deployed on Sunday.
"Things are looking positive and we're looking for ways we can lift some of the restrictions, but as of now we have to stay at the full restriction," Panetta said.
The limits do not apply to residents with private wells who do not use municipal water, Panetta said.
Residents and businesses in Denville were already under a 90-day period of restricted water use as the township began scheduled refurbishing of its primary water tank. Contractors took the 1.25-million-gallon tank offline on August 1 and expect the work will take 60 to 90 days to complete.
Under those restrictions, residents with even house numbers were permitted outside water use on even-numbered days, and residents with odd-numbered homes on odd-number days. The limits covered the watering of "lawns, shrubs, ornamental plants, etc., as well as the washing of automobiles, trucks, ATVs, boats, etc."
Drought warning:Murphy asks NJ to conserve water as NJ reservoir levels fall with heat and little rain.
Earlier: Denville water-use restricted as municipal tank is refurbished during drought
Southern portions of Morris County and most of Central Jersey were added last week to the area of "moderate drought" conditions in New Jersey by the U.S. Drought Monitor. The rest of Morris County and most of northern New Jersey were listed as "abnormally dry." The drought classifications will be revised on Thursday.
State Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette issued a statewide drought watch last week, the first step toward declaring a full drought. He called for residents and businesses to conserve water, but if conditions do not improve, mandatory water use restrictions may be necessary in parts of the state, LaTourette said in a briefing with reporters.
"When we look out at temperature outlook and precipitation outlook, we continue to be concerned," he said.
William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com
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This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Denville water emergency issued after township well malfunctions
