Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The water delivered to your home or business complies with or exceeds all state and federal drinking water requirements.

The MPWC pumps groundwater from 15 wells that tap the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy (PRM) Aquifer and transmits it to the MPWC’s five (5) treatment facilities. The quantity of water that we are able to pump in any given minute, day, month or year is strictly governed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). In 1993, the NJDEP permanently reduced our permitted annual pumping capacity. Consequently, we must augment our well water supply from other sources. Currently that source is New Jersey American Water Company (NJAWC). At the present time, a very small amount of water is purchased annually, which represents approximately 1% of our needs. NJWAC supplies water from three (3) sources: surface water from the Delaware River and groundwater from PRM and Mt. Laurel-Wenonah Aquifers.

In total, MPWC has six (6) above ground water tanks, with the newest located in Cherry Hill. The total capacity of the above ground storage tanks is (8) million gallons of water. This type of water storage not only enhances water pressure (which is needed to take showers, sprinkle lawns and fight fires), but it also provides over a full days worth of water supply to our entire franchise area in case of an emergency situation.

Water discoloration is usually caused from aging pipes. While not appealing, it is not harmful. Discoloration can result when the water lines are disturbed by installing a new pipe, improper hydrant flushing or shutting off the water to an area for maintenance. Your home’s plumbing can also cause discoloration.

Your tap water is perfectly safe without a filter. You might consider using a filter if you have internal problems with the plumbing in your home.

Keep in mind that many bottled waters are actually bottled tap water. Bottled water is regulated through the Food and Drug Administration and is considered a food product, therefore, it is not as heavily regulated as tap water. Also, the MPWC is required to release information on their water quality, while bottled water companies are not.

Source water protection is of the utmost importance to the MPWC and a long-term dedication to clean, safe drinking water. You can find our Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) Report and Summary here or by contacting the NJDEP, Bureau of Safe Drinking Water at (609) 292-5550. If a system is rated highly susceptible for a contaminate category, it does not mean a customer is consuming contaminated drinking water. The rating reflects the potential for contamination. Public water systems are required to monitor for regulated contaminants and to initiate treatment if any contaminants are detected at frequencies and concentrations above allowable levels. The MPWC will continue to keep you informed of SWAP’s progress and developments. If you have any questions about these findings, please contact our Customer Support Center at (856) 663-0043 during regular business hours.

The MPWC takes hundreds of water samples throughout the year and makes them available to you in our annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). Our compliance with all state and federal drinking water laws remains exemplary.

You can store cold tap water in clean, amber-colored or foil-covered glass or hard plastic containers for up to two weeks. Keep it cold & away from light.

No. Do not drink hot water or use hot water from the tap for food or beverage preparation. Hot water systems contain metallic parts that can corrode over time and contaminate the hot water.

Currently, the MPWC has nearly 16,000 connections serving nearly 50,000 people. During the winter months, the MPWC pumps an average of 5.5 million gallons of water per day to meet our customers’ needs. In summer months, this number can average 7.5 million gallons per day and higher. This is equal to over 130 gallons of water daily for every man, woman and child in the service area.

There is a small amount of naturally occurring fluoride (averaging .07 mg/L). We do not add any fluoride to the water.

Yes. Fire hydrants and domestic services are tapped off of the same water mains.

The MPWC encourages all customers to be water wise and practice conservation methods year-round. From May 1 through September 30, we urge customers observe our water conservation program and only water lawns before 9:00 AM and after 7:00 PM. Also, if your house number is odd, we ask that you only water on odd-numbered days & if your house number is even, that you only water on even-numbered days.

Perfluorochemicals are a family of manufactured chemicals that have been used for decades as an ingredient to make products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease and water, and are extremely resistant to breakdown in the environment. Common uses of PFCs include: non-stick cookware, stain-resistant carpets and fabrics, coatings on some food packaging, firefighting foam, and many industrial applications. Because of their widespread use over many decades in products the public uses so frequently, PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively studied of these chemicals.The 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act require that once every five years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issue a new list of no more than 30 unregulated contaminants to be monitored by public water systems. The Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) provides EPA and other interested parties with scientifically valid data on the occurrence of contaminants in drinking water. This data serves as a primary source of information that the agency uses to develop regulatory decisions. These studies help EPA in determining the maximum contaminant level for unregulated contaminants. For this information and further details regarding the regulatory process, please visit www.epa.gov. To date, a maximum contaminant level has not yet been determined for perfluorochemicals. MCLs are the threshold limit amount of a substance contained in a public water system. MPWC’s most recent testing results for PFOA and PFOAs have shown non-detect, meaning testing results showed no presence of the contaminant. MPWC always has and will continue to keep up with the latest technologies in water treatment and maintain compliancy with EPA and NJDEP requirements.