New Jersey American Water Concludes Temporary Treatment Change in Water Treatment Plants Serving Central and Northern Parts of the State

Rhea-AI Summary

New Jersey American Water (NYSE:AWK) will resume using chloramines at its Raritan-Millstone (Bridgewater) and Canal Road (Somerset) treatment plants the week of April 20, 2026. The plants serve customers across Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union counties.

The company temporarily used chlorine for about ten weeks during routine maintenance; customers who noticed a chlorine taste or smell should see it subside when chloramines are restored. For more information, visit the company's customer resources.

News Market Reaction – AWK

-0.17%

-0.17% Session close to close

In the Apr 6 session, AWK declined 0.17%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

This announcement details the completion of a temporary switch from chloramine to chlorine at two Ne...

Analysis

This announcement details the completion of a temporary switch from chloramine to chlorine at two New Jersey treatment plants and a return to long-standing chloramine disinfection, in place since the 1970s. It follows a similar coastal New Jersey notice and fits a series of operational and customer-focused updates across states. Investors may track how such system maintenance complements larger capital programs, rate decisions, and regulatory filings that more directly influence the company’s financial profile.

Key Figures

Treatment change duration: about ten weeks Chloramine use since: 1970s

2 metrics

Treatment change duration about ten weeks Temporary switch from chloramine to chlorine for maintenance

Chloramine use since 1970s Chloramines used by New Jersey American Water since the 1970s

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Apr 02 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Apr 02	Infrastructure upgrade	Positive	+1.0%	Announced $420,000 pipe replacement project as part of broader WV upgrades.
Apr 02	Customer services	Neutral	+1.0%	Expanded digital bill-pay options and reminded customers of assistance programs.
Apr 02	Capital investment	Positive	+1.0%	Disclosed $722 million 2025 investment to strengthen PA water and wastewater systems.
Mar 31	Treatment change	Neutral	+0.5%	Notified return to chloramines at coastal NJ plants after routine maintenance.
Mar 31	Customer alerts	Neutral	+0.5%	Urged IL customers to update contact details for service and emergency notifications.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Recent company news has generally coincided with small positive price reactions, even for routine operational and customer-focused updates.

Recent Company History

Over the past weeks, American Water’s releases have focused on infrastructure upgrades, customer service enhancements, and operational updates. Notable items include a $420,000 pipe replacement project in West Virginia, $722 million invested in Pennsylvania systems in 2025, and multiple customer communication initiatives. Another recent New Jersey treatment-change update also drew a modest positive move. Today’s central/northern New Jersey treatment notice fits this pattern of routine system and service communications with limited directional impact implied by history.

Key Terms

chloramines, chlorine, us environmental protection agency (epa), new jersey department of environmental protection (njdep)

4 terms

chloramines medical

"New Jersey American Water will complete its scheduled routine treatment change and resume using chloramines"

Chloramines are chemical disinfectants created when chlorine combines with small amounts of ammonia; they are commonly used to keep drinking water and industrial process water free of harmful microbes. Investors should care because switching to or from chloramine treatment can affect utility and manufacturing costs, regulatory compliance, and product safety — similar to changing a factory’s fuel source, it can alter operating expenses, equipment needs, and liability risks.

chlorine medical

"temporarily shifted the water treatment process from using chloramine to chlorine for about ten weeks"

Chlorine is a greenish-yellow chemical element commonly used as a disinfectant, bleaching agent and raw material in making plastics, solvents and many industrial chemicals; you encounter it in household bleach and pool sanitizers. For investors, chlorine matters because its supply, price and safety rules affect costs, profit margins and regulatory risk for companies in chemicals, water treatment, manufacturing and healthcare—think of it as a basic factory ingredient whose availability and regulation can sway earnings.

us environmental protection agency (epa) regulatory

"meet all US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection"

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the federal agency that writes and enforces rules to protect air, water and land from pollution; think of it as a national referee and building inspector for environmental standards. Investors care because EPA actions can change a company’s costs, legal risk and ability to operate—through permits, cleanup orders, fines or limits on emissions—affecting profitability, valuation and long-term viability like a rule change reshaping a playing field.

new jersey department of environmental protection (njdep) regulatory

"meet all US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) drinking water standards"

A state government agency that sets and enforces environmental rules in New Jersey, issues permits for air, water and waste activities, and oversees pollution cleanup and natural resource protection. For investors, the agency acts like a referee and gatekeeper: its permits, inspections and enforcement actions can affect a company’s ability to operate, add costs, delay projects or create liability, so regulatory decisions can materially influence a project's timeline, expenses and risk profile.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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CAMDEN, N.J., April 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On the week of April 20, New Jersey American Water will complete its scheduled routine treatment change and resume using chloramines at its Raritan-Millstone Water Treatment Plant in Bridgewater and its Canal Road Water Treatment Plant in Somerset. These plants serve New Jersey American Water customers in the following counties: Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, and Union.

In mid-February, as part of an annual routine maintenance program for its water distribution system, New Jersey American Water temporarily shifted the water treatment process from using chloramine to chlorine for about ten weeks. Chloramines have long been an effective method of water disinfection that meet all US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) drinking water standards and have been used by New Jersey American Water since the 1970s.

The treatment change applies to New Jersey American Water customers in the following communities. (Communities with an asterisk purchase water from New Jersey American Water.)

Essex County: Irvington

Hunterdon County: Flemington Borough*, Raritan Township, Readington Township, and Tewksbury Township

Mercer County: Hopewell Borough*, Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township*, Princeton Borough, Princeton Junction, Princeton Township, Trenton*, and West Windsor Township

Middlesex County: Cranbury Township, Dunellen Borough, Edison Township, Jamesburg Borough, Middlesex Borough, Monroe Township, North Brunswick*, Piscataway Township, Plainsboro Township, South Brunswick Township and South Plainfield Borough

Morris County: Chatham Township, Long Hill Township, Mendham Township Mendham Borough

Somerset County: Bedminster Township, Bernards Township, Bernardsville Borough, Bound Brook Borough, Branchburg Township, Bridgewater Township, Far Hills Borough, Franklin Township, Green Brook Township, Hillsborough Township, Manville Borough, Millstone Borough, Montgomery Township, North Plainfield Borough, Peapack & Gladstone Borough, Raritan Borough, Rocky Hill*, Somerville Borough, South Bound Brook Borough, Warren Township and Watchung Borough

Union County: Berkley Heights Township, City of Rahway*, Clark Township, Cranford Township, City of Elizabeth (Liberty)*, Fanwood Borough, Garwood Borough, Hillside Township, Kenilworth Borough, Linden City, Mountainside Borough, New Providence Borough, Plainfield City, Roselle Borough, Roselle Park Borough, Scotch Plains Township, Summit, Union Township, Westfield Township and Winfield Park Township*

During the routine maintenance, some customers may have noticed a slight chlorine taste and smell in their water. With the resumption of the chloramine process, the taste and smell of chlorine will subside. For more information about the use of chloramine in water treatment, visit newjerseyamwater.com.

About New Jersey American Water 
New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest regulated water utility in the state with approximately 875 dedicated employees working to provide safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 3 million people. For more information, visit www.newjerseyamwater.com and follow New Jersey American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-jersey-american-water-concludes-temporary-treatment-change-in-water-treatment-plants-serving-central-and-northern-parts-of-the-state-302734841.html

SOURCE American Water

FAQ

When will New Jersey American Water (AWK) resume chloramines treatment at Raritan-Millstone and Canal Road plants?

The company will resume chloramines the week of April 20, 2026, restoring its normal disinfection process. According to the company, this follows an about ten-week temporary switch to chlorine for routine maintenance, after which distribution operations return to standard treatment.

Which New Jersey counties does AWK's treatment change affect for the April 2026 update?

The change affects customers in Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, and Union counties. According to the company, the two named plants serve communities across those counties and will resume chloramine use when the maintenance cycle concludes.

Why did New Jersey American Water (AWK) temporarily switch from chloramines to chlorine in 2026?

AWK temporarily switched to chlorine as part of an annual routine maintenance program for its water distribution system. According to the company, the roughly ten-week change was scheduled maintenance and not related to a water-quality violation.

Will AWK customers notice changes in taste or smell after switching back to chloramines?

Customers should notice the chlorine taste and smell subside after chloramines are restored. According to the company, some customers experienced a slight chlorine taste during the temporary chlorine period, which is expected to diminish with the resumed process.

Which specific communities served by AWK were affected by the temporary treatment change in 2026?

Affected communities include selected towns across Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, and Union counties such as Irvington, Flemington, Princeton, Edison, Somerville, and Rahway. According to the company, some communities listed purchase water from AWK.