Olympian Water Testing™

Boonton’s water history uniquely intertwines industrial heritage with pioneering public health achievements in Morris County. Originally established as Booneton Falls in 1747 around Obadiah Baldwin’s iron forge, the settlement relied on the Rockaway River for both power and water supply, with residents drawing from private wells and natural springs throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.

The town’s water story took a dramatic turn in 1904 when the original Boonton settlement was submerged beneath the newly constructed Boonton Reservoir, created to supply Jersey City with drinking water. This 700-acre reservoir, holding 7.6 billion gallons, transformed Boonton from a water consumer to a crucial water supplier for northern New Jersey. On September 26, 1908, Boonton Reservoir achieved national significance as the first municipal water supply in the United States to be continuously chlorinated, a system devised by Dr. John L. Leal and designed by George W. Fuller.

Today, the Boonton water and utility system operates four groundwater wells with treatment facilities in Morris County, providing residents with filtered and chlorinated water that meets all federal standards. While the historic reservoir continues serving Jersey City through a modern $5.8 million gravity pipeline system, Boonton maintains its own independent water infrastructure, balancing its role as both a water provider and consumer in the region’s complex water supply network.

From powering colonial-era iron forges to hosting America’s first chlorinated municipal water system, Boonton’s transformation illustrates how Morris County communities evolved from relying on individual wells to developing sophisticated water infrastructure that serves millions across northern New Jersey.