Olympian Water Testing™

The history of water in East Newark is intrinsically tied to the evolution of its larger neighbor, the City of Newark. While early residents of the area would have relied on private wells for their daily needs, the borough’s small size and proximity to a major urban center meant that its path to a modern water supply would be a regional one. The development of a centralized system in this part of Hudson County was driven by the needs of a rapidly industrializing area, moving beyond the capacity of individual well water systems.

The foundation of this modern system began with the establishment of the Newark Aqueduct Company in the early 1800s, which later transitioned into a municipally-owned utility. This marked the beginning of a large-scale, professionally managed water infrastructure. Today, East Newark receives its drinking water from the City of Newark’s Department of Water & Sewer Utilities, one of the largest public water systems in the nation. This system has a long and complex history, evolving from local sources to a major network that serves over 300,000 people.

The water provided to East Newark originates from the Pequannock watershed, a protected area in northern New Jersey, and undergoes extensive treatment to meet high safety standards. The entire operation is regulated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), ensuring the water quality is consistently monitored. This reliance on a regional powerhouse for its water supply highlights a successful, long-standing cooperative approach to providing essential public services.