Olympian Water Testing™

The history of Elizabeth’s water supply is a story of evolution, beginning with a private company in the mid-19th century and transforming into the complex public-private partnership that serves the city today. The journey began in 1854 with the incorporation of the Elizabethtown Water Company, which initially pumped water from a local mill pond to a reservoir, establishing the first centralized water system for the growing community. This replaced the individual private wells that early residents would have relied upon.

As the city expanded, the company sought more robust water sources. According to historical records, this included not only building new reservoirs but also tapping into groundwater by sinking dozens of wells in the late 1890s to meet increasing demand. A major turning point occurred on July 15, 1931, when the City of Elizabeth purchased the water distribution infrastructure from the private company, creating a municipally-owned water department. This shift to public control is a significant chapter in the city’s history, detailed in records from the era.

Today, the system represents another stage of evolution. While the infrastructure is owned by the City of Elizabeth, it is operated and maintained through a long-term agreement with New Jersey American Water. The water itself is no longer sourced from local wells but is purchased from two major regional systems: New Jersey American Water’s supply from the Raritan and Millstone Rivers, and the City of Newark’s supply from the Wanaque Reservoir. This modern system, regulated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, ensures a reliable supply of professionally treated water for one of the state’s oldest and largest cities.