Olympian Water Testing™

Jersey City’s water supply history dates back to the early 19th century when residents relied on local wells and pumps. In the 1830s, the city had three public water pumps located at Newark Avenue and Bay Street, First and Erie Streets, and Grove and Fifteenth Streets, as documented by the New Jersey City University Library. As the city grew, these sources proved inadequate, leading engineer John D. Ward to call for the creation of an adequate water supply system in 1844. By 1851, commissioners were appointed to address the growing water needs of Jersey City, Van Vorst Township, and Hoboken.

The city’s first modern water system was designed by engineer William S. Whitwell in 1850, who created a three-reservoir complex at a cost of approximately $650,000. The system initially drew water from the Passaic River at Belleville, which at that time was so clear that "one could see pebbles on the bottom." Water from this source was first delivered to homes on August 15, 1854, through a reservoir on Central Avenue, with a grand celebration held on October 3, 1854. However, by the late 19th century, the Passaic River had become severely polluted, leading to a typhoid fever epidemic in 1891 that forced city officials to seek a new water source. According to Jersey Digs, prior to this crisis, Jersey City also maintained local reservoirs, including one on Summit Avenue.

In 1899, Jersey City contracted with Patrick H. Flynn to build a new water supply system, resulting in the construction of the Boonton Reservoir on the Rockaway River in Morris County. This project, completed in 1904, required the relocation of an entire community, as the original village of Old Boonton was submerged beneath the reservoir waters. The Boonton Reservoir became the site of a groundbreaking public health innovation on September 26, 1908, when Dr. John L. Leal and engineer George W. Fuller implemented the first continuous chlorination of a municipal water supply in the United States. This pioneering achievement, which occurred after Jersey City had sued the water company over water quality concerns, revolutionized water treatment nationwide and dramatically improved public health. Today, Jersey City’s water is still supplied by the Boonton Reservoir, managed by the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority in partnership with SUEZ Water, with the water traveling through two 26-mile pipelines that carry approximately 50 million gallons daily from Morris County to distribution points in Jersey City.