Olympian Water Testing™

Newark New Jersey water supply history originates with its 1666 founding in Essex County, where early colonists relied on private wells and the Passaic River for drinking water, as noted on Newark’s Wikipedia page. This system sufficed amid initial growth, but industrialization polluted the river, leading to health crises like the 1866 cholera epidemic.

Well water systems in Newark NJ faced limitations as population surged, prompting a search for purer sources. In 1889, the city contracted with the East Jersey Water Company to develop the Pequannock Watershed, constructing reservoirs and aqueducts, per historical details on Myles Zhang’s site. The system opened in 1892, delivering 50 million gallons daily from upland reservoirs like Clinton and Oak Ridge, marking a shift from contaminated wells and river intake.

Municipal water development in Newark, NJ, expanded in 1930 with the Wanaque Reservoir addition via the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission, enhancing capacity amid urban demands. Today, the Newark Water Department sources primarily from the Pequannock Watershed’s five reservoirs, treated at the Pequannock Plant with processes like ozonation and filtration, serving 300,000 residents across 500 miles of mains, as outlined on the city’s water history page.

Regulated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the system monitors contaminants like lead and PFAS following a 2016 crisis, with data from the Environmental Working Group showing ongoing improvements since the era of private well dependence.