Olympian Water Testing™

South Orange Village Township’s water supply system has evolved from local wells and early infrastructure to a modern network serving over 18,000 residents. The system includes more than 70 miles of water mains and three major storage facilities: the South Orange Avenue Main Reservoir, Crest Drive Storage Tank, and Brentwood Watersphere, with a combined capacity of 3.7 million gallons. Most of the water is purchased from New Jersey American Water and treated at the Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant, which uses advanced ozone-based and carbon filtration technology to ensure high water quality and resilience against flooding read about the Canoe Brook plant and NJAW partnership.

Historically, South Orange operated its own municipal well, Well 17, but discontinued its use in 2018. Today, the Short Hills System supplies water from a mix of aquifers and surface sources, including the Passaic River and Brunswick aquifer. The village maintains emergency interconnections with neighboring systems for added reliability. Water quality is closely monitored, and South Orange regularly meets or exceeds state and federal standards. The township is also actively replacing lead and galvanized service lines, with a goal to complete all replacements by 2031, in compliance with New Jersey legislation see the 2023 Water Quality Report.

After decades of outsourced operations, South Orange entered a new phase in 2017 when American Water Operations and Maintenance Inc. took over day-to-day management, billing, and customer service. In March 2025, New Jersey American Water signed an agreement to acquire the entire water system for $19.7 million, following a public referendum in which 62% of voters approved the sale. As part of this deal, NJAW will invest $50 million in infrastructure improvements over the next decade, including the replacement of all lead and galvanized service lines and upgrades to aging water mains and hydrants details on the acquisition and investment.

The South Orange Water Utility Task Force, established in 2022, evaluated options for future management, including retaining municipal control, outsourcing, or selling to a private regulated utility. Their findings highlighted the need for significant capital investment and recommended the sale to NJAW as the most efficient path to ensure safe, reliable water for residents while addressing aging infrastructure and regulatory requirements.

South Orange’s water supply history demonstrates a transition from local wells and basic infrastructure to a sophisticated, regionally integrated system, with ongoing investment in water quality, lead line replacement, and long-term reliability for the community.