Let us know if you have any information specifically about how this situation is affecting Ocean Grove such as bottled water availability in local stores and regarding any problems for businesses downtown.
Blogfinger Readers Can Post Comments Here Regarding the Water Emergency in Ocean Grove. You Can Also Email Us with Any Related Information ( blogfinger@verizon.net)
June 30, 2012 by Blogfinger
19 Responses
I took a walk around OG this morning and saw no signs of inconvenience. The restaurants had plenty of customers, and nobody seemed concerned. At the Starving Artist the water is all filtered, including that used for ice cubes, but they told me they weren’t serving glasses of water unless people asked for it. The Barbaric Bean wasn’t serving anything made from tap water. A waitress at Nagle’s said all their dishes were washed at a high temperature, and their coffee, tea and ice cubes were all made from water boiled beforehand. The lady who runs the Wall Street Delight said she called the police early this morning to ask what to do. She said her ice cubes were made several days ago, so no problem there. Nothing for sale in the Bake Shoppe, including the coffee, was affected, the young woman at the counter told me.
Pathway Market still had plenty of bottled water for sale as of 10 a.m. However, a friend who happened to be in the Dunkin Donuts on Main Street at 3:30 this morning said a customer came in there and asked to buy their entire stock of bottled water.
Maybe this water emergency will put an end to the overuse and waste of water from the water spigot on the south end beach. If I see one more over-indulgent parent letting their kid wash off every grain of sand from flip flops, boogie boards and other beach toys, I’ll be calling the bicycle blitzing police!
At 8:30 a.m. today (Sat), Wegmans was filled with people shopping and every cart had water of some kind in it. Pallets of water bottles were being brought from storage to the front of the store and the gallon bottles had just a few left.
I’m confused. The water is very unsafe but we can’t water our lawns or wash our cars to conserve water? What are we saving all the unsafe water for?
At least we can feel good about all the money from the water rate hikes having been invested in assuring the integrity of the infrastructure. Or that’s what US Water said they were doing with the rate hikes.
I’m confused too. I can’t find anything in any of the news coverage or public declarations or press releases that explains exactly what’s wrong with the water. Do we know it’s contaminated, or is this just a suspicion? Or is everyone just trying to be on the safe side, or maybe avoid legal liability?
Here is the company’s website and map of affected areas: http://njaw.wateroutage.com/
Does anyone know if we can drink from Beersheba fountain? Is that an independent well?
CBS New York News calls this event a “water nightmare.” They quote an official who says that each section of involved pipe weighs “a couple of tons,” and then putting it together is another separate challenge.
Z6 mag online says that the “boil alert” has been lifted for some parts of Monmouth County.
WABC TV says that other water companies are rerouting some water to help with the situation. Some parts of Monmouth Co. have no water pressure.
The map on the NJAWC website last night indicated that approx 10-20% of OG’s water came from this system. It’s unclear how they take that percent off-line, which contributes to the contamination. There are other sources in Monmouth County (which I assume provide the majority of our water), that are being pumped to the northern part of the county, which is why we need to conserve.
Hey Wisher: Beersheba fountain is absolutely NOT an independent well. Way, way long ago converted to “city water” which you now have to (maybe) boil. My read? The Water Co. is covering their butts, as we all have to do these days. Meanwhile, the town is full of outsiders, blissfully unaware and drinking the water, and my guess is that no one dies. A good thing all around…………..
CL –
That photo at the top of the latest update shows the water coming in from a river or something. Any surface river in NJ (unless you’re up in Northwest Jersey), is pretty questionable in the best of times. With the bad thunderstorms and rains of the last 10 days, I’m sure there is sewer overflow, etc. in there. I actually doubt the water is all that great under any circumstance around here as I believe it all comes from resevoirs (and not deep wells).
The Blogfinger coverage here is invaluable.
When I was in Asbury Spark this evening the sign across from the farmer’s market and in front of the Jazzfest area was lit up with “water emergency lifted.” This was at about 8 p.m.
Beezee : I am very unhappy to hear that Beersheba Fountain water is regular “city water.” All along I thought that I was drinking water from the same source as EH Stokes and others from way back in OG’s history. This is like finding out that the water from St. Augustine’s Fountain Of Youth is not from its original water source and maybe I’m 108 years old not 54.
Asbury Park is not on the list of emergency water restriction towns. Neither is Bradley Beach.
ALL of Monmouth County is on water restrictions. OG, but not Asbury Park, have potentially contaminated drinking water and need to boil water.
I hope that NJ American has purchased that water pipe insurance they keep trying to scare everyone into buying. Since this is all happening on their own property and since they admit that they knew the bridge was weak after hurricane Irene, are they liable for potential losses such as landscaping? I find it interesting that we are getting no updates or Neptune specific information from the township other than the repetitive email blasts Friday night and Saturday morning. When they think it might snow we hear from them every other hour. At my house the famous fire hose OG water pressure is normal. So I agree with the person who questions why we can’t use this supposedly contaminated water to water our gardens. What are they saving it for? I think as far as OG is concerned it’s completely a cya by the water company and the town.
Dan: My understanding is that when water pressure is low, there is an increased risk of contamination. That’s why they are restricting the outdoor use. Actually, no one has ever clearly reported whether the water is currently contaminated or whether it is safe, but restrictions are still needed. The boiling water mandate applies even if the water is not YET contaminated according to standard criteria such as a break in a major water pipe or a worrisome drop or risk of a drop in water pressure.
When Mary and I lived in Ecuador, we got used to being unable to drink the tap water. So we always kept pots of boiled water in the kitchen ready for use. We’d rinse our mouths with it after teeth brushing. We’d keep our mouths tightly shut in the shower. We’d wash our vegetables in that water, and rinse our dishes in it. Now we’re doing all that same kind of thing here, and it’s a bit like being on vacation except it doesn’t cost us any money.
Disfruten todo lo que pase, everybody!
Costco had no water at 11 a.m. and the manager said truckloads were late so far this morning. Maybe the supply will be better after the weekend people leave.
I just received mostly unintelligible robo-call from the township, which I think stated that the drinking ban has been lifted. Can someone verify this?
Editor’s note: You should request that we add you to our mailing list, since we did give everyone on our list a shoutout that the boiling is over. Paul @Blogfinger