Displaying items by tag: water

The Merchantville-Pennsauken Water Commission (MPWC) pumps groundwater from fifteen (15) wells that tap the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy Aquifer and transports it to the MPWC’s five (5) treatment facilities. The quantity of water that we are able to pump in any given minute, day, month or year is strictly governed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. In total, MPWC has six (6) above ground water tanks, with the newest located in Cherry Hill. The total capacity of the above ground storage tanks is eight (8) million gallons of water. This type of water storage not only enhances water pressure - needed to take showers, sprinkle lawns and fight fires - but it also provides over a full days worth of water supply to our entire franchise area in case of an emergency situation. In 1993, the NJDEP permanently reduced our permitted annual pumping capacity. Consequently, we must augment our well water supply from other sources. Currently that source is New Jersey American Water Company. At the present time, a very small amount of water is purchased annually, which represents approximately 1% of our needs. NJWAC supplies water from three (3) sources: surface water from the Delaware River and groundwater from PRM and Mt. Laurel-Wenonah Aquifers.

If your water bill is unusually high, but has not be estimated, there are a few things you can do to investigate the situation.  First, check for leaks. Small leaks can add up quickly. Just a 1/8-inch sized leak consumes more than 3,500 gallons per day. While most leaks are easy to find, others may be more difficult and can often be left undetected. Start by checking your toilets. Toilets can lose hundreds of gallons of water when leaking. The MPWC can provide you with special tablets for detecting toilet leaks free of charge. You can also put a few drops of food coloring in your toilet tank and wait a few minutes. If the color shows up in the bowl, you have a leak that needs to be repaired. Check indoor and outdoor faucets and replace worn gaskets and washers. Look for drip stains beneath and behind your dishwasher and washing machines. Check leaks in your sprinkler system, including damaged sprinkler heads.