Extreme heat grips New Jersey as officials urge residents to conserve power, water
Gov. Mikie Sherrill opened the day with a press conference and a warning about the dangers of the extreme temperatures.
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The sun set on Tuesday as New Jersey dealt with scorching temperatures. But state officials warned the worst is still to come, urging residents to prepare, stay cool and conserve where possible.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill opened the day with a press conference and a warning about the dangers of the extreme temperatures.
“This is not the type of heat wave we’ve seen in a while. This is extreme, extreme heat, so when you’re outside, this can affect your health fast,” Sherrill said.
The governor also raised concerns about the strain on the power grid. She said the state will monitor the system closely and asked residents to turn off air conditioning units when they leave home and to charge electric vehicles overnight.
“We’re monitoring heat infrastructure, bridges, electrical wires, train tracks, to keep them up and running no matter how hot it gets,” Sherrill said.
Water supply is another growing concern. New Jersey has been under a drought for months, and counties and municipalities across the state have been asking residents to conserve water wherever possible.
RELATED: Mandatory water restrictions in place for multiple NJ counties
Veolia Water New Jersey, which supplies water to several counties in north and central New Jersey, said it is not yet asking for mandatory restrictions but is urging customers to be mindful of their usage during the heat wave.
“People should conserve water. It’s not hard. Turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth. Make sure the loads in the dishwasher and the washing machine are full before you run them. Make sure that you don’t have leaks in your garden hose outside or in your house, and that your toilet isn’t running all the time,” said Debra Vial, of Veolia Water New Jersey.
Vial said the company’s supply is currently stable but could be strained.
“Right now, because of the heat, we’ve put out some notices to ask customers not to just open the hydrants. While we know that people enjoy that, it strains the system. It wastes a lot of water,” Vial said.
