Does your water smell and taste strange?

New Jersey American Water customers might notice a slight smell and taste of chlorine in their water because of the water company’s annual disinfection program that started Monday morning.

The company says it will temporarily change the water treatment process from a chloramine (combined) residual to free chlorine residual at the company's Raritan-Millstone and Canal Road Water Treatment plants. This affects communities in Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union counties.

The maintenance program is performed every year as an added measure of disinfection to the distribution system, according to New Jersey American Water.

The company says the water change is normal and will only be temporary until the system maintenance is complete. To get rid of the chlorine smell faster, they suggest putting the water in an uncovered glass container in the refrigerator overnight.

The temporary treatment process will last until the end of April 2024.