| Author | Message | ||
     susan1014 Supporter Username: Susan1014 Post Number: 1150 Registered: 3-2002 |
For what it's worth, I believe quality (and source) may vary by part of town. We don't have the cloudiness and etching problems either, as long as I don't use new formula Cascade (which did cause problems). (But I'm also guessing that Glock isn't the keeper of the family glassware...Glock, can't you participate in a discussion without resorting to name-calling?) | ||
| Spanky Citizen Username: Spanky Post Number: 98 Registered: 4-2003 |
I called the water dept. to complain about the water this summer. It is awful! The woman I spoke to on the phone was very rude and said there had never been any complaints about the water. If I had a problem I should call the water co. directly. I told her that I read on the S.O. website that the change in water happened in July '04 and this directly coincided with the beginning of our limescale, spotty dishes and horrible tasting water. She said she had no idea what I was talking about, the water had never changed, and basically hung up on me! Glad to hear others have been complaining too. I feel unlucky to be in the "bad water" part of town. But it just seems to difficult to get our officials to listen to complaints that I have. | ||
| Shanabana Citizen Username: Shanabana Post Number: 57 Registered: 10-2005 |
Spanyky, yes, I'm not sure how best to be heard on the matter. The Gaslight published that something was being done, or at leas "they" were looking into it; then my husband spoke to the woman at Town Hall who collects money, and she said she had no knowledge of anything being done at all. My guess is that whoever has the authority to deal with this does not live in the area where everything in the damn house needs replacing. I only moved here in Sept '04 so I don't know when it started. But there was already much damage to all the porcelain and metal fixtures, as well as the dishwasher, that it must have been a problem where we are for quite some time. | ||
| Rastro Citizen Username: Rastro Post Number: 1977 Registered: 5-2004  |
Someone needs to sue EOW. That's the only way to get them to stand up and take notice. The water they provide is damaging people's property. And I don't think we have an alternative (is it legal to drill one's own well, and would the water be potable?) I'm usually not one to yell SUE! in a crowded room, but this is insane. | ||
| Mergele Citizen Username: Mergele Post Number: 357 Registered: 7-2003  |
We just had our water tested (in the VCNA area) with an eye towards putting in both a softener and RO for drinking water. Hardness measured 20 gpg!!! (Depending on who you believe, anything over about 8 or 9 will give you trouble if not softened). And even more interesting, our iron content measured significantly above federal limits. Now, I'm sure that EOW would attempt to blame that on leaching from somewhere, and I also recognize that the water was tested by someone with a vested interest (the guy trying to sell me a system), so I'm not going to try pounding my head against that particular brick wall. But I am going to suck it up and put in a top-notch system just as soon as I can get power run to the location in the basement where the unit will sit. At a cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $2.5k, plus electric and plumbing work. <beginranthere> Did you know that our esteemed municipality requires a bleepin' *permit* before you can put in a softener? For which they charge the obligatory fee?? So, our esteemed municipality provides us with water of questionable quality (being generous), and then puts their hand out when we are left with the choice of treating the water ourselves, or spending thousands on plumbing and appliance repair because the water is destroying pipes, dishwashers, boilers, water heaters, etc. ad nauseum. <endrant> Something's very wrong with this picture. | ||
| SOSully Citizen Username: Sullymw Post Number: 1077 Registered: 5-2001  |
Can't the BOT intervene in this situation? They made the contract, why should we have to individually deal with this? The water is damaging to every household in South Orange. | ||
| Spitz Supporter Username: Doublea Post Number: 1341 Registered: 3-2003 |
On the Village website, there's an item first posted in April 2004 which attempts to explain the situation by saying that EOW changed the source of where some of the Village water came from. This was in response to numerous complaints from residents about what the water was doing to their dishwashers, etc. At a recent BOT meeting, in response to a resident who complained about the water situtation (bearing in mind that this was now 8 months after the Village posted something on its website), the resident was told the Village had hired a consultant to see what could be done. This situation has literally cost homeowners tens of thousands of dollars, and it seems this is another "coming soon" modus operandi for the way things are done in the Village. | ||
| SOSully Citizen Username: Sullymw Post Number: 1078 Registered: 5-2001 |
can someone from the BOT comment here? | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 3187 Registered: 5-2001  |
FYI...Mark (the only one from the BOT who regularly posts) is on vacation. I'd suggest everyone try sending an email to the entire BOT as follows: ajosrosen@aol.com wcfuzzy@aol.com stacey.jennings@hp.com ericdevaris@mac.com arthur@mec.cuny.edu nishesq@optonline.net mrosnernyc@yahoo.com and copy John Gross (jgross@southorange.org) | ||
| Sean Citizen Username: Midwestboy Post Number: 2 Registered: 6-2005 |
For what its worth, the cost of my water in South Orange is approximately 10x what it was in Chicago (moved here a year ago). Granted we did live on a Great Lake, but I use MUCH LESS water here than I did there (I do not need to water my lawn here given the more favorable climate). In addition to the explicit (and outrageous) cost of water the poor quality has significant hidden costs as well. Even after installing a softener I consistently throw clothes away that do not get clean. My water heater intake is so corroded (less than 5 years old) it looks like that 8th grade chemical experiment where you grow pretty crystals. Before I installed a softener, I needed to seek medical treatment for the effect it had on my daughters' skin. If it is true that SO is at / near the NJ average of cost / gallon then I would like to congratulate the BOT for successfully achieving the same incompetence as our corrupt neighbors while also providing us with the worst water I have ever tasted outside the alkali-laden liquid one can find in Badlands of South Dakota. | ||
| Crazy_quilter Citizen Username: Crazy_quilter Post Number: 122 Registered: 2-2005 |
Maybe a few more of us should test our water. on another thread someone said that all you need is a kit from a pet store for testing water for an aquarium. Is that true? could the hard water be affecting my infant's eczema?? i bet my dtr's hair would be easier to comb with softer water. | ||
| SOSully Citizen Username: Sullymw Post Number: 1081 Registered: 5-2001 |
I plan on testing my water. Objective measures may help. I'll also email the trustees | ||
| wnb Citizen Username: Wnb Post Number: 304 Registered: 8-2001 |
How does one test their water? I'd love to do this. You mean the pet store kit mentioned above? | ||
| Shanabana Citizen Username: Shanabana Post Number: 70 Registered: 10-2005 |
Yes, I want to test, too, but would rather not get tested by a vendor of softeners. Also, corrosion causes porcelain finishes in tubs to come off, and this allows lead to leach from the abraded (sp?) areas. Bad for tiny bathers. I'll send an email too--thanks for the addresses. | ||
| Crazy_quilter Citizen Username: Crazy_quilter Post Number: 126 Registered: 2-2005 |
oh dear, our tub is quite corroded, but i always hoped it was more of an aesthetic issue than a health one. And that adds up to a lot of exposure since my dtr takes a bath once a week, whether she needs it or not! | ||
| campbell29 Citizen Username: Campbell29 Post Number: 312 Registered: 4-2002 |
Great to know - my daughter takes baths frequently and lives in them for at least an hour. I'm getting ready to take one now. We had our tub re-glazed because its really big and great for baths. I had considered replacing it with a bigger jacuzzi roman tub, but if the water is just going to destroy it, why bother. Is there anyway we can get this fixed? The water wasn't always so bad. | ||
| Shanabana Citizen Username: Shanabana Post Number: 72 Registered: 10-2005 |
About the lead and the tub, what I read said that reglazing can keep it from leeching temporarily. I tested our corroded spots for lead and got positive results. My kids refuse to heed my pleas to stop sucking in and spitting out water. Time to put in a call to Mister Ugly Tub. However, that is just another couple hundred bucks we'll have to spend cause of the water. | ||
| Eire Citizen Username: Eire Post Number: 91 Registered: 7-2005 |
Regarding water softener, who/what is Jayson? Anyone have a number? thanks | ||
| Pizzaz Supporter Username: Pizzaz Post Number: 3041 Registered: 11-2001  |
http://www.jaysoncompany.com/faq.php?faqcategory=1&faqid=42 | ||
| Lizziecat Citizen Username: Lizziecat Post Number: 1018 Registered: 5-2003 |
Jayson is the largest supplier of water softeners in the area. We lease ours from them, and we also buy our salt from them. The advantage to this is that if something breaks, they come and fix it, and if you buy salt from them they will deliver it, bring it into your house and put it into the water softener for you. While it's cheaper to buy salt from Home Depot or someplace else, you run the risk of throwing your back out from heaving around 80 pound bags of salt. Jayson's phone no. is 908-665-0065. | ||
| Eire Citizen Username: Eire Post Number: 92 Registered: 7-2005 |
thanks all - it's unbelievable how bad the water is - I am going to write to bot - this is totally unacceptable... my problem with water softener is that my partner has a heart condition so we have to be careful about sodium. Hopefully jayson will have some kind of solution that doesn't break the bank. | ||
| Spitz Supporter Username: Doublea Post Number: 1342 Registered: 3-2003 |
Eire - It's my understanding that one can buy water softener pellets made with potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride, for those who have to be careful about their sodium intake. I lease my water softener from Jayson and buy salt from them like Lizziecat. | ||
| wnb Citizen Username: Wnb Post Number: 305 Registered: 8-2001 |
A water softener is not a water filtration system and with the quality of water coming into my house anyway, I don't think a softener would do more than mask the problem. I'm looking at spending big bux on a whole house filtration system. But I'd certainly rather know that we live in a community that has quality water at the source. If you don't care about health and so forth, how about resale value? A town with a reputation for crappy water is going to affect property values in the area. | ||
| SOSully Citizen Username: Sullymw Post Number: 1093 Registered: 5-2001 |
not to mention that we are PAYING for this crappy water. | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonhw Post Number: 84 Registered: 1-2004 |
Was this ever answered? From CONFERENCE AGENDA NOVEMBER 14, 2005 FINANCE 1. East Orange Water Commission – Mr. Gross advised that there are two proposals and that he should have a recommendation ready and a resolution prepared to award a contract for the testing of the water at the November 28th Regular Meeting to enable a determination be made as to how to address the hard water issue. | ||
| jayjay Citizen Username: Jayjayp Post Number: 330 Registered: 6-2005 |
Howard- These meetings are conducted in the sloppiest fashion. There are never any follow-ups and never any accountabilities. Its pitiful. | ||
| Shanabana Citizen Username: Shanabana Post Number: 84 Registered: 10-2005 |
wnb: I always wondered how adding a little salt could keep the minerals from coming in, I guess it doesn't. | ||
| Rastro Citizen Username: Rastro Post Number: 2169 Registered: 5-2004 |
Actually, the sodium replaces other minerals in the water. http://home.howstuffworks.com/question99.htm (my current favorite web site) | ||
| Shanabana Citizen Username: Shanabana Post Number: 87 Registered: 10-2005 |
Thanks, Rastro, very cool site. | ||
| jayjay Citizen Username: Jayjayp Post Number: 374 Registered: 6-2005 |
Has there ever been any follow-up to the Gross statement that he would have a recommendation ready for the Nov. 28 BOT meeting re awarding a contract for testing the water? This administration is famous for making promises and then not following up. Meanwhile, on the village website, in the Dept of Public Works area it states: "The East Orange Water Company operates the Village's water system which receives water from Short Hills, Millburn and Livingston. Village water has been rated as exceptionally good quality." Really? Who's defining "quality" and who is doing the rating?} | ||
| campbell29 Citizen Username: Campbell29 Post Number: 345 Registered: 4-2002 |
Obviously not the people in the Village Colonial neighborhood. Since the water quality is not poor in all parts of SO, and it didn't used to be so bad here, I wonder why we can't receive the same water as the rest of the town. I will not cross my fingers in hopes that the BOT will resolve this one. | ||
| Pdg Citizen Username: Pdg Post Number: 378 Registered: 5-2004  |
FYI, I called the water company about my bill and at the end I told the very nice woman who was helping me that I was very unhappy with the quality of water, cloudiness on glasses, etc. She said the water is very hard, I said I have a softnener and my treated water tests soft and I still have a problem. Long story short, she said people could write letters complaining of water quality, bad taste, and damage to appliances/glassware to: Ms. Gwen Hargrett-Wolfe President of the Board of Water Commisioners 99 South Grove Street East Orange, NJ 07018 If we encourage as many neighbors as possible to write letters requesting improvement of water quality at the source, as many have wished for above, perhaps something will be done! My letter will be in tomorrow's mail! | ||
| jayjay Citizen Username: Jayjayp Post Number: 376 Registered: 6-2005 |
I've just sent my letter. Thanks PDG for the info. | ||
| SOSully Citizen Username: Sullymw Post Number: 1141 Registered: 5-2001 |
Very recently, everything coming out of my dishwasher is cloudy, requiring a 2nd wash, sometinmes by hand. This is disgraceful considering that we pay for this. | ||
| JoRo Citizen Username: Autojoe51 Post Number: 57 Registered: 10-2005 |
Good advice. Mr. Gross said at the December 19 BOT meeting that he was looking for progress on the water quality issue in Q1 of this year. | ||
| doulamomma Citizen Username: Doulamomma Post Number: 924 Registered: 3-2002 |
SOSully, Mine too - last 2 weeks or so have been worse & I have one glass that is fine as long as it's wet (so you think you've cleaned it) but it goes back to looking soap/cloud covered when dry. Nice that we are paying extra to rewash things...not really a downside for the water co.! The inside of my 4.5 mo dishwasher is coated too. Then there is the crusty stuff that develops on the faucet... I know - I need to spend $$$ to get a softener so that I can have the privilege of having water that won't destroy my glasses & appliances (but may give me high blood pressure & shorten the life of my new water heater) - great choices. I'm disgusted. guess I should be putting this in Soapbox! | ||
| SOSully Citizen Username: Sullymw Post Number: 1142 Registered: 5-2001 |
Let's all take 5 minutes and shoot off a letter to the President of the Water Commission. Pdg says they have a problem even WITH a softener. Who knows what we're drinking. I opened up 2 of the screens on my faucets and there were little black pebbles in there! | ||
| doulamomma Citizen Username: Doulamomma Post Number: 928 Registered: 3-2002 |
Do as many people in SO read this topic as "please help" or "soapbox"? Should we post a call to action elsewhere too? | ||
| Pdg Citizen Username: Pdg Post Number: 385 Registered: 5-2004 |
Maybe we could all go a bit further and send one of our worst glasses to Ms. Hargrett-Wolfe! (Is that too obnoxious?) | ||
| SOSully Citizen Username: Sullymw Post Number: 1149 Registered: 5-2001 |
Does Ms. Hargrett-Wolfe work for the East Orange Water Company, or is she president of some independent body? |
