Veolia issues boil-water advisory for Allendale after pressure loss; testing underway

Veolia notified Allendale officials and residents on April 24 that a boil-water advisory was in effect after a loss of pressure in the water system. The mayor read the company's statement to the council at the meeting: pressure was restored, water samples were collected and testing will take approximately 24 hours before officials can declare the water safe to consume.

"The boil water advisory was issued on Thursday, April 24 after a loss of pressure in the Allendale water system," the statement read. "Pressure has been restored. As part of procedures set by the public health authorities, water samples have been collected and testing is underway to prove the water is safe to consume. This testing process takes approximately 24 hours. Our next update is expected Friday afternoon." The statement directed residents to Veolia's customer portal and phone line for more information.

At the meeting resident Walter asked how notifications were sent; borough officials explained that reverse-911, email and other channels are used when contact information is registered and urged residents to follow instructions to boil water until the advisory is lifted under DEP procedures. The mayor said the borough was in contact with Veolia and public-health authorities and that safety is the top priority.

Officials emphasized that boil-water advisories are a cautionary measure required under state procedures after pressure loss and that rushing testing can produce inaccurate results. Residents were told to await the next official update and to use Veolia's customer contact resources for questions.

The borough council and staff said they would continue to update the public as testing results become available.