Water coming out of taps with a pink hue is safe to drink, officials in New Jersey assured residents this week.
According to the Office of Emergency Management in Manville, residents shouldn’t be scared by “discolored water” with “a slight pinkish hue,” which they claim is perfectly safe.
“We are aware of reports of discolored water in our Raritan System,” reads a statement from the New Jersey American Water company posted to Facebook on Wednesday.
Infowars.com reports: The water company explained: “Higher levels of sodium permanganate, used to treat the water at our Raritan Millstone Water Treatment Plant, have caused a slight pinkish hue in the water.”
“Though there is no impact to drinking water quality and the water meets drinking water standards, you may wish to refrain from doing laundry during this time,” the water company told residents.
Affected areas include Bound Brook, Bridgewater, Manville, Hillsborough, Somerville, Raritan Borough, Dunellen, Piscataway, and Plainfield, NJ.com reports.
Residents are advised to run a cold tap for a few minutes until the water runs clear, while the company flushes hydrants in attempts to alleviate the issue.
The same issue, where pink tap water was deemed safe to drink, appears to have unfolded last year in New Jersey, according to NBC New York.
While officials claimed there’s no problem with the water, a social media user highlighted the myriad health risks of concentrated potassium permanganate, including eye and skin irritation, respiratory or digestive tract irritation, liver and kidney damage, and neurological symptoms – although it typically appears in water supplies only in diluted form.
Unless you really trust the government – it may be best to stick to bottled, or filtered water for the time being.
