Springfield residents are urged to boil their water because flooding related to the impact of Hurricane Irene has inundated the Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant in Millburn.

New Jersey American Water today issued a boil water advisory for customers in the following communities West Orange, Short Hills, Millburn, Maplewood, Irvington, Springfield, and Summit. 

Updated information, is available at NJ American Water’s website atwww.newjerseyamwater.com, under the Alerts Notifications. Here's more from NJ American Water's advisory:

Please note that this is a standard procedure whenever a treatment failure occurs which may compromise the quality of your drinking water.  New Jersey American Water will provide information as to when the advisory is lifted.   

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection requires us to issue the following advisory: 

The Department of Environmental Protection has determined that a potential or actual threat to the quality of water being provided to you currently exists. Therefore until further notice, bring tap water to a rolling boil for one minute and allow to cool before using for consumption; drinking, ice cubes, washing vegetables and fruit, and for brushing teeth. Please continue to boil your water until you are notified that the water quality is acceptable.

New Jersey American Water also recommends the following steps:

• Throw away uncooked food or beverages or ice cubes if made with tap water during the day of the advisory;
• Keep boiled water in the refrigerator for drinking;
• Rinse hand-washed dishes for a minute in diluted bleach (one tablespoon of household bleach per gallon of tap water) or clean your dishes in a dishwasher using the hot wash cycle and dry cycle.  
• Do not swallow water while you are showering or bathing;
• Provide pets with boiled water after cooling;
• Do not use home filtering devices in place of boiling or using bottled water; most home water filters will not provide adequate protection from microorganisms;
• Use only boiled water to treat minor injuries.

Please be advised that the company is doing all it can to make sure water is of the highest quality. New Jersey AmericanWater Company will notify customers as soon as the advisory is lifted. If customers have any questions they may call 1-800-652-6987.