Boil water advisory extended for Central New Jersey

WEDNESDAY UPDATE: Keep boiling water in these towns, utility says.

Nearly a dozen towns in Central Jersey, including the New Brunswick and Piscataway campuses of Rutgers University, are being told to boil their water before drinking and cooking and limiting water use.

Officials are handing out free bottles of water at the Piscataway municipal center at 495 Sidney Road and the PSE&G building on Hadley Road in South Plainfield.

New Jersey American Water reports a "transmission water leak" on Possumtown Road in Piscataway. The company said there is a "potential or actual threat" to water quality in the following towns:

Clark
Dunellen
Edison
Green Brook
Linden
Middlesex
Piscataway
Roselle
South Plainfield

Rutgers Police posted on Facebook that students on the Piscataway and New Brunswick campuses should boil their water as a precaution.

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.
Do not swallow water while showering or bathing.
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 water that has been boiled (and cooled) to treat minor injuries.
Rinse hand-washed dishes with a diluted bleach solution (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.
Upon boiling water for potable use, it is suggested that 2-3 gallons of boiled (and cooled) water be stored in the refrigerator in one gallon-containers for use in cooking, drinking, etc. Water can be stored in this manner for 2-3 days.
Pets should be provided with drinking water that has been boiled (and cooled) in the manner indicated above.

New Jersey American Water did not say how long the boil water advisory will be in effect.