HADDON HEIGHTS, N.J., Aug. 19, 2002 -- Monmouth County on Monday enacted a temporary ban on all outside water use after a fire at a Jersey Central Power & Light substation knocked out power.
Several thousand customers lost power Monday morning around 10:30 a.m. EDT when two transformers caught fire at an electrical substation near Lakewood, N.J., Dow Jones news reported. No injuries were reported.
Authorities did not yet say what caused the blaze, but power was restored to those customers within about 45 minutes.
The watering ban included but was not limited to the watering of lawns and or gardens, topping off of pools and any other outdoor usage. Operators expected to lift the ban as soon as the fire was under control.
New Jersey-American Water Co. is the state's largest investor-owned water utility, serving over one million people in 124 communities throughout the state. New Jersey-American is a subsidiary of American Water Works Company, Inc.
American Water Works Co. is the largest publicly traded U.S. corporation devoted exclusively to the business of water. Its 6,600 associates provide water, wastewater and other related services to nearly 16 million people in 29 states and three Canadian provinces. More information can be found on the Web at www.amwater.com.
SOURCE: New Jersey-American Water Company
