Boonton Reservoir facts for kids
The Boonton Reservoir is a large lake, about 700 acres big. It's located between the towns of Boonton and Parsippany-Troy Hills in New Jersey. This reservoir, along with the nearby Splitrock Reservoir, is super important because it provides drinking water for the people of Jersey City, New Jersey.
This reservoir was created by building a dam across the Rockaway River. The dam was finished in 1904. What's really cool is that on September 26, 1908, the Boonton Reservoir became the very first city water supply in the United States to have its water continuously cleaned with chlorine! This special cleaning system was invented by John L. Leal, and the whole facility was designed by George W. Fuller.
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How Boonton Reservoir Helps Jersey City
The Boonton Reservoir plays a key role in making sure Jersey City has clean water. It's like a giant natural storage tank for water.
Water Delivery and Energy Savings
In June 2014, Jersey City installed a brand new pipeline. This pipeline helps move water from the reservoir to the water treatment plant. The new pipeline uses gravity, which means it lets water flow downhill naturally. This is much more energy efficient than the old pipeline, which had to pump water uphill. By using less electricity, the city saves a lot of money each year!
Exploring the Boonton Reservoir Area
The area around the Boonton Reservoir is not just for water storage. It's also becoming a place where people can enjoy nature.
Future Nature Preserve and Hiking Trail
On September 28, 2018, officials from Jersey City and the Morris County Park Commission announced an exciting plan. They want to create a nature preserve and an educational hiking trail around the reservoir. This trail will be about 7.7 miles (12.4 km) long. It will allow people to enjoy the outdoors in a calm way, like hiking. At the same time, it will help protect the reservoir's water supply with extra safety measures. The first part of this trail was planned to be finished by 2021.
