The NJ Primary has been changed from Tuesday June 2nd to Tuesday July 7th. Registered “active” voters, aka voters from both parties who vote in primaries, will automatically get a mail in ballot. Others will receive an application for a mail in ballot. The July 7th vote-by-mail NJ primary is meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It should also boost voter turnout, so people can vote and don’t have to worry about getting sick.
Vote by mail is also a great option for the upcoming November 3rd election. You can apply to permanently vote by mail with this application. Then Middlesex County will automatically mail you a ballot to vote by mail for the upcoming November election. To receive your ballot by mail, the application to vote by mail must be received by the County Clerk 7 days prior to the election. A voter may also apply in person to the County Clerk until 3:00 p.m the day before the election. Your Mail-In Ballot must be received by the County Board of Election before close of polls on Election Day or postmarked by Election Day and received within 48 hours.
You should register to vote (if you aren’t already registered.) The last day you can register is 21 days before the election, which is June 16th for the primary and Oct 13th for the November general election. For more info on NJ voting dates and deadlines use this link with from Rock the Vote.
Recent tests done (Jan 2019-March 2019) by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) found Perth Amboy tap water to be within Federal EPA guidelines, but they found 1 cancer linked contaminant Chromium (hexavalent) in our tap water that exceeded their EWG guidelines for safety. EWG says that EPA standards have not been updated in 20 years and do not take into account the findings of most recent studies of safety. In a new database that the public can use to monitor what is in their tap water, you can see what contaminants have been found. Click here to view information EWG released about Perth Amboy Tap Water. It is important for the public to inform themselves about the facts about safe drinking water. The database recommends specific types of filters that you can use to remove contaminants from the Perth Amboy drinking water. Charcoal filters are not enough to remove the contaminants.
Trihalomethanes (THMs) are among the most dangerous chemical compounds that find their way into the water supply. THM contamination is very common, because these substances are a byproduct formed when chlorine is added to drinking water. THMs are known to be carcinogens, and are closely associated with the occurrence of several different types of cancer. Additionally, these substances cause problems with the functioning of the nervous system, the liver, and the kidneys. Ingestion of these substances can also contribute to miscarriages.
Even though the dangers of THMs are well-documented and the substance is present in the vast majority of drinking water, many home water filtration systems are not designed to remove these substances from the water supply. For example, Brita water filters and PUR water filters do not remove THMs from water. Both Aquasana and Amway water filters are proven to be effective at removing more than 99% of THMs from water. Kenmore and Culligan water filters also filter out large percentages of these substances.
A notice sent out to Perth Amboy residents June 20, 2019 from the Perth Amboy Water Department says the water quality drinking standard has been violated for Perth Amboy drinking water. Read the notice in English notice. Read the notice in Spanish. This is the second notice about drinking water violations, the other received in Feb 2019. The letter says the water is contaminated with TTHM above the quality standard for drinking water. It says the water is safe to drink, but it also says that over time it is not safe to drink and may cause illness. Also, a population at risk for the water currently not being safe to drink given the contamination, are the elderly, children, pregnant women and those with compromised immune system. The letter says the situation will not be corrected until the end of 2019.
Using bottled water to drink and cook with is a way to prevent health risk from drinking contaminated water. Also, you can purchase water filters for the home that remove TTHM.
