To:

 

 

 

Perth Amboy City Council

Middlesex Water Company

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Message

 

 

 

Every three months, like clockwork, I pay the water bill. But this isn’t just a transaction — it’s a commitment to something deeper than a flowing faucet. For me, my family, friends, and neighbors here in Perth Amboy, water is a lifeline. We depend on it for our health, our children, and our daily lives. We trust that when we turn on the tap, what greets us is clean, safe water.

 

But that trust has been shaken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Facts

 

 

 

On September 26, 2025, the Perth Amboy Water Department sent an official notice informing residents that our city’s water system exceeded the drinking water standard for Gross Alpha Particle Activity — a measure of radioactive minerals in the water.

 

According to that notice:

 

The standard limit for Gross Alpha Particle Activity is 15 pCi/L (picocuries per liter).
Perth Amboy’s running annual average over the last year was 16.6 pCi/L, exceeding the limit.
The notice explains that certain minerals are radioactive and may emit a form of radiation known as alpha radiation.
It also states that some people who drink water containing alpha emitters in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

 

 

While the notice clarifies this is not an immediate emergency, it confirms that our water did not meet federal standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act during this period.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s Being Done

 

 

 

According to the same notice, the Perth Amboy Water Department has stated that they are:

 

Considering treatment options to remove Gross Alpha Particle Activity and Combined Radium-226/228.
Supplementing water from a neighboring system.
Conducting bench testing for temporary treatment options.
Pilot testing treatment techniques for long-term, full-scale improvements.
Increasing the frequency of testing for these contaminants.

 

 

These steps are ongoing, but residents deserve more than a plan — we deserve transparency, updates, and accountability at every stage of this process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Request

 

 

 

We, the residents and payers of Perth Amboy’s public water service, respectfully demand:

 

Full transparency — Regular public updates on testing results and progress toward resolving the contamination.
Independent third-party testing to confirm improvements and ensure safety standards are met.
Clear communication about billing — residents should not pay the same rate for water that does not meet safety standards.
Public accountability meetings between residents, local officials, and the water department until the issue is fully resolved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why This Matters

 

 

 

Clean, safe water isn’t a privilege — it’s a basic human right. Every household in Perth Amboy deserves confidence that what flows from our taps is safe for our families.

 

We are not asking for special treatment; we are asking for fairness, transparency, and respect. Our community’s health depends on it.

 

Please sign this petition to demand that Perth Amboy’s water provider and city officials ensure clean, safe, and compliant drinking water for every resident — now and for generations to come.