The Boonton Reservoir is a reservoir located between Boonton and Parsippany–Troy Hills, New Jersey. Boonton, along with nearby
Splitrock Reservoir
Splitrock Reservoir is of wilderness (part of Farny State Park), surrounding a 650 acre reservoir, located on the borders of Rockaway Township and Kinnelon, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. Splitrock, along with the nearby Boonto ...
, provides water for
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.dam on the
Rockaway River
The Rockaway River is a tributary of the Passaic River, approximately 35 mi (56 km) long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The upper course of the river flows through a wooded mountainous valley, whereas the lower course flo ...
completed in 1904 on the site of the original town of Boonton.
On April 11, 1904, professional diver William Hoar was attempting to close an intake pipe in the new reservoir when the suction of the water caught Hoar's left leg between the pipe and the nearly ball closing it. Despite extensive rescue efforts, Hoar would die after surviving underwater for 24 hours.
On September 26, 1908, the reservoir's waters were the first municipal water supply in the US to be continuously chlorinated. The chlorination system was devised by
John L. Leal
John Laing Leal (May 5, 1858 – March 13, 1914) was an American physician and water treatment expert who, in 1908, was responsible for conceiving and implementing the first disinfection of a U.S. drinking water supply using chlorine. He was one ...
and the facility was designed by George W. Fuller.
In June 2014, Jersey City installed a new $5.8-million (equivalent to $ in ) gravity pipeline that brings water from the reservoir to the on-site treatment facility. The new pipeline is more energy efficient and is expected to save the city $375,000 annually in electricity costs. It replaced the former pipeline which pumped water uphill to the treatment facility and was more energy-intensive.
On September 28, 2018, officials from Jersey City and the Morris County Park Commission announced a plan to create a nature preserve and educational hiking trail around the reservoir that will allow for passive recreation while protecting the water supply with additional security measures. Phase 1 of the trail is expected to be completed by 2021.
In March 2019, a body was found floating in the reservoir, eventually identified as Boonton resident Sean Stohl who had been reported missing since November 2018. On August 23, 2020, the body of a 35-year-old female was recovered by dive teams and a state police chopper.