A Week Without Water: Main Break Creates Strife For 200,000 NJ Residents
More than 200,000 New Jersey residents have been left with little to no water for seven days — and counting — after a massive water main break. As of this writing, It remained unclear when water services would be restored to the community.
The 140-year-old water main near Hinchcliffe Stadium burst in the early morning hours of August 8. The city of Paterson issued a boil water advisory and began work to repair the ruptured pipe — but the aging system has proven difficult to repair.
“The city is very old and as a result we have pipes that are essentially hundreds of years old, dating back to the 1800s,” said Mayor Andre Sayegh, per ABC 7.
The location of the pipes also pose difficulty — they are embedded in rock on a steep slope, creating extra challenges for crews attempting repairs. Crews even had to pause work temporarily due to safety issues, and new safety plans had to be put in place.
Officials initially estimated that repairs would be complete within 48 hours, but nearly a week later the boil water advisory remains in effect, with thousands of people still struggling to shower, flush toilets, and clean dishes.
It’s estimated that about 75% of residents in the affected areas have some water — but in many cases, only enough to flush the toilet.
Residents are understandably frustrated, but Sayegh urges them to remain patient. “We do understand the pain and the frustration. We are frustrated ourselves. But rest assured we are doing the best we can,” he said, per NJ.com.
The primary focus before restoring full service is stabilizing the system — pumping too much water right away could cause more mains to break. For residents waiting for their taps to flow freely, the long disruption is a reminder of the fragility of aging infrastructure, and just how detrimental breaks can be.