Paterson, NJ Water Service Restored After Third Water Main Break, Boil Water Advisory Continues

Water Service Restoration and Boil Water Advisory

• 💧 Water service has been restored to Paterson, New Jersey, late Monday afternoon following a significant disruption.
• ⚠️ A boil water advisory remains in effect for some residents due to the ongoing situation.

Impact of the Latest Water Main Break

• 📉 The most recent water main break, occurring this weekend, left approximately 18,000 residents without water or experiencing low pressure.
• 🏠 Residents in the Riverside section of Paterson were directly affected by the Saturday evening break.

Resident Hardships and Business Impact

• 🧺 Some residents, like Maria Ortiz, were forced to use muddy-looking water for essential tasks such as laundry, raising concerns for infant formula preparation.
• 💸 Families have incurred additional expenses, with one couple spending $120 on eating out and more on cleaning supplies.
• 🧊 Business owners, such as deli owner Maria Pena, experienced significant losses, with her ice machine being inoperable due to the lack of water, impacting a key part of her business.

Aging Infrastructure and Repair Challenges

• 🏗️ The pipe that broke is 42 inches in diameter, and officials indicated that the repair itself would take longer than anticipated, with no exact completion time frame.
• 🕰️ This is the third water main break in two weeks, with earlier breaks affecting areas around Hinchcluff Stadium.
• 👴 Water company officials identified the common factor among the broken pipes as their age, being 120 to 140 years old.
• 🌍 While seismic activity and earthquakes were mentioned as potential contributing factors, the primary issue appears to be aging infrastructure.

Future Plans and Extended Advisories

• 📝 The Passaic Valley Water Commission has a larger plan to address aging pipes, but the project bidding process is still underway.
• 🏘️ Officials confirmed that residents in Fair Lawn, North Haledon, and Prospect Park are still under a boil water advisory as a consequence of the earlier breaks near Hinchcliffe Stadium.