Crews isolate leak to ruptured water main in Paterson, NJ; boil water advisory still in effect
PATERSON, New Jersey (WABC) -- Crews have successfully isolated the leak to a water main that ruptured last week, according to officials, but about 185,000 residents still remain under a boil water advisory in Paterson, and other neighboring towns.
Water service has been interrupted for four days after the 30-inch water main broke Friday near Hinchliffe Stadium. Some residents have had no water and many still have extremely low pressure.
But officials in Paterson - the state's third-largest city - said some relief should arrive by Tuesday night. Hours after that update, Passaic Valley Water Commission said crews had successfully isolated the leak, and pressure was rising.
Despite the progress Monday night, PVWC said the boil water advisory was still in effect for Paterson and Prospect Park.
Paterson Mayor Andrew Sayegh is calling on residents to conserve water. He said he has taken action to shut down water parks in the city as residents struggle to deal with zero to little water as the heat begins to build.
Officials say crews are working around the clock to fix the main, that is some 140 years old, and conduct the necessary testing to ensure the water is safe to drink.
In a statement, the city shared the broken section of the main requires specialty-fabricated pipes that must be custom made.
They asked residents not to fill large jugs or containers, water lawns, avoid splash pads or unnecessary water use until at least Friday and not to open fire hydrants.
Residents are getting bottled water supplied by the city, but must leave home to shower or use the bathroom.
Originally, the city aimed to have water restored by Sunday morning. Several groups have set up portable showers and restrooms for people who have no water at home.
Residents can go to Kennedy High School where portable showers have been set up. They are normally used to help the homeless, but this emergency has pulled in resources to help everyone who needs to use the restroom and shower.
Once the repair is resolved, officials say the return of water pressure could take a while.
"Once we do bring pressures back up, there's still a lag in terms of lifting the boil water, we have to go out and do sampling, we have to do some flushing, so it could take another day after pressures are up that we actually come out of the boil water," Passaic Valley Water Commission Executive Director Jim Mueller said.
The break has also affected North Haldon, Haledon and Prospect Park.
At the North Haledon Department of Public Works on Monday night, cases of bottled water were delivered to cars. For residents who had jugs, members of the police department would fill them with well water for flushing toilets and other non-drinking uses.
Nearby communities using the same system are now drawing their water from different sources, and despite the water worries, mayors of the impacted towns are showing solidarity as they work to provide for their residents.
"Now is not the time to point fingers. It is the time for all hands to be on deck," Sayegh said, urging the community to stay united and help each other as needed.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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