At the scene of yet another water main break. This is totally unacceptable & unfair to our residents. I will be calling an emergency meeting with
Broken pipes, millions of gallons of wasted potable water are plaguing Hoboken and many other New Jersey towns
6-inch water main break in Hoboken Sunday marks 2nd this weekend, at least 6th since July
August 27, 2018
By Corey W. McDonald
cmcdonald@jjournal.com
The Jersey Journal
HOBOKEN, NJ --
The second water main break this weekend, the third in a week, and at least the sixth since July 19 was reported this morning.
Suez Water, the company that operates the Hoboken water system, said in a tweet that a six-inch water main break occurred on 13th Street between Madison Avenue and Jefferson Street.
Contractors have been working to repair the break, but Suez has "not received word yet that (those repairs) have been completed," a spokeswoman said.
No customers have been impacted, the spokeswoman said.
This morning's break occurred just as repairs to Saturday's 16-inch main break were being completed. Yesterday's break shutdown parts of Newark and Hudson streets.
The city has recently experienced water mains breaks on July 19, Aug. 6, Aug. 12, and Aug. 20. They have become commonplace in the Mile Square City, and residents have now come to expect them.
Mayor Ravi Bhalla, in a tweet posted Saturday, said the frequency of these breaks are "totally unacceptable and unfair to our residents."
"I will be calling an emergency meeting with (Suez) to find short/long term solutions + accountability," he said. "Thank you to residents for your patience. Mine is running thin."
Bhalla told CBSNewYork he suspects that the breaks are being caused by a separate Suez project, saying he is "very concerned that there is a connection between the water chamber meter project and the sudden spike in water main breaks throughout Hoboken."
He has ordered Suez to immediately end work on its various non-emergent projects and operations in the city until "the cause of the frequent breaks is fully investigated," and called for an emergency meeting with Suez officials Monday.
