Massive water main break impacting residents in several New Jersey counties

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Friday, October 7, 2022
Massive water main break impacting residents in several New Jersey counties
A massive, 74-inch water main break is affecting residents in Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties. Darla Miles has more.

NUTLEY, New Jersey (WABC) -- A massive, 74-inch water main break is affecting residents in Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties.

Some people are dealing with low water pressure while others are under a boil water advisory.

Crews have been working to repair the break along Bloomfield Avenue in Nutley since early Friday morning, but neighbors say the problems started long before.

Families in Nutley still have water, but they have to deal with street closures and a mess while the problem is impacting the water supply in neighboring towns.

"Apparently it's a state pipe that just kind of passes through here, it doesn't supply Nutley at all, but we have friends in Bloomfield and a couple of neighboring other towns that are on that water supply and they are under a boil water advisories," said Nutley resident Brian Brophy.

Newark has advised residents in the East Ward and lower South Ward that the break could affect water service.

Bloomfield has a boil water advisory for the entire town. Glen Ridge also advised residents they may experience low or no water pressure.

By early Friday afternoon water was still gushing out of the watermain and crews were still working to get it under control.

Residents were essentially trapped in their neighborhoods because there is a river on Church Street and Bloomfield Avenue in front of their homes.

"My foundation, I just don't want my foundation to start cracking from all the pressure of the water back there," said Nutley resident Scott Gross.

In a statement, the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission said the problem began Wednesday.

But neighbors told Eyewitness News otherwise.

"On Monday we are woken up in the middle of the night to move our cars, and then it took them," said Bill Wexler.

Nutley residents can expect road closures and detours on Bloomfield Avenue, from Centre Street to Church Street, as authorities make repairs.

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