Nearly 200,000 people in New Jersey have been without water for 4 days

💧200,000 customers have been impacted by a water main break since Friday

💧The actual leak was located on Monday

💧It will take several more days to test the water and flush the system

PATERSON — Nearly 200,000 water utility customers have been without water in this city and its suburbs since Friday.

The Passaic Valley Water Commission is optimistic that water service will return to normal after isolating the leak.

The problems began Friday when a 30-inch, 140-year-old water main broke. Some residents have had no water service since, and thousands are dealing with extremely low water pressure. Nearly 200,000 customers in Paterson, Haledon, North Haledon, and Prospect Park remain under a boil water order for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, washing dishes, or making ice.

On Monday night, PVWC said crews had successfully isolated the leak near Hinchliffe Stadium and called it a "milestone" in their restoration efforts as pressure in the system began to rise. Crews continue to work around the clock in order to complete repairs and test the water.

Bottled water will be distributed starting at noon on Tuesday at Commons Field located at the corner of North 8th and Oxford streets. Proof of residency must be presented.

Portable bathrooms and showers are being provided for residents without water at Kennedy High School between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

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140 year-old-system

On Monday, Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh urged the community to stay united and help each other as needed.

“Now is not the time to point fingers. It is the time for all hands to be on deck," the Democrat said.

Jim Mueller, the PVWC's executive director, said the age of the system is part of the problem.

"With 140-year-old infrastructure, we don't even have good, reliable drawings of what's in the ground. It's 20 to 30 feet deep. It's not easy to access," Mueller said.

According to its website, PVWC is spending over $6 million to assess the system and design replacements for "the most critical areas."  Over 60% of the mains are over a century old and made of either steel or cast iron.

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