CONSTRUCTION CREWS NOW WORKING ON INSTALLATION OF A NEW VALVE

HOBOKEN/JERSEY CITY, NJ, November 25, 2015 7:00 AM- SUEZ emergency crews gained a foothold on restoring full system pressures to residents and businesses throughout Hoboken and Jersey City by stopping the flow of water being discharged from a 36-inch diameter broken valve at Newark and Harrison Streets in Hoboken at approximately 3:45 am this morning. Construction crews have taken over and are installing a new 36-inch valve, which will restore full pressure to the Newport section of Jersey City.

“We continue to ask residents and businesses to be patient while we complete the installation of the new valve,” said Christopher Riat, senior director of operations for SUEZ. “We certainly understand that this has been a major inconvenience for many of the residents of Hoboken and Jersey City and we appreciate their patience and understanding.”

According to Riat, the installation of the 36-inch valve should be complete before the end of today, allowing the pressure to resume to normal in the Newport area of Jersey City. Some customers, especially those in high-rise buildings, were affected by low water pressure and many residents have been dealing with discolored water due to the closing of many valves throughout the city.

In order to lessen demand on the system while Hoboken continues to temporarily receive its water through SUEZ via an interconnection in Weehawken, the water conservation advisory continues for residents in both cities. Residents are urged to use water only when necessary, so that pressure can be maintained for fire fighting purposes.

Yesterday, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) officially advised that SUEZ could lift the boil water advisory in the City of Hoboken. SUEZ was required to enact a boil water advisory for the City because the system became depressurized during the water main break which occurred on Sunday to make sure no contaminants had inadvertently entered the system.

Because sufficient water pressure was sustained when the main break occurred, there was no boil water advisory issued for Jersey City. Residents may experience discolored water as a result of the ongoing valve operation and repairs. The discoloration is caused by high levels of naturally occurring minerals in the water and a buildup of harmless sediment. Residents should wait until the water runs clear before drinking or washing clothes or dishes.

Residents are strongly advised to check for updates throughout the next several days as the boil water advisory may again be enacted. Once Hoboken receives water again from Jersey City after the water main in Hoboken is fixed, there may be a period of time where the NJDEP will require another precautionary boil water advisory to ensure no contamination entered the drinking water from the repair activity. 

Laboratory test results show that the drinking water quality meets all regulatory requirements. These results were submitted to the NJDEP for verification. Upon reviewing the laboratory data, NJDEP has confirmed that it is no longer necessary for Hoboken customers to boil their water.

The following measures are recommended at this time:

• Run water faucets for 3-5 minutes to flush the service connection and interior plumbing.
• Empty and clean automatic ice makers and water chillers.
• Drain and refill hot water heaters if the temperature is set below 113 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Run water softener/cartridge filters through a regeneration cycle or other procedures recommended by the product manufacturer

“This main break has been a major inconvenience for residents and businesses in Hoboken and Jersey City,” said Chris Riat, senior director of operations for SUEZ. “We owe these residents a sincere thank you for their patience and understanding during this emergency. We also owe a debt of gratitude to the hard work and effort of the City of Hoboken leadership, the City of Jersey City leadership, the Office of Emergency Management and the police and fire departments for their assistance.”