Frustration grows in Paterson, N.J. on Day 5 of boil water advisory after water main break

CBS News

5 days ago

Officials are expected to give another update Tuesday morning on the massive water main break in Paterson, N.J. that is impacting nearly 200,000 people.
The area is under a boil water advisory for a fifth straight day.
Crews are said to have been making progress repairing the break in a 30-inch pipe near Hinchliffe Stadium that triggered the advisory. Monday night, officials said crews finally isolated a leak, and that water pressure is rising.
Work has been underway since early Friday morning to repair the broken 140-year-old water main, which left close to 200,000 people in Paterson, Prospect Park, Haledon and North Haledon with low water pressure, or none at all.
The mayors of all four towns are expected to hold another joint press conference Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m. On Monday, they asked families for patience, saying three major pipelines run through the area, and crews needed time to figure out which one was the problem.
"One of the complicated aspects of it, with the 140-year-old infrastructure, we don't even have good, reliable drawings of what's in the ground. It's 20, 30 feet deep. It's not easy to access," said Jim Mueller, executive director of the Passaic Valley Water Commission.
Even though the leak has been isolated, a boil water advisory remains for customers.
Frustration is growing in Paterson and surrounding neighborhoods. Families are skeptical, saying that every day the city has claimed it is one step closer to resolving the problem, but there has been little improvement.
"I am not saying they're not trying to do their best, but their best is not good enough still, because we are still suffering," Paterson resident Rita Pennant said.
"Every day, it's two more days," Paterson resident Warren Ellis said.
Officials are calling on residents to conserve water and not to open hydrants.
Under the advisory, impacted residents should:
Bottled water pick-up and the comfort station at John F. Kennedy High School will continue to stay open Tuesday.