3 days ago
Just as Paterson, N.J. residents get water back, another small water main break hits
An area in Paterson lost water again after getting it back Thursday night.
It happened on Wayne Avenue, which is now the site of another water main break.
Water company officials call the Wayne Avenue break minor. Crews are working to make repairs.
The new break happened Friday morning, soon after officials announced all Paterson residents affected by the previous breaks had water recovering, enabling them to shower and flush their toilets. Those breaks involved much larger pipes - 30 inches and 24 inches.
The Wayne Avenue break is much smaller, with a 7 inch pipe. Crews are working on getting the water back to about a half-dozen residents who live on Wayne Avenue near Crosby Avenue. Some of those residents told CBS News New York they just got the water back on last night.
"We got water back yesterday, and then this morning there is no water again. And so I think, fingers crossed, they'll get it fixed real quick," one resident said.
"They've isolated the line. This block that you see here, about six or eight houses, is out of water. It'll take the next about four hours for us to repair. We have to get a segment of pipe, we have to cut it out, we have to put it in, make sure it's pressure tested, and then we'll put it back into service once bacterial testing clears," said Jim Mueller, executive director of the Passaic Valley Water Commission.
They're still determining the cause of the break. Water company officials said it could be something as simple of a hydrant being opened and quickly shut off.
As for the boil water advisory, it's still in effect for Paterson, and the surrounding towns. It's expected to remain in effect for another week.
