Replacement Of Route 206 Water Main Completed Ahead Of Schedule

SOMERVILLE, NJ — The replacement of four sections of a 36-inch water main on Route 206 in Somerville was completed on Friday — ahead of schedule, announced New Jersey American Water.

"Customers in Bridgewater, Raritan Borough, and Somerville are currently being notified as the main is placed back into service and may experience discolored or cloudy water. If discoloration occurs, we recommend running the cold water taps only, at the lowest level of the house for about 3 to 5 minutes until the water runs clear. Due to the current drought warning in New Jersey, customers are encouraged to capture this water for plant watering or other household uses," said NJ American Water.

"We appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding while these critical water system improvements were being made. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions," said the water company.

The replacement was promoted after the transmission main, which serves customers in Bridgewater, Raritan Borough and Somerville, had two major breaks in June 2023 and more recently on Oct. 30, 2024. The break in June 2023 resulted in customers having no water for multiple days and a boil water advisory.

The break this past October caused water loss for customers for the day and a boil water advisory.
During the repair process, an inspection confirmed several portions of the main needed to be replaced before the comprehensive rehabilitation planned for early 2025.

NJ American Water’s contractor J. Fletcher Creamer & Son began construction on Dec. 10 and previously expected it to be completed on Dec. 18. It was completed early on Dec. 13.

Long-Term Repair Plans

The company’s long-term solution to rehabilitate the transmission main includes installing a 30-inch reinforcement main, which is scheduled to begin construction in Q1 2025. Once that is completed, the full rehabilitation of the 36-inch transmission main will be addressed. Customers will be notified of these projects before they begin.

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