Livingston Water Main Breaks Near Route 10: Traffic and Water Pressure Affected

LIVINGSTON, NJ — A large water main break took place Wednesday evening in the area of Route 10 west of the circle and caused traffic delays and loss of water pressure that continued until Thursday, Livingston town officials said.

Livingston officials issued a robocall to residents on Wednesday alerting them of the break. Township officials also issued Facebook and Twitter alerts about the issue that night.

“Employees of our Department of Public Works are on the scene and working to repair the main,” town officials stated. “You may experience interruptions in water service, lowered water pressure, or water discoloration. We appreciate your patience as our DPW is working to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.”

“The break is west of the circle, however, it has the potential to cause various types of disruptions throughout town,” Livingston officials stated in a Facebook update that night. “Please be alert for changes in your water color and pressure, and, of course, for the possibility of an interruption in your water service."

Livingston officials provided another update around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday:

“The Department of Public Works is still working to repair last night's broken water main. Our DPW employees are working as quickly and safely as possible to restore water service. Thank you for your patience during the repairs.”

Livingston officials referred residents to a FAQ guide about water main breaks for more information, which can be seen here.

“Livingston’s water mains range from 12 inches to six inches in diameter,” the flyer states. “The great majority of Livingston’s water comes from our own wells. Only a small section of the Township receives water from NJ American Water. However, when demand is high, we end up using more water overall, which we must get from NJ American. It all feeds into our approximately 160 miles of water mains, which are aided by 3 booster stations.”

The flyer continues:

“As more than 60 percent of Livingston’s water mains are 50 years or older, breaks in the pipes are both unavoidable and unpredictable. Each break brings its own set of challenges. Small breaks are easier to fix, but can be harder to find. Large breaks can wreak havoc on traffic and sometimes cause damaging floods and water shortages.”

File Photo: Members of Livingston’s Water Department replace a Water Main on Kearny Terrace during a previous water break. Via Livingston Township.

Send local news tips, photos and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com