Full Notification

Veolia continues to work on isolating the water main and making repairs. Despite impending weather, repair work will continue overnight. To effectuate repairs, Veolia will work to close the interconnect with Jersey City which feeds our system while at the same time, opening the Weehawken interconnect. By opening the Weehawken interconnect, Veolia can then backfeed the system and increase levels of water service to residents through the Weehawken interconnect. Veolia has communicated that no boil water advisory has been issued and the water is safe to consume and use. However, should water pressure drop significantly, a boil water advisory may become necessary. If this becomes necessary, the City will provide a prompt update. 

Residents will continue to experience low to no water pressure as repairs continue. 

As a reminder, Hoboken and Veolia have set up 7 water distribution sites. Residents must bring their own containers to fill. Drinkable water can be found at the following locations: 

1. Hoboken University Medical Center, on Clinton Street between Third and Fourth Streets.(location slightly updated) 
2. 220 Adams St.
3. 221 Jackson St.
4. Fox Hills, 311 13th St.   
5. Fourth and Harrison Streets 
6. Columbian Towers, 76 Bloomfield St. 
7. Stevens' Wesley Howe Center, 1 Castlepoint Terrace

The Hoboken Fire Department will have a water tanker of non-drinkable water for dishwashing, bathing, toilet flushing, etc, available at the Hoboken Fire House at 13th Street and Washington Streets. The Fire Department may use the tanker at various points throughout the evening for fire suppression, as needed, so it may not be readily available at all hours. Residents must bring their own containers to fill. This water is not drinkable. 

All municipal offices will remain closed until 12 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 28, due to predicted weather and water main impacts. 

Although this water main break was caused by a PSE&G contractor who hit the main during construction, below is an FAQ on Hoboken's water infrastructure projects. 

What is the City of Hoboken doing to upgrade water main infrastructure?

New contract with SUEZ: In May of 2019, the City of Hoboken and SUEZ entered into a new water service contract investing at least $33 million in water infrastructure upgrades through 2034. The amended agreement established a new public water utility on July 1, 2019. It includes an average of $2.2 million in water investments per year, over six times the amount of the former contract. Additionally, the contract calls for $2 million in smart technology to monitor water consumption, which will save Hoboken ratepayers from paying for costly leaks.

Water main replacement project: The City began the first phase of its water main replacement project in 2019. Over 9,900 linear feet, or 1.86 miles of water mains have already been replaced as of the end of 2021. The second phase of replacing over 5,000 linear feet of water mains is scheduled to begin later this year. 

Comprehensive analysis of water main system: With support from professional engineering consultants, the City developed a comprehensive water system renewal program to make continued investments in Hoboken’s drinking water infrastructure. The program includes 67 discrete locations for water main replacement to upgrade an additional 20% of the system. This analysis has been and will continue to be used to guide the primary locations of the current and upcoming water main replacement projects.

Washington Street redesign: As part of the Washington Street redesign, the City upgraded more than 1.25 miles of water mains and service lines on Washington Street. The project was financed by a $7 million low-interest loan from the NJ Infrastructure Bank.

Why do we have so many water main breaks?

‍Some parts of Hoboken’s water system are more than 100 years old. The majority of the system is nearing the end of its useful life. As cast-iron pipes age, they become brittle and are more prone to break from changes in temperature, pressure fluctuations, or vibrations.

Why are the pipes so old?

Beginning in 1994, the City of Hoboken sold the rights to the water system until 2024 (previous to the new SUEZ agreement in 2019). A 30-year revenue stream of approximately $240 million was sold to United Water (now SUEZ) in exchange for $13.2 million dollars in one-time payments. That former agreement required Suez to make almost no proactive investment in Hoboken’s water infrastructure. In the past two plus decades, only $350,000 per year was invested in the system, and as a result, only 5% of the system was upgraded.

Instructions:

Please avoid southwest Hoboken as water main isolation and repairs continue throughout the night.