Alert
The City is taking the proactive measure of flushing fire hydrants to help stabilize pressure within the water system. If you see water coming out of hydrants today or tonight; be assured, this is intentional. Despite these efforts, there may still be fluctuations in water pressure, which can cause future water main breaks as the system stabilizes.
The following hydrants will be opened and intentionally flushed:
- Jefferson St, Close to 15th St.
- Grand St, close to 3rd St.
- Willow and 8th
- 9th St, close to Monroe St.
- Jefferson St, close to 5th St
- 1st St, close to Madison St
If residents are continuing to experience no water pressure, they should first contact the building management and then the Office of Constituent Services at [email protected] or call 201-420-2000 ext. 1311
The boil water advisory remains in effect until further notice. Residents and businesses should boil their water for at least one minute for the following: drinking, cooking, baking, washing dishes, making ice cubes, taking medication, brushing teeth, washing food, mixing baby formula or food, mixing juices or drinks, feeding pets, and all other consumption. Testing on water samples is underway. Veolia will notify Hoboken customers when the NJDEP lifts the boil water order.
For more on the boil water advisory, click here: https://local.nixle.com/alert/9950893/?sub_id=0
Water bottles are available for pick-up at the Public Works Garage located on Willow Avenue between Observer Highway and Newark Street until 10 p.m. tonight. Residents are encouraged to only take what they need.
While the City currently has 18 water distribution locations, starting at 4 p.m. the City will begin consolidating drinking water distribution locations based on current usage and demand. Residents must bring their own containers. Below is an updated list of locations which will remain open overnight:
The following six locations of water buffalos will be removed once the water buffalos are emptied:
Now that water is restored, the 14 porta johns set up throughout the City will be removed from service tomorrow morning, starting at 7 AM. The locations are:
Residents are encouraged to monitor the City’s Twitter (twitter.com/cityofhoboken) and Facebook (facebook.com/hoboken) or sign up to receive email or text updates by visiting www.hobokennj.gov/alerts.
Below is an update and FAQ from Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla regarding the boil water advisory and Hoboken's water system.
Over the past 48 hours, I’ve received a number of thoughtful inquiries from residents about our water system. Following the initial FAQ I put out yesterday, here is a second communication, with a focus on our water system:
Was it anyone’s fault that it took so long to isolate the broken water main?
As an apparent result of PSE&G’s contractor damaging the affected water main, Veolia quickly responded to the scene, and their emergency crews were doing everything possible, in my opinion, to try to isolate the break – including working overnight during inclement weather. I offer my sincere thanks to Veolia’s on-the-ground crews who worked tirelessly to find where the break was, utilizing all of their resources and manpower. The complexities of the underground infrastructure, and the many water main pipes on that block, required Veolia to examine a much greater area to locate the break, as its location in the system was not readily apparent.
Why did the City say the water was safe to drink when there is now a boil water advisory?
In an effort to remain as transparent as possible and give residents access to as much information as we could, as a part of our communications, we repeated Veolia’s assurances, which it frequently gave in writing and verbally to the City, as well as on their own social media pages, that the water was safe to drink and did not require a boil water advisory. A boil water advisory becomes necessary, according to standards of the NJDEP, when water pressure for the entire system falls below 20 pounds per square inch (PSI). Unfortunately, Veolia has since stated they did not examine the real-time pressure data until last night. When the City was provided with the data from Veolia last night, we were extremely surprised given Veolia’s previous assurances, and it became very clear that Veolia should have communicated much earlier to my administration that pressure for the system fell below 20 PSI. Had we had that information, we would have put it out immediately to set expectations for residents. This is an extremely disappointing situation; and one that should not have occurred.
I can assure you that when the boil water advisory is lifted, we will be reviewing all of the facts and actions of all relevant stakeholders, and taking appropriate action to protect the interests of the City and our residents.
If I consumed water prior to the boil water advisory being issued, did I drink unsafe water?
Not necessarily. The boil water advisory is issued when certain thresholds are met, including the entire water system falling below 20 psi, as indicated previously. This does not necessarily mean that the water has been unsafe; rather it has been flagged for required testing by the NJDEP. For reference, the NJDEP issued a boil water advisory in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ida in Hoboken, and after testing, it was determined that the water met all safe drinking water standards prior to the boil water advisory being issued.
Is the water being tested and if so, how long will it take?
Yes. Hoboken’s water has been sampled and sent to a laboratory for testing today. The NJDEP reviews laboratory testing to confirm that the water is safe and meets their standards for consumption. For a reference point in terms of timing, in the aftermath of Ida, the NJDEP issued a boil water advisory in the evening of September 2. Water quality tests were then taken on September 3 and September 4, with the boil water advisory lifted on September 5 at approximately 5:30 pm. However, each individual situation is different based on a variety of factors.
Shouldn’t the City have put the boil water advisory out earlier?
As the licensed operator of Hoboken’s system, Veolia is responsible for issuing boil water advisories, as opposed to the City or the City’s communications staff. Once Veolia (and previous to Veolia, SUEZ) puts out the boil water advisory, the City then relays the message and relevant information. The City is legally required to wait for Veolia, with the authority of the NJDEP, to put out any boil water advisory, and then the City is permitted to subsequently relay this information to residents.
Doesn’t Hoboken own its own water system?
Yes. As a result of the new contract with SUEZ (now Veolia) that we adopted in 2019, Hoboken now owns its own water system. It contracts with Veolia as the licensed operator of the system to conduct any and all repairs and maintenance. This contract places the full responsibility to conduct repairs and provide timely notification to the City in instances where, for example, the system does not meet the requirements for drinking consumption. As mentioned before, this unfortunately did not occur in real time during this week’s water main break, a development that was extremely disappointing.
Shouldn’t the City put all other projects on hold until its water main infrastructure upgrades can be prioritized?
The short answer, in my firm opinion, is that we are more than capable as a City of walking and chewing gum at the same time. We’ve made historic strides in allocating more money than ever before into proactive upgrades to our water system, after decades of neglect of the system. In my view, and in the opinion of our City Engineer and other professionals, we are making as many water main replacements as we can to matchup with our repaving projects, so that we aren’t simply digging into the road and replacing the water mains, only to have the road dug up a short time later for repaving. We are doing so in a smart, efficient manner, that maximizes our capacity for water main upgrades while following with our road repaving schedule and other infrastructure upgrades (such as curb extensions or rain gardens).
If we were to replace water mains, for example, in a third of the City in a given year – besides cost considerations – we would not possibly be able to pave that many blocks in one calendar year, in addition to that also being impractical because road repaving should be phased in over several years, based on the age of the roadway.
As a part of our water main upgrades, we have provided a water main system renewal plan to prioritize replacement of water mains in Hoboken, and target those in these first phases of water main replacements in the coming years, followed by corresponding phases based on the ages of the water mains, as well as road conditions.
By 2034, we plan to have replaced 18% of Hoboken’s water main system, investing at least $33 million dollars to help make this happen.
We are confident these upgrades will continue to make substantial quality of life improvements on everything from open space initiatives, transportation upgrades, responsible redevelopment projects, and much more. To sacrifice critical projects, projects such as the acquisition and development of Union Dry Dock into a waterfront park, the redesign of Sinatra Drive, responsible redevelopment projects, among many others, would be shortsighted.
What water main upgrades are happening this year, and what has already been upgraded?
As mentioned in prior communication, the first phase of our water infrastructure upgrades were completed in 2020 and 2021, replacing nearly 10,000 linear feet of Hoboken’s oldest water mains at the following locations (and followed by roadway repaving and Vision Zero upgrades):
Beginning this spring and continuing through the fall, we will be replacing another 4,800 linear feet of water mains (and repaving with Vision Zero upgrades) on the following streets:
I hope this FAQ and update has been helpful. As always, I thank all of the residents who have contacted me with these very valid questions, and for their continued patience.
Sincerely,
Ravi S. Bhalla
Mayor
Boil Water Advisory remains in effect; Construction updates; Follow-up FAQ from Mayor Bhalla
Veolia crews have replaced the ruptured water main at Observer Highway and Madison Street. Crews are now working to repair and repave the surrounding roads. The City expects Observer Highway to be open in both directions by rush hour tonight. Drivers are still advised to avoid the area and enter and exit the city from the North.
The City is taking the proactive measure of flushing fire hydrants to help stabilize pressure within the water system. If you see water coming out of hydrants today or tonight; be assured, this is intentional. Despite these efforts, there may still be fluctuations in water pressure, which can cause future water main breaks as the system stabilizes.
The following hydrants will be opened and intentionally flushed:
- Jefferson St, Close to 15th St.
- Grand St, close to 3rd St.
- Willow and 8th
- 9th St, close to Monroe St.
- Jefferson St, close to 5th St
- 1st St, close to Madison St
If residents are continuing to experience no water pressure, they should first contact the building management and then the Office of Constituent Services at [email protected] or call 201-420-2000 ext. 1311
The boil water advisory remains in effect until further notice. Residents and businesses should boil their water for at least one minute for the following: drinking, cooking, baking, washing dishes, making ice cubes, taking medication, brushing teeth, washing food, mixing baby formula or food, mixing juices or drinks, feeding pets, and all other consumption. Testing on water samples is underway. Veolia will notify Hoboken customers when the NJDEP lifts the boil water order.
For more on the boil water advisory, click here: https://local.nixle.com/alert/9950893/?sub_id=0
Water bottles are available for pick-up at the Public Works Garage located on Willow Avenue between Observer Highway and Newark Street until 10 p.m. tonight. Residents are encouraged to only take what they need.
While the City currently has 18 water distribution locations, starting at 4 p.m. the City will begin consolidating drinking water distribution locations based on current usage and demand. Residents must bring their own containers. Below is an updated list of locations which will remain open overnight:
- Columbian Towers, 76 Bloomfield St.
- 400 First Street
- 700 First Street
- 221 Jackson St.
- 2 Marine View Plaza
- Fourth & Harrison Streets
- Church Towers, 5th & Clinton
- 514 Madison Street
- 455 Ninth Street
- Fox Hills, 311 13th St.
- 14th & Shipyard Lane
- Hoboken Public Library, 5th Street and Park Ave
The following six locations of water buffalos will be removed once the water buffalos are emptied:
- 15 Church Towers
- 12th Street and Shipyard Lane
- Fourth and Jackson Streets
- Brandt School
- HUMC
- 220 Adams Street
Now that water is restored, the 14 porta johns set up throughout the City will be removed from service tomorrow morning, starting at 7 AM. The locations are:
- Columbian Towers (76 Bloomfield St.)
- 400 First Street
- 220 Adams St.
- 221 Jackson St.
- Hoboken University Medical Center (Clinton Street between Third and Fourth Streets)
- Fourth and Harrison Street
-
15 Church Towers
-
Church Towers, 5th and Clinton Streets
- 514 Madison Street
- 455 Ninth Street
- 11th and Shipyard Lane
- 14th and Shipyard Lane
- Fox Hills (311 13th St.)
- YMCA, 1300 Washington St.
Residents are encouraged to monitor the City’s Twitter (twitter.com/cityofhoboken) and Facebook (facebook.com/hoboken) or sign up to receive email or text updates by visiting www.hobokennj.gov/alerts.
Below is an update and FAQ from Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla regarding the boil water advisory and Hoboken's water system.
Over the past 48 hours, I’ve received a number of thoughtful inquiries from residents about our water system. Following the initial FAQ I put out yesterday, here is a second communication, with a focus on our water system:
Was it anyone’s fault that it took so long to isolate the broken water main?
As an apparent result of PSE&G’s contractor damaging the affected water main, Veolia quickly responded to the scene, and their emergency crews were doing everything possible, in my opinion, to try to isolate the break – including working overnight during inclement weather. I offer my sincere thanks to Veolia’s on-the-ground crews who worked tirelessly to find where the break was, utilizing all of their resources and manpower. The complexities of the underground infrastructure, and the many water main pipes on that block, required Veolia to examine a much greater area to locate the break, as its location in the system was not readily apparent.
Why did the City say the water was safe to drink when there is now a boil water advisory?
In an effort to remain as transparent as possible and give residents access to as much information as we could, as a part of our communications, we repeated Veolia’s assurances, which it frequently gave in writing and verbally to the City, as well as on their own social media pages, that the water was safe to drink and did not require a boil water advisory. A boil water advisory becomes necessary, according to standards of the NJDEP, when water pressure for the entire system falls below 20 pounds per square inch (PSI). Unfortunately, Veolia has since stated they did not examine the real-time pressure data until last night. When the City was provided with the data from Veolia last night, we were extremely surprised given Veolia’s previous assurances, and it became very clear that Veolia should have communicated much earlier to my administration that pressure for the system fell below 20 PSI. Had we had that information, we would have put it out immediately to set expectations for residents. This is an extremely disappointing situation; and one that should not have occurred.
I can assure you that when the boil water advisory is lifted, we will be reviewing all of the facts and actions of all relevant stakeholders, and taking appropriate action to protect the interests of the City and our residents.
If I consumed water prior to the boil water advisory being issued, did I drink unsafe water?
Not necessarily. The boil water advisory is issued when certain thresholds are met, including the entire water system falling below 20 psi, as indicated previously. This does not necessarily mean that the water has been unsafe; rather it has been flagged for required testing by the NJDEP. For reference, the NJDEP issued a boil water advisory in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ida in Hoboken, and after testing, it was determined that the water met all safe drinking water standards prior to the boil water advisory being issued.
Is the water being tested and if so, how long will it take?
Yes. Hoboken’s water has been sampled and sent to a laboratory for testing today. The NJDEP reviews laboratory testing to confirm that the water is safe and meets their standards for consumption. For a reference point in terms of timing, in the aftermath of Ida, the NJDEP issued a boil water advisory in the evening of September 2. Water quality tests were then taken on September 3 and September 4, with the boil water advisory lifted on September 5 at approximately 5:30 pm. However, each individual situation is different based on a variety of factors.
Shouldn’t the City have put the boil water advisory out earlier?
As the licensed operator of Hoboken’s system, Veolia is responsible for issuing boil water advisories, as opposed to the City or the City’s communications staff. Once Veolia (and previous to Veolia, SUEZ) puts out the boil water advisory, the City then relays the message and relevant information. The City is legally required to wait for Veolia, with the authority of the NJDEP, to put out any boil water advisory, and then the City is permitted to subsequently relay this information to residents.
Doesn’t Hoboken own its own water system?
Yes. As a result of the new contract with SUEZ (now Veolia) that we adopted in 2019, Hoboken now owns its own water system. It contracts with Veolia as the licensed operator of the system to conduct any and all repairs and maintenance. This contract places the full responsibility to conduct repairs and provide timely notification to the City in instances where, for example, the system does not meet the requirements for drinking consumption. As mentioned before, this unfortunately did not occur in real time during this week’s water main break, a development that was extremely disappointing.
Shouldn’t the City put all other projects on hold until its water main infrastructure upgrades can be prioritized?
The short answer, in my firm opinion, is that we are more than capable as a City of walking and chewing gum at the same time. We’ve made historic strides in allocating more money than ever before into proactive upgrades to our water system, after decades of neglect of the system. In my view, and in the opinion of our City Engineer and other professionals, we are making as many water main replacements as we can to matchup with our repaving projects, so that we aren’t simply digging into the road and replacing the water mains, only to have the road dug up a short time later for repaving. We are doing so in a smart, efficient manner, that maximizes our capacity for water main upgrades while following with our road repaving schedule and other infrastructure upgrades (such as curb extensions or rain gardens).
If we were to replace water mains, for example, in a third of the City in a given year – besides cost considerations – we would not possibly be able to pave that many blocks in one calendar year, in addition to that also being impractical because road repaving should be phased in over several years, based on the age of the roadway.
As a part of our water main upgrades, we have provided a water main system renewal plan to prioritize replacement of water mains in Hoboken, and target those in these first phases of water main replacements in the coming years, followed by corresponding phases based on the ages of the water mains, as well as road conditions.
By 2034, we plan to have replaced 18% of Hoboken’s water main system, investing at least $33 million dollars to help make this happen.
We are confident these upgrades will continue to make substantial quality of life improvements on everything from open space initiatives, transportation upgrades, responsible redevelopment projects, and much more. To sacrifice critical projects, projects such as the acquisition and development of Union Dry Dock into a waterfront park, the redesign of Sinatra Drive, responsible redevelopment projects, among many others, would be shortsighted.
What water main upgrades are happening this year, and what has already been upgraded?
As mentioned in prior communication, the first phase of our water infrastructure upgrades were completed in 2020 and 2021, replacing nearly 10,000 linear feet of Hoboken’s oldest water mains at the following locations (and followed by roadway repaving and Vision Zero upgrades):
- Jefferson Street between 8th Street and 9th Street
- Bloomfield Street between 2nd Street and 4th Street
- Garden Street between 3rd Street and 5th Street
- Monroe Street between 3rd Street and 4th Street
- Monroe Street between 8th Street and 11th Street
- Jefferson Street between 10th Street and 11th Street
- Garden Street between 12th Street and 14th Street
- Garden Street between Observer Highway and 2nd Street
- Hudson Street between 4th and 10th Streets
Beginning this spring and continuing through the fall, we will be replacing another 4,800 linear feet of water mains (and repaving with Vision Zero upgrades) on the following streets:
- Grand Street from 3rd Street to 8th Street
- 7th St from Grand Street to Adams Street
- Adams Street from 8th Street to 9th Street
- 8th Street from Adams Street to Jefferson Street
- Madison Street from 4th Street to 6th Street
- Jefferson Street from 1st Street to Newark Street
I hope this FAQ and update has been helpful. As always, I thank all of the residents who have contacted me with these very valid questions, and for their continued patience.
Sincerely,
Ravi S. Bhalla
Mayor
Instructions:
Residents and businesses should boil their water for at least one minute for the following: drinking, cooking, baking, washing dishes, making ice cubes, taking medication, brushing teeth, washing food, mixing baby formula or food, mixing juices or drinks, feeding pets, and all other consumption.
Address/Location
City of Hoboken, NJ
94 Washington St
Hoboken, NJ 07030
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 201-420-2000
Alert Details
- Severity:
- Unknown - Severity unknown
- Urgency:
- Immediate - Responsive action SHOULD be taken immediately
- Certainty:
- Unknown
- Category:
- Medical and public health
- Event:
- Boil Order