‘Nonessential' Construction Projects Halted By Water Main Breaks, Hoboken Mayor Says

HOBOKEN, NJ — After Hoboken's fourth water main break in two weeks cut service to buildings near the Hoboken train station, Mayor Ravi Bhalla said Wednesday he was calling for all "nonessential" construction projects near water infrastructure to stop.

"Effective immediately, I have halted all nonessential construction projects that are either adjacent to, or interface with our water system," Bhalla said in a message posted to social media around 11 a.m. Wednesday

He said that the city will review permits to see if the projects require "remedial actions related to system pressure and construction management."

On Monday night, a construction worker on private property struck a water line, flooding the area near Seventh and Madison streets.

A 24-square-block section of town was placed under a "boil water" advisory that continued into Wednesday.

Then, Wednesday morning, Veolia Water had to respond to another water issue near the train station, causing three blocks to be closed.

Last week, the company had to respond to a 12-inch and 10-inch main break on opposite ends of town on the same day. The 12-inch break, near the city's southern border, was fixed three days later and caused some businesses to close early or offer limited service.

Three Blocks Closed

The city said in a message around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday that three blocks near the Hoboken train station were closed to vehicles as Veolia Water crews make emergency repairs.

The repairs are near the intersection of River Street and Hudson Place:

• River Street is closed between Newark Street and Hudson Place.
• Hudson Place is closed at Hudson Street to the dead end.
• Observer Highway is closed from Washington St to Hudson Street.

Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area or anticipate congestion, the city said.

"Pedestrians will have access to the Hoboken Terminal for PATH and New Jersey Transit trains," the city said. "New Jersey Transit buses can access the temporary bus terminal on Hudson Street. Pickup and drop off for HOP and apartment building shuttles will move to Hudson Street between Hudson Place and Newark Street during repairs."

'Boil Water' For West Side

Meanwhile, the "boil water" advisory continues for part of town.

Veolia Water issued the advisory around 10:30 p.m. on Monday, and said on Tuesday night that it was still in effect.

The advisory affected a four-by-six block area of the mile-square city.

"Localized Boil Water Advisory Remains in Place for Area between 6th and 10th from Adams Street to Marshall Drive," the water company wrote. "Pressure fluctuations following a broken main at a construction site prompted the advisory."

The city of Hoboken had said a contractor doing construction on private property at Seventh and Madison streets had struck a 10-inch main.

The city closed Seventh Street near Madison Street.

Read that advisory here.

Why Have There Been So Many Breaks?

Some parts of Hoboken’s water system are more than 100 years old, the city noted. As cast-iron pipes age, they become brittle and are more prone to break from changes in temperature, pressure fluctuations, or vibrations.

Parts of the system have been upgraded over the years and are still being upgraded.

The city noted, "Beginning in 1994, the City of Hoboken sold the rights to the water system until 2024. A 30-year revenue stream of approximately $240 million was sold to United Water (now Veolia) in exchange for $13.2 million dollars in one-time payments. That former agreement required Veolia 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."

The city of Hoboken’s water system are more than 100 years old, the city has noted. As cast-iron pipes age, they become brittle and are more prone to break from changes in temperature, pressure fluctuations, or vibrations.

In May of 2022, water crews found a pipe from 1890 during street work in Hoboken (see the pipe embossed with "1890" here.)

Parts of the system have been upgraded over the years and are still being upgraded.

Beginning in 1994, the city of Hoboken sold the rights to the water system until 2024, the city noted on Tuesday.

A 30-year revenue stream of approximately $240 million was sold to United Water (now Veolia) in exchange for $13.2 million dollars in one-time payments.

"That former agreement required Veolia to make almost no proactive investment in Hoboken’s water infrastructure," the city said. "In the past two plus decades, only $350,000 per year was invested in the system."

In May of 2019, the city and then-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.

The City's Water Main ReplacementProject has already replaced over 25,000 linear feet (nearly five miles) of aging water mains since 2016, the city said. By the end of 2025, that total will grow to approximately 29,000 linear feet, the city said.

The city plans another 12,000 linear feet by 2030, representing nearly 20 percent of Hoboken’s entire water main system, the city said.