Hoboken 'Boil Water' Advisory Lifted, Now Do 4 Things Before Drinking, City Says

HOBOKEN, NJ — The "boil water" advisory in Hoboken was lifted Thursday morning, but before drinking or using water to cook, the city suggested residents take four steps.

A 12-inch water main broke in Hoboken on Tuesday morning, causing water pressure to drop. Later that day, the city issued a "boil water" advisory for residents and business.

Just after 9 a.m. on Thursday, the city lifted the order, explaining, "There was a potential for the drinking water to be compromised due to pressure loss during emergency water main break repairs. As a precaution, residents were advised to boil tap water before consumption Repairs have been completed, and subsequent water quality testing shows the water quality meets all regulatory standards."

RELATED: Hoboken Businesses Grapple With 'Boil Water' Order

Take These Steps Before Drinking, Using Water

But the city said residents should do four things before using the water:

• Run your water faucets for three to five minutes to flush your service connection and interior plumbing with water from the service main.
• Empty and clean automatic ice makers and water chillers.
• Service connections with a water softener/cartridge filters should be run through a regeneration cycle or other procedures recommended by the manufacturer.
• Water reservoirs in tall buildings should be drained and refilled (as applicable).

They also said, "Drain and refill your hot water heater if the temperature is set below 113 degrees Fahrenheit."

For more information, head to mywater.veolia.us or call Veolia customer service at 800-422-0141.

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.