Water Main Break Repairs Are Complete

Updated 12:40 a.m., June 20, 2011:

A 6" water main break that closed Prospect Street between Sherman Place and Beach Street in South Orange early Sunday morning has been repaired, and the southbound lane of Prospect Street has been re-opened.

Workers toiled throughout the day to locate the main, dig and drain a hole, and repair the break, finishing the work shortly before dusk and re-opening the southbound lane of Prospect Street to traffic before midnight.

South Orange Village Engineer Sal Renda explained that the broken main served about a half dozen homes. However, the valve closings may have impacted many more. East Orange Water notifed those homes which were impacted.

At around 9 a.m. Sunday morning, police from both Maplewood and South Orange were on the scene — the location of the break was near the Maplewood-South Orange border — along with personnel from both East Orange Water, which serves South Orange, and New Jersey American Water, which serves Maplewood.

Residents reported brown water coming from their taps and flowing from parts of the street, where the surface cracked (see photos and video).

By 10:51 a.m., authorities had determined that the break was on the South Orange side of Prospect Street, meaning that the East Orange Water Commission was responsible for the repair. The 6" water main break is located in the center of the road on Prospect Street.

”We now have to locate gates under the road to shut the water down," said Tom Antoniello, assistant supervisor, East Orange Water Commission, this morning. ”But first we have to have someone from the cable, public service and telephone companies come out to determine where those lines are."

He advised residents to boil water before drinking.

Shortly after 1 p.m., workers from East Orange Water were pumping water from a crater they had drilled in the street. Although water had been shut off, gas and electric lines had not yet been reached.

It was a less than optimal way for the workers to celebrate Father's Day. "This should've happened on Mother's Day!" quipped one.

By 8:30 p.m., the main had been repaired and workers were preparing to fill and cover the hole; however, after midnight, the northbound lane of Prospect remained blocked by police barriers.

— Weekend editor Sonya Kimble-Ellis and Maplewood Editor Mary Mann contributed to this report.