This morning arrived with a gush from a water main break for residents of the Montclair neighborhood around North Mountain and Berkley Avenues, as shown left, in this photo taken at the intersection of the two streets at around 9:30 a.m.
Today’s incident occurs after break repairs delayed traffic on Bloomfield Avenue for much of yesterday afternoon, five days after last Friday’s water main break on Bloomfield Avenue, near North Mountain Avenue, and six days since a break on Walnut Street. Today’s event appears to be the worst one yet.
Baristanet received multiple tips from readers in the affected area and several BNN emergency notifications, starting at 6:14 a.m.
According to BNN, at 8:58 a.m., there was a request by the on-scene incident commander for “an engine with a dewatering pump for a water condition” at 159 North Mountain Avenue. By 9:05 a.m., it was reported that the fire department was “pumping out multiple basements in the vicinity,” said to be caused by a “major water main break.” The photo on the right was taken at Watchung and Upper Mountain Avenues.
There are few details at this time about the cause and extent of the break. However, Montclair Township Communications Director Katya Wowk told Baristanet this morning that she had recently put together a water department report for the township which details the aging water pipelines throughout Montclair, among other things.
Although Wowk could not speak about the area where this morning’s breaks occurred, she did say that, “The Montclair water system is very old. Some of our pipes are over a hundred years old; well past their useful life.”
Wowk also commented that there are currently plans to replace the antiquated pipes, but added that “when this is going happen is uncertain, because you have to have funding for it.”
Photos by Anthony Batson (top left) and Greg Gillmore (bottom right).
Poor Montclair officials, they are really getting jounced upoon.
3-handed paper hanger sydrome. Pray hard for April.