The Passaic Valley Water Commission began installing line stops on Monday to repair a 42-inch water main break at North 1st and Arch streets in Paterson.
A line stop is a technique used to temporarily block water flow in large pipes. The stops will allow repairs to be made while minimizing the impact on customers, the commission said in a statement.
Workers are trying to restore service to the Riverside section of Paterson and to Fair Lawn, in Bergen County.
MORE: Another water main breaks in N.J. city as boil advisory remains in effect
The incident is unrelated to the recent Hinchliffe Stadium main break in Paterson, where service was restored to both 24-inch and 30-inch lines, officials said.
To focus on the emergency repairs for the current water main break, crews have paused a large-scale water system flushing program, which was nearly halfway complete, according to the statement.
Flushing is needed to improve water quality and eventually lift the Boil Water Advisory, the agency said.
So far, the advisory has been lifted for about 77,000 customers in Paterson, including residents on Broadway and all areas south of Broadway, east of Spruce Street and west of Route 20.
It remains in effect for other parts of Paterson, the borough of Prospect Park, and customers served by the Manchester Utilities Authority in Haledon and North Haledon.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.