Newark 'water emergency' after Belleville main break: NJ officials
NEW JERSEY (PIX11) — A massive water main break in Belleville has sparked a “city-wide water emergency” in nearby Newark, prompting boil water advisories in both cities and leading to the cancellation of Newark's summer school programs for the day, according to officials.
The 72-inch main burst in Branch Brook Park along the Belleville-Newark border early Tuesday in what Belleville officials characterized as a “major” break.
Parts of Belleville are experiencing discolored water and low or no water pressure as a result, the city said in a statement. Boil water advisories have also been issued for both Belleville and neighboring Newark, where the effects were also felt.
Officials in that city also warned of low or no water pressure in a tweet. As a result, the Newark Board of Education tweeted that all summer school programs would be canceled for Tuesday, citing “a city-wide water emergency.”
Newark firefighters and police were working to help remove a private vehicle reportedly stuck in a sinkhole related to the break, the city's Department of Public Safety said in a news release.
In the same release, the Newark Office of Emergency Management appealed for mutual aid from neighboring cities to supply water tankers as repairs were being made. Meanwhile, city workers were going door-to-door in Newark to distribute water.
Newark residents experiencing water emergencies can call 973-733-3654, while those with non-emergency questions can call 973-733-4311.