HOBOKEN WATER MAIN BREAK: 13th & Grand

(ABOVE: photo by Kate Miller)

Hoboken residents woke up this morning without water as a result of yet another SUEZ water main break.

#Hoboken anyone else w/o h2o? @Hoboken411 @CityofHoboken

— Sean Cercone (@seancercone) July 25, 2017

.@CityofHoboken @dawnzimmernj .@SUEZwaterNJ please provide update on water line break on 13th & Grand. We have no water. Thanks pic.twitter.com/bxsMn3cNq7

— Tim Occhipinti (@TimOcchipinti) July 25, 2017

The utility finally offered acknowledgement of the break at 9:43 a.m.

#hoboken – 8-inch water main break on Grand. SUEZ on scene to make repairs. https://t.co/d8rMy95Aau

— SUEZ Water NJ (@SUEZwaterNJ) July 25, 2017

“There is an 8-inch water main break on Grand Street between 13th and 14th Streets. A SUEZ crew is on the scene at this time to start the necessary repairs. Over 100 families are affected by the water main break and will notice low water pressure or no water pressure at all. Thank you for your patience as we work to restore water service to you.”

Our frequent history of headline-grabbing, helicopter-attracting water main breaks has been wearying for all those impacted. Yet the existing contract between City of Hoboken and SUEZ Water implemented back in 1994 (City’s words) “requires SUEZ Water to make almost no proactive investment in our water infrastructure.” That 30-year contract was set to expire in 2024.

The City of Hoboken and SUEZ Water have agreed on the terms of a renegotiated water service contract that would provide more than $31 million in infrastructure investments and a total of over $40 million in benefits through 2034. That contract is awaiting approval of the City Council.