Massive Water Main Break Closes Roads, Disrupts Service

The break happened near Weston Canal Road in Franklin Township Tuesday afternoon.

By JAMIE DELOMA

Updated 7:27 PM EST, Tue, Nov 18, 2008

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A massive water main break closed roads in New Jersey Tuesday and left a number of towns in four counties with little or no water pressure.

Health officials are urging 100,000 residents to boil water as a precaution for the next 24 hours.

The break in the 60-inch main happened near Weston Canal Road in Franklin Township late Tuesday morning. It is expected to be closed for several days as it is repaired and a new pipe is installed.

New Jersey American Water customers in Edison, South Plainfield, Piscataway, Middlesex Boro and Dunellen and Rutgers have been affected.

Water was gushing for hours because several valves fed into the broken main.

As a result, three emergency water tankers have been staged to support any fire operations that might be implemented in an emergency.

Schools in Franklin Township and Hillsborough Township have closed early because of the disrupted service.

While all residents, with the exception of those on the affected street, had water by 3 p.m., officials continued to urge them to boil water for one minute over the next day as a precaution. The remainder of residents had water restored by early Tuesday evening.

The affected areas follow:

Middlesex County

· Dunellen

· Edison

· Middlesex

· Piscataway

· South Plainfield

Somerset County

· Bound Brook

· Bridgewater

· Green Brook

· Hillsborough