Passaic County Boil Water Alert: The Impact & What Must Happen Next

At dawn on Friday, a 30-inch transmission main ruptured near Hinchliffe Stadium and the Great Falls. By the weekend, the Passaic Valley Water Commission (PVWC) had expanded a boil-water advisory to cover all of Paterson and Prospect Park; pressure dropped citywide, and thousands lined up for bottled water. On Monday, officials said crews had isolated the leak—a 140-year-old pipe—and pressure began to rise, but the boil order would remain until flushing and lab tests are complete. Comfort stations and bottled-water sites opened to help residents get through the crisis. ABC7 New YorkCity of Paterson, New JerseyNews 12 – DefaultCBS NewsAP News

For many Black families in Paterson—home to roughly 24% Black residents and a large share of low-income households—this wasn’t just an inconvenience. It was a reminder that basic services are most fragile where disinvestment and old infrastructure run deepest. NeilsbergData USA

What happened—and why

PVWC and city officials say the break on the 30-inch line triggered widespread pressure loss and contamination risk, requiring a boil-water advisory across Paterson and Prospect Park. Distribution of free bottled water began at city-run sites; portable showers and restrooms were set up with county OEM support. Proof of residency was required at some pickup locations. ABC7 New YorkNews 12 – DefaultTap Into

By Monday, crews had isolated the rupture and reported rising system pressure, with repairs expected soon. Still, the boil order stays in place until the network is flushed and water passes back-to-back bacterial tests—standard public-health protocol after a major loss of pressure. AP News

The deeper why isn’t mysterious. New Jersey’s water systems are old and underfunded. ASCE’s latest report card underscores an $8.6 billion need in NJ drinking-water infrastructure alone, with overall water grades in the C-to-D range nationwide. Aging pipes, some installed early last century, are failing more often—exactly what Paterson just lived through. ASCE’s 2025 Infrastructure Report Card |ASCE Central Jersey BranchSmart Water Magazine

Is this common—in Paterson and around New Jersey?

Yes. Boil-water orders tied to main breaks or storm impacts are recurring across North Jersey and beyond:

• Paterson/Clifton (2024): PVWC issued a boil order after a large break on the border. CBS NewsABC7 New YorkNBC New York
• Newark (2022): A major rupture in neighboring Belleville prompted a boil advisory for much of the city. Patchnewarknj.gov
• Hoboken & Jersey City (2021 Ida; again in 2025): Flooding and an aqueduct wall issue during Ida led to days-long advisories; another advisory hit in Feb. 2025 after a 36-inch main break. NJ Spotlight NewsHoboken GirlHudson County View

Taken together, these incidents show a pattern: older, densely populated cities—often with large Black and Latino communities—bear the brunt when water systems fail. New Jersey’s Environmental Justice program formally identifies “overburdened communities,” like many neighborhoods in Paterson, to help target resources and protections. Department of Environmental Protection+1

The human cost—through a Black lens

For Black residents who already juggle high housing costs, shift work, and caregiving, a boil order multiplies daily labor: hauling water for elders, sterilizing baby bottles, keeping kids hydrated in heat, stretching paychecks to buy cases of water. Small businesses—barbershops, salons, restaurants—either shut their doors or pay to operate under strict health rules, absorbing losses they can’t easily pass along. NJ guidance treats a boil advisory as an imminent health hazard for food operators; some counties require partial closure unless strict alternatives are in place. NJ.govco.hunterdon.nj.us

Residents did what we always do: stood in long lines, checked on neighbors, and made do until the taps were trustworthy again. City partners distributed water through the weekend; OEM set up portable showers and bathrooms; and PVWC emphasized safety steps until testing clears the system. News 12 – DefaultTap Into

What to do right now

• Boil for at least one minute before drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, washing produce, or making ice; or use sealed bottled water. Follow state boil-water guidance until the advisory is lifted. NJ.gov
• Food businesses: Treat this as a public-health emergency. Use approved alternatives or suspend operations per NJDOH/NJDEP guidance and local health department instructions. NJ.gov+1
• Stay plugged in: Sign up for PVWC Alerts for text/email updates; use official city/PVWC pages for pickup sites and timelines. pvwc.comCity of Paterson, New Jersey

What must change—so this doesn’t keep happening

1. Replace the riskiest assets first. Paterson’s break involved a century-old main. PVWC and city leaders should publish a transparent risk-based replacement list (age, break history, criticality) and tie it to annual targets. State and federal money exists, but needs to be aimed where failure would hurt the most. ASCE’s data makes the fiscal case; New Jersey’s water needs run into the billions. ASCEASCE’s 2025 Infrastructure Report Card |
2. Move faster on storage security. PVWC just broke ground on the Levine Reservoir Water Tanks to replace an open reservoir with covered tanks; NJ’s Water Bank closed a $52.98 million loan to push this forward. Covered storage reduces contamination risk and increases operational resilience—critical during and after main breaks. Keep this project on time and communicate milestones in plain language. pvwc.comnjib.govour.pvwc.com
3. Finish lead service line replacement—and prove it’s equitable. PVWC’s program replaces lead and galvanized lines at no cost to homeowners and renters in Paterson, Passaic, Clifton and Prospect Park. Track progress block-by-block, prioritize homes with children and seniors, and publish dashboards that residents can check from a phone. PVWC Lead Service Replacementpvwc.com
4. Plan for climate stress. Ida-era advisories in Hudson County showed how storms can overwhelm systems. Utilities should pair pipe replacement with flood-hardening, backup power, and rapid-sampling capacity—so boil orders are shorter and less frequent. NJ Spotlight News
5. Protect small businesses and workers. Create a Boil-Water Relief Fund—fee waivers, micro-grants, and emergency procurement—for barbershops, eateries, day cares, and home-care workers who lose income when water isn’t safe. State guidance already treats advisories as imminent hazards; local governments should pair that with automatic relief. NJ.gov
6. Center environmental justice. Use NJ’s EJMAP to target dollars to “overburdened communities,” including parts of Paterson, and require utilities to show how projects reduce risk for those neighborhoods first. Department of Environmental Protection+1

Bottom line

Boil-water emergencies aren’t random; they map onto age, neglect, and policy choices. Paterson’s crisis will end, but the pattern will not—unless New Jersey treats water like the civil-rights issue it is: investment, transparency, and equity, delivered at the tap.

Useful links for residents and businesses: PVWC Alerts and News; City of Paterson advisory; NJ boil-water safety steps. pvwc.com+1City of Paterson, New JerseyNJ.gov