Water Main Break Closes New Jersey School
Haledon Public School in New Jersey was forced to close due to a water main break. The incident also prompted a boil water advisory for area residents before the main was repaired. The break disrupted classes and raised concerns about local water safety.
- The water main break occurred on Belmont Avenue and prompted a boil water advisory for customers of the Manchester Utilities Authority. - This incident is part of a larger pattern of infrastructure challenges in the region, with aging pipes being a recurrent cause of water main breaks in Haledon and neighboring Paterson. - In January 2026, Haledon experienced three separate water main breaks within a 12-hour span due to freezing temperatures and old infrastructure, which also led to school closures. - The Passaic Valley Water Commission, which serves nearby areas, has been dealing with numerous breaks, including a major 42-inch main break in Paterson in August 2025 that took weeks to repair. - Aging water infrastructure is a statewide issue in New Jersey, with the state having over 500 structurally deficient bridges and facing significant infrastructure funding gaps. - To address these ongoing issues, Passaic County, where Haledon is located, recently received nearly $9 million in state grants for infrastructure repairs, including drainage improvements. - Previous large-scale water main breaks in the area have impacted over 185,000 residents and required the distribution of bottled water and the setup of portable bathrooms and showers.
