New Jersey American Water has begun replacing water main pipes located on Dunellen’s northeast side.
The project, which is costing over $1.16 million, will replace 4,340 feet of 4-inch and 6-inch cast iron mains installed in the 1940s with 8-inch ductile iron pipes. Roads affected are Jefferson Avenue (from North Avenue to First Street), and First and Second Streets (from Jefferson Avenue to Washington Avenue).
Weather permitting, work should be finished by the end of September. Final paving will be completed this fall.
According to Peter A. Eschbach, NJAW spokesperson, the only time when residents may notice a change in their water is when they are switched from the old water main to the new one. “At that point, they may experience a bit of discolored water, which is caused by harmless sediment that may be in the service line, getting kicked up a bit. If they let it run for a few minutes, it should clear.”
Because of the increased size of the new water mains, local residents should experience improved water service reliability and increased water pressure for both household use and firefighting.
The water main improvements are part of New Jersey American Water’s multimillion dollar program to accelerate the renewal of water infrastructure that is reaching the end of its useful life in more than 100 communities across the state. NJAW uses more than a dozen criteria when choosing why water mains to replace. While the street is one aspect of how NJAW decides what water mains to replace, Eschbach said, ”Others include things like age of the pipe, type of material, history of main breaks, and water quality complaints from our customers.” He also stated that he was not aware of any other projects currently slated for Dunellen.