Boil water advisory issued for Paterson, Prospect Park after water main break
Boil water advisory issued for Paterson, Prospect Park after water main break
Smokestack at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park taken down
Workers take apart the upper portion of a 118-foot high smokestack at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park on June, 17, 2025.
The Passaic Valley Water Commission has issued a boil water advisory for the entire city of Paterson and Prospect Park following a 30-inch water main break near Hinchliffe Stadium.
The advisory, effective immediately, will remain in place until further notice. The advisory was still in place as of 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 8.
Residents and businesses are urged to bring all water for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth and washing dishes to a rolling boil for at least one minute before use. The water should be cooled before consumption. Those unable to boil water should use bottled water instead, the utility said.
The water commission said the measure is precautionary to protect public health and safety. Crews are working to repair the break and restore normal service. Water quality testing is underway.
Boiling water is required because it kills bacteria and other organisms. Authorities not to use water filtering devices in place of boiling water.
When washing dishes, “rinse hand-washed dishes with a diluted bleach solution (one tablespoon of household bleach per gallon of tap water) or clean your dishes in a dishwasher using the hot wash cycle and dry cycle,” said the city of Paterson in an advisory.
The utility is arranging a bottled water distribution site and will provide further details as they become available.
Residents can sign up for PVWC alerts at pvwc.com, follow the utility on social media for real-time updates or call customer service at 973-340-4300, option 2.
“We appreciate your patience as we work quickly to resolve this issue and support impacted residents,” Mayor Andre Sayegh posted on social media. “Please share with your neighbors.”