Beginning today, March 4, Upper Mountain Avenue between Watchung Avenue and Berkeley Place will be closed for a water main construction project to replace the pipe that has had several main breaks in the past decade.
Montclair Water Bureau sent a notice of the construction project and possible temporary interruptions in water service to area residents. The Township posted the following Transit Alert on its website:
ROAD CLOSURES: Upper Mountain Ave between Watchung Ave and Berkeley Place. Watchung Ave and Berkley Place will remain open during construction unless otherwise specified.
CAUSE: The water main construction project.
WHEN: Starting Monday March 4th, 2024. The road will close daily (weather permitting) until the project is completed.
TIME: Between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. Monday through Friday.
Spread the Word!
Plan alternate routes during work hours.
Anticipate delays and exercise caution in the area.
Water Main Breaks Have Been an Ongoing Problem
This quarter-mile section of pipe has been affected by main breaks for several years. On Upper Mountain Avenue between Watchung Avenue and Berkeley Place, there have been five breaks in the last six years.
A resident in this area says the breaks have caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to houses on the path. The steep slope causes water to gain velocity as it runs down the hill. Additionally, this section of pipe is in the high pressure zone so it releases water at a faster rate.
In 2020, Gary Obszarny, director of the Water Bureau, told Montclair Local that Montclair typically sees nine main breaks a year. He cited several factors that contribute to the breaks. They include vibrations from road pavement equipment, temperature fluxes and freeze/thaw periods in the winter. Additionally, much of Montclair’s piping is between 80 and 100 years old, if not older.