Monday Is Start Of Westfield Water Main Replacement On West Broad

WESTFIELD, NJ — New Jersey American Water announced last week that it will begin a $1.8 million water main replacement in a heavily traveled area of Westfield starting Monday (Feb. 3) through the end of April.

The work will take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday along West Broad Street, from Lamberts Mill Road to South Avenue.

The area, near the border with Scotch Plains, is a popular route to Westfield High School, the train station, and the municipal pool complex.

The purpose of the project is to replace 4,110 feet of water pipes that were installed a hundred years ago, in the 1920s.

Regarding traffic and parking, the company noted, "For the public's and workers' safety, traffic restrictions [or] alternating traffic patterns are likely to occur during work hours. The New Jersey American Waters inspector, along with the contractor's personnel, will provide a minimum of 24 hours' notice prior to any parking [or] driveway use restrictions."

During the past week, notifications were delivered to all affected residents and businesses with more details:

According to the company, they will replace aging 6-inch water main that was installed in the 1920s along West Broad Street with new 16-inch ductile iron main.

The project also includes replacing nine fire hydrants and 109 utility-owned service lines along the pipeline route.

The contractor, CRJ Contracting, intends to work Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. through 5 p.m., through the end of April. Final street restorations will be completed in the summer of 2020.

Also, new meter pits will be installed. The company noted, "Once the meter pits are installed, and the entire project is complete, we will contact you to set up an appointment to move the meter from inside the property to the meter pit. To perform this work, we’ll need to gain access to the existing water meter located inside your property. There is no cost to you to have this work performed. The relocation of the meter should take approximately 20–30 minutes. To prepare for the removal of the meter from inside your property, we ask that you clear the area to the water meter for safe and easy access. During the process of the meter relocation the water service will be interrupted for a few minutes."

The company says, "The project represents a critical investment for the company in support of our commitment to provide customers with safe, reliable water service."

Those with questions should reach out to NJ American Water by contacting their construction inspector at 732-904-1350, or through their Customer Service Center: 1-800-272-1325.