4 N.J. Towns Under Boil Water Advisory Due To Excessive Runoff
PATERSON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - Excessive runoff into the New Street Reservoir has prompted a boil water advisory for parts of New Jersey almost two weeks after Hurricane Ida.
Residents in four New Jersey towns are affected.
As CBS2's Thalia Perez reports, cars lined Park Avenue in Paterson as residents waited for free bottled water at East Side High School. The Passaic Valley Water Commission distributed the water after issuing a boil water advisory in Paterson as well as Passaic, parts of Woodland Park and Clifton.
"You got to have patience. If you don't have patience, you're not going to get nowhere," said Auria Agosto.
Many told Perez they didn't have any other choice but to pack patience and wait in the hot temperatures, like Leroy Wiggins, who says he had been waiting for an hour.
Web Extra: Map Of Boil Water Advisory Impacted Area (.pdf)
"It has been terrible with no water. With no drinking water, you can't even cook a decent meal," Wiggins said.
Lou Amodio, the interim business administrator for the Passaic Valley Water Commission, says excessive runoff into the New Street Reservoir is to blame for the boil water advisory. He says right now the plan is to pump fresh water into the reservoir daily and constantly test it. He estimates the whole job will take a minimum of 2.5 weeks to complete.
But for Marina Ellis, who is 81, it's not soon enough.
"I'm a senior citizen, and it's very hard, you know, to keep on going out to get water. Sometimes you don't find it. It's hard," Ellis said.
At distribution centers in Paterson, they're giving away a free case of water to every family of four.
For a list of water distribution locations, CLICK HERE.
Thalia Perez contributed to this report.