Conserve water: Officials declare states of emergency after main break

Montclair and Glen Ridge have declared water emergencies as the region continues to be affected by a major water main break in Nutley this week.

Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller sent a video alert to township residents early Saturday evening declaring: "We have declared a state of emergency for Montclair ... prohibiting the non-essential use of water."

Spiller said that the township has tapped into other municipalities' water supply lines to help meet Montclair's needs. Without doing so, the mayor says the township would have run out of water at midnight Friday.

Montclair has connected with Cedar Grove, Verona, Clifton and New Jersey American Water Company.

Montclair has reached out to the Bergen County Office of the Emergency Management to supply water tankers in the event that the Montclair Fire Department has to battle a fire.

The township has also reached out for state and federal assistance.

"One of the biggest challenges and that we need your assistance with is water use reduction," Spiller said.

"If any of the measures that we have taken, or certainly any of the things we are trying to do fail, the outcome would likely be a loss of water pressure, resulting in a low pressure, boil-water scenario, a non-drinkable water declaration ... or just no water at all coming out of the water pipes," Spiller said.

Spiller said that he has heard that there are has not been significant progress in fixing the water main break.

Glen Ridge disaster and emergency

Also on Saturday, the Glen Ridge Emergency Management Coordinator Ann Marie Morrow released a proclamation of local disaster/emergency.

"The entire Borough of Glen Ridge shall be declared under a State of Emergency to avoid any non-essential use of water and shall use water only when absolutely necessary," Murrow wrote in the proclamation.

Murrow noted that the borough is "suffering a reduction in water supply and may suffer continued loss of water pressure" as the New Jersey District Water Supply Commission works to repair "a leak to its 72-inch aqueduct in Nutley."

Bloomfield has boil-water advisory

Bloomfield also has a boil-water advisory — even if residents are not experiencing low pressure.

Residents who are experiencing full loss of water should notify the engineering department at 973-680-4009. If lines are busy, leave a message with your phone number and location and someone will return your call. You can also email at engineering@bloomfieldtwpnj.com.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Nutley water break: Montclair, Glen Ridge declare emergency