United Water Bills Could Rise $100

Company says increase needed to cover infrastructure upgrades and other expenses.

United Water is seeking approval from the state for an 18 percent rate increase, the company said.  The company said it needs $30 million generated by the higher fees to pay for infrastructure upgrades and other expenses.  An average residential United Water customer using 7,480 gallons of water per month would see an increase from $557 to $657, according to a report on northjersey.com.  “This is a challenging economy, not only for our customers, but for the company. The cost of providing reliable water service continues to climb and we are sensitive to seeking a rate adjustment at this time. We must remain committed, however, to providing uninterrupted water service and maintaining exceptional water quality,” Jim Glozzy, United Water vice…

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Saturday Water Main Break Affects As Many as 200

United Water said service disruption, which lasted all day, was limited to one building—201 Bridge Plaza North—and that cast iron water mains are outdated.

A water main break Saturday morning forced a service shutdown at a building on Bridge Plaza North, United Water officials said. The break was reported at about 7:30 a.m. Saturday, and emergency crews were dispatched shortly thereafter, officials said. The main was isolated, and service disruption was limited to one building—201 Bridge Plaza North— affecting 150 to 200 tenants, according to a United Water spokesman, who said the main was back in service by about 11:50 p.m. Saturday. “The main is 12 inches in diameter and was made of cast iron, a material commonly used in water mains half a century ago,” said United Water communications director Steven Goudsmith. “This was a particularly challenging repair, as the main sits on solid rock. …

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United Water Issues Annual Report

The utility is required to release the information each year.

United Water recently released its annual Consumer Confidence Report for customers in Bergen and Hudson Counties. According to the report, United Water received no violations in 2011 for contaminants in its local supply. Jim Glozzy, United Water's vice president and general manager, said the legally-required report is an "important tool" for educating their customers. “We’re pleased to advise our customers that our water continues to meet or exceed all state and federal regulations for safe drinking water,” Glozzy said. United Water's local supply comes from the Oradell, Woodcliff Lake and Lake Tappan Reservoirs in Bergen County and Lake DeForest in Rockland County, N.Y., as well as some wells. The reservoirs hold approximately 14 billion …

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Driscoll Demands United Water's Boots On Ground

Disaster Preparedness Conference unites government officials, utilities, and leaders of business organizations in Bergen County.

Bergen Community College was the site for Tuesday's Disaster Preparedness Conference organized by Jim Kirkos of the Meadowlands Regional Chamber and the Bergen County Office of Emergency Management (BCOEM). The conference was designed to provide a forum that would offer municipalities and businesses guidance and information on preparing for severe weather events.  Although the focus of the conference was on preparedness for future weather emergencies, it was the devastating effects of Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee and the October snowstorm on municipalities in Bergen County, and the response of the public utility companies, that was on the forefront of the minds of local officials.   During a panel discussion, United Water's manager …

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How Were You Affected By the Water Main Break in Fort Lee?

United Water lifted its boil water advisory Saturday; we want to know how the company did responding to the incident and in its aftermath.

United Water announced Saturday morning that the boil water advisory it issued Thursday for customers in parts of Fort Lee and Cliffside Park had been lifted. The advisory went into effect the day after a large water main break at Palisade Avenue and Bluff Road Wednesday evening left large swaths of borough with little or no water pressure for several hours, and residents in the immediate vicinity of the break for much longer. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) verified lab tests and confirmed that water met “all regulatory requirements,” the company said Saturday, reminding people to call United Water’s customer service center at 1-800-422-5987 for more information. But one Fort Lee resident who lives near where…

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United Water Issues Boil Water Advisory for Some in Fort Lee, Cliffside Park

About 5,000 customers are being asked to boil their water for the next 24 to 48 hours.

United Water officials issued a “boil water” advisory Thursday for about 5,000 customers in Fort Lee and Cliffside Park, after a large water main break Wednesday evening at Palisade Avenue and Bluff Road. “Emergency workers have been working through the night and this morning to complete the repair to the [30-inch] water main,” the company said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon. “Officials expect the repair to be completed sometime [Thursday].” According to United Water, businesses and residents living in the following Fort Lee areas are advised to boil water for one minute before consumption: Showering and washing dishes or clothing are safe to do without boiling water, according to the company. The advisory could last 24 to 48 …

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Water Main Break Leaves Residents with 'Little or No' Water Pressure

Update: United Water says repair work continues and could last until early Thursday afternoon.

What is being described by borough officials as a “large water main break” at Palisade Avenue and Bluff Road Wednesday evening forced closure of a portion of roadway and left an unknown number of Fort Lee residents with little or no water pressure. Fort Lee police said United Water was notified and were “responding to fix the main,” but that the company provided no estimate on how long it would take to fix the break or restore full service. Police closed the portion of Palisade Avenue from Columbia Avenue to Central Boulevard and were diverting traffic at the scene. Police said they received calls from as far away from where the water main break occurred as the north end of Fort Lee, and even Palisades Park and Englewood Cliffs. Fort Lee …

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Updated: United Water Lifts ‘Boil Water Advisory’ for Fort Lee, Other Towns

United Water completed valve work early Sunday morning, but residents along 9W—south of Tenafly to the GWB in northern Fort Lee—were asked to boil water until samples could be tested and approved by the state DEP.

Updated Monday: United Water New Jersey announced Monday afternoon that the “boil water advisory” that had been in effect since early Sunday morning has been lifted for customers in the northern section of Fort Lee, in addition to parts of Englewood Cliffs, Englewood and Tenafly. “Laboratory test results show that the drinking water quality meets all regulatory requirements,” the company said in a statement. The results were submitted to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) for verification and given the all clear, according to United Water. “It is no longer necessary for these customers to boil their water,” the company said. Still, the company recommended customers in the affected areas take the following …

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Fort Lee May Lose Water Pressure When United Water Installs Valve

Extra valve needed on Route 9W after water main break last summer.