Water main breaks increase by 30 percent in cold weather

The extreme temperatures that have plagued New Jersey and the rest of the Northeast in recent weeks have put extra stress on the state's infrastructure. Some New Jersey water companies are reporting a 30 percent increase in water main breaks.

The exact cause of a water main break can be tough to determine, according to Rich Henning, spokesperson for United Water, but aging infrastructure is one factor.

"If you look at some of our older cities in the state, you will find some pipes that were placed under the ground in the 1800s," Henning said. "We pulled a pipe out of the ground in Hoboken recently that was dated 1897. Obviously that's infrastructure that has lasted more than a century, which is a good thing, but it's also infrastructure that needs reinvestment."

Representatives from other water companies agree.

"About 15 percent of our pipes are approaching 100 years or older," said Richard Barnes, external affairs manager for New Jersey American Water. "Most of these pipes that are breaking are cast-iron water pipes."

When the ground freezes and starts to expand, it puts stress on the weak parts of the cast-iron mains in the ground, causing them to leak or break.

"We have had a number of breaks over the past week or so," Barnes said. "In fact, we usually call January and February our main break season and this year, we're already up about 30 percent because of the extreme weather. 2014 was a bad winter, and we're above last year in terms of water main breaks."

Utilities are investing in their infrastructure year-round to mitigate the potential for ruptures and breaks. Yet according to Bernadette Sohler, vice president of corporate affairs for Middlesex Water Company, breaks cannot be prevented altogether -- especially when the weather shifts.

"If you spot a water main break, contact your utility right away to get the crews out there as soon as possible, to keep the disruption of service to the bare minimum," Sohler said.

For more information, visit the websites for United Water, New Jersey American Water or Middlesex Water Company.