Watch CBS News

Water main breaks in Trenton, New Jersey, cause icy roads, reduced water pressure in homes

Roads and sidewalks covered in ice after water main breaks in Trenton, New Jersey
Roads and sidewalks covered in ice after water main breaks in Trenton, New Jersey 01:53

Part of Eisenhower Avenue in Trenton, New Jersey, and some of the sidewalks around the Mayor Donnelly housing community were still coated Thursday in several inches of ice.

"A little mini river, the whole street, everything was covered with water," said Shakeema Morris.

Morris says a water main ruptured outside her building Wednesday, sending murky and muddy water down the street before it quickly froze in the extreme cold.

"The pressure is very low, you can't flush the commode," Morris said.

Trenton's mayor says days of bitter cold, with temperatures hanging well below freezing, have been wreaking havoc and caused water mains to break and leak across the city.

"A city with a lot of infrastructure underground, pipes tend to burst during these times. We've had about three to four water main breaks each day during this week," said Mayor Reed Gusciora.

Gusciora says Trenton Water Works is responding quickly and doing its best to fix and repair the roads. The breaks have also happened in other cities, and Gusciora admits the weather has been challenging.

"It also causes traffic snarls, and it's just dangerous conditions because the water then turns to ice over the roads," Gusciora said. 

Morris says she's now hoping for warmer weather and hopes her water pressure returns to normal.

"I really, really do. People like us really want to brush our teeth and wash our dishes," Morris said.

The mayor is asking everyone to report a water main break right away so it can be addressed quickly. You can call the 24/7 hotline at 609-989-3222.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.