New Jersey city still has little or no water pressure 4 days after water main break

PATERSON, N.J. (AP) — Residents in a northern New Jersey city grew more frustrated Monday as they endured a fourth day with little or no water service following a water main break. Some were relying on portable showers and toilets to meet their basic needs.

But officials in Paterson — the state’s third-largest city — said some relief should arrive by Tuesday night.

The problems began Friday when a 30-inch, 140-year-old water main broke. Some residents have had no water service since and thousands are dealing with extremely low water pressure.

Nearly 200,000 customers remain under a boil water order issued by the Passaic Valley Water Commission. The advisory — which asks residents not to fill large jugs or containers, water lawns or open hydrants until at least Friday — affects Paterson and three other smaller, neighboring communities.

Portable showers and toilets were set up over the weekend at a high school in the city, and the water commission and city are providing free bottled water to residents, including deliveries to the homes of elderly people.

The inconvenience of the break left many residents frustrated and seeking their own solutions.

Vanessa Ramos, who was pushing a baby carriage filled with jugs of water up a street in Paterson on Monday morning, told NJ.com that she filled the jugs at her job, which has water and is about a mile away. However, she expressed reluctance to use the showers installed at the nearby high school.

“We have a lot of homeless and a lot of people who have substance abuse issues,” Ramos said.

Another resident, Vanessa Hopkins, was also angry about the situation.

“It’s horrible, trying to get washed and cooking. Everything. It’s just horrible,” she told WCBS-TV in New York.

Officials said crews were able to isolate the leak Monday night and that system pressure was beginning to rise, calling it a “major step forward in restoring normal water service." Still, repairs were ongoing and a boil water advisory remained in place, according to a news release.

During a news conference Monday afternoon, city and water commission officials said the repairs should be completed by Tuesday night, though the boil water advisory will likely remain in effect through at least Friday, because once the water pressure is restored officials will have to flush the system and test for bacteria.

“Now is not the time to point fingers. It is the time for all hands to be on deck,” Mayor Andre Sayegh said, urging the community to stay united and help each other as needed.

Paterson, with roughly 160,000 residents, is a very diverse city but also one of the poorest in the state. It has a large Hispanic population, and census data shows the majority of its residents are foreign-born.

People, who were affected by a water main break that that led to reduced service to nearly 200,000 homes and businesses, pick up cases of bottled water at John F. Kennedy High School in Paterson, N.J., on Aug. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

People, who were affected by a water main break that that led to reduced service to nearly 200,000 homes and businesses, pick up cases of bottled water at John F. Kennedy High School in Paterson, N.J., on Aug. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

People, who were affected by a water main break that that led to reduced service to nearly 200,000 homes and businesses, pick up cases of bottled water at John F. Kennedy High School in Paterson, N.J., on Aug. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

People, who were affected by a water main break that that led to reduced service to nearly 200,000 homes and businesses, pick up cases of bottled water at John F. Kennedy High School in Paterson, N.J., on Aug. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

KOHALA, Hawai‘i--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2026--

Kuleana Rum Works, the Hawai‘i-based distillery known for its additive-free, award-winning rums, today announced the release of “An Open Letter on Additive-Free Rum,” written by Founder & CEO Steve Jefferson, addressing why rum is now facing the same scrutiny and market shift that reshaped tequila a decade ago.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107792953/en/

Consumers across spirits are demanding more honesty about how products are made. Additive-free labeling has already transformed tequila and is reshaping whiskey and RTDs. Drinkers now expect producers to protect natural flavor instead of masking it, and bartenders increasingly use transparency as a measure of quality. The letter positions rum as the next category entering this accountability cycle, as more consumers begin to question undisclosed sweeteners, flavorings and added color.

Tequila provides the clearest precedent. Producers who embraced additive-free methods helped premiumize the category, while brands relying on undisclosed additives now face growing skepticism. According to the letter, rum is approaching the same turning point. Jefferson explains that Kuleana Rum Works was founded on additive-free principles: growing heirloom Hawaiian kō (sugarcane), fermenting and distilling fresh juice at lower proof to preserve natural character, adding nothing after distillation and holding all blending partners to the same standards. Every rum — whether distilled in Hawai‘i or sourced — is verified additive-free through independent lab testing and supplier documentation.

“Consumer expectations are changing fast across spirits,” said Steve Jefferson, Founder and CEO of Kuleana Rum Works. “People want honesty in what they drink, and they’re rewarding producers who protect natural flavor rather than covering it up. Additive-free isn’t a trend — it’s becoming the standard, and rum is now facing that shift head-on.”

Additional detail in the letter underscores how production choices such as fresh juice fermentation, low-proof distillation and a strict no-additives policy create transparency and flavor integrity that align with what the market is valuing.

About Kuleana Rum Works

Founded on the island of Hawai‘i in 2013, Kuleana Rum Works crafts award-winning, additive-free rums — led by its signature Hawaiian Rum Agricole® — from fresh kō (heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane) grown on its regenerative Kohala farm. Now available in 17 states and Japan, Kuleana Rum Works champions excellence, transparency and community stewardship. Visit kuleanarum.com to learn more.

https://kuleanarum.com/additive-free/