The approximate 8,640 feet of new pipe replaces water main that has reached the end of its useful life and will be replaced with new ductile iron pipes.

New Jersey American Water's qualified contractor Montana Construction will begin work next week in West Orange, weather permitting, replacing approximately 1,640 feet of aging 6-inch main that was installed in the 1950s with new 8-inch ductile iron main along Porter Road, from Pleasant Valley Way to end of the roadway. Work hours will be from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

In addition, New Jersey American Water's qualified contractor Vollers Excavating & Construction, Inc. this month will begin to replace approximately 7,000 feet of aging 24-inch water main that was installed in the 1910s with new 30-inch ductile iron main along Parsonage Hill Road, from White Oak Ridge Road to Old Short Hills Road. In addition, Vollers Excavating & Construction be installing a new 8-inch main along Parsonage Hill Road, from Long Hill Drive to Denman Court, that will run parallel to the 30-inch main, and customers along that section of road will be connected to the new 8-inch main. Work hours will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Construction on weekends and after hours is not expected for either project unless required to maintain project schedule and both projects should be completed by the end of December. Final street restoration in West Orange will be completed in the fall of 2018 and final street restoration in Millburn will be completed by Essex County in the summer of 2018.

"New Jersey American Water places a high value on our proactive replacement program, as it helps us improve water quality and service and makes our systems more resilient to potential disruptions in the future," stated Tom Shroba, senior director, North Operations. "These projects in Millburn and West Orange are a continuation of the critical investment for the company to provide our customers with safe, reliable water service. By constantly upgrading our infrastructure, we're planning to keep it that way,"

New Jersey American Water values the safety of its workers and advises drivers and pedestrians to take caution in the vicinity of work sites.