“Old Faithful” water main break leaves Mendham residents asking why it keeps happening
Video from Sunday shows water exploding from the ground and spraying high into the air before crews were able to get the situation under control.
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A water main break created a dramatic scene in Morris County, sending water several feet into the air and prompting comparisons to Old Faithful.
The break happened Sunday on Knollwood Trail in Mendham.
Video shows water exploding from the ground and spraying more than a dozen feet into the air before crews were able to get the situation under control.
Residents in the area were warned they could experience low water pressure or temporary water outages while repairs were underway.
One of those residents says the latest rupture is part of a troubling pattern.
Eileen Ferrer, who lives on Knollwood Trail, says Sunday’s break was the sixth water main break in the neighborhood in the past 12 years.
She says she was without water service for about nine hours Sunday while repairs were being made.
Although service has since been restored, Ferrer is questioning why the area continues to experience repeated water line failures.
She says past breaks have flooded her front yard and forced her to spend thousands of dollars on drainage solutions to protect her property.
Crews completed repairs and restored normal service, but officials have not yet released information about what caused the latest rupture.
Mendham Township officials told News 12 they could not immediately confirm reports that six breaks have occurred on Knollwood Trail over the past 12 years.
American Water officials confirmed Sunday's break but did not provide information about previous incidents. The utility says repairs have been completed and service has been restored.
