Water Shut Off After Main Break on Indigo Lane in Strathmore

NJ American Water crews turned off water to about 20 homes on Indigo Lane and Idolstone Lane at about 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, after a water main break in the Strathmore section of Aberdeen Township.

Prior to the crews' arrival, muddy brown water could be seen pouring from beneath a sidewalk on Indigo Lane, flooding the street and overpowering the sewer drains on the corner of Idolstone Lane.

Sal Diiorio, of 3 Indigo Lane, said he was mowing his front lawn when water began gushing from beneath his grass near the sidewalk.

"I was cutting the grass. Right where I stopped, it popped. Water started coming and then it shot out like an explosion," Diiorio said.

Diiorio yelled to his brother to call authorities, and the Aberdeen Township Police Department arrived promptly on the scene, Diiorio said. The police then placed a called to NJ American Water, the water company that services the township.

Diiorio noted that this is not the first time a water main broke on his street.

"This is the second time in two years. They (the township) were supposed to do the streets but they never did," he said.

According to Peter Eschbach, the director of communications and external affairs at NJ American Water, water may be off as long as eight hours while crews repair the 6-inch diameter concrete pipe that burst. Water may return sooner, depending on how extensive the damage is.

Crews will have jugs of water available on the scene for affected residents, Eschbach said.

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