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Camden-based New Jersey American Water is starting several infrastructure-upgrade projects around the state this summer, investing a total of $21 million across Camden, Atlantic, Monmouth and Union counties. 

In July 2021, New Jersey enacted a law requiring all water providers to replace utility- and customer-owned lead and galvanized service lines by 2031. 

Late last month, New Jersey American Water announced progress on that goal — with more than 4,000 lead and galvanized steel water service lines replaced to date. However, the company noted there were still 24,000 water service lines to be replaced and more yet to be identified. The recently announced projects around the state will help move closer to meeting that target.

Additionally, all the improvements are part of the company’s multimillion-dollar initiative to improve water infrastructure that has reached the end of its useful life in more than 100 communities across the state. 

All work timelines are subject to change, based on conditions such as weather, and residents are encouraged to be aware of restricted or alternating traffic patterns. 

The following areas are undergoing work: 

Audubon: $1.5 million total investment 

The company’s local contractor, Pioneer Pipe Contractors Inc., is replacing more than a mile of aging water main with new 8-inch ductile iron main along West Kings Highway from West Atlantic Avenue to Hillside Avenue and West Merchant Street from Oakland Avenue to Central Avenue. 

The project also includes replacing fire hydrants and utility-owned service lines along the pipeline route. Additionally, New Jersey American Water will replace any customer-owned service line that has been identified as lead or galvanized. 

The contractors began work mid-July on West Kings Highway and will start work the week of Aug. 7 on West Merchant Street. The project is expected to be completed within four months on each street, with final street restorations to be completed in spring 2024. 

Atlantic County: $3.6 million total investment 

Contractor Perna Finnigan Inc. is replacing more than 2 miles of aging water main in Linwood and Pleasantville with new 8- and 12-inch ductile iron main. The project also includes replacing fire hydrants and utility-owned service lines along the pipeline route, as well as any customer-owned lead or galvanized service line. 

The work, which is underway in both locations, is expected to be completed by the end of August in Linwood and by December in Pleasantville. Final street restorations will be completed in fall 2023 and spring 2024. 

The following streets will be affected:  

Linwood 

• Barr Avenue from Maple Avenue to Wabash Avenue 

Pleasantville 

• Magnolia Place from North Main Street to McConnell Drive 
• Laurel Drive from Magnolia Place to McConnell Drive 
• McConnell Drive from Cedarcrest Avenue to East Leads Avenue 
• East Leads Avenue from North Main Street to Iowa Avenue 
• East Princeton Avenue from Main Street to Iowa Avenue 
• Loraine Avenue from North Main Street to the dead end 
• North Franklin Boulevard from East Mulberry Avenue to Walnut Avenue 
• Walnut Avenue from North Franklin Boulevard to Clearview Avenue 
• Mulberry Avenue from Linden Avenue to Franklin Boulevard 
• East Reading Avenue from North Franklin Boulevard to Clearview Avenue 
• Clearview Avenue from East Reading Avenue to Franklin Point 

Monmouth County: $15.2 million total investment

New Jersey American Water began work in mid-July replacing more than 5 miles of aging water main in Fair Haven, Middletown Township and Union Beach. The water lines are being replaced with new ductile iron main.  

As with other locations around the state, this project also includes replacing fire hydrants and utility-owned service lines and customer-owned lead or galvanized service lines along the pipeline route. Work is expected to be completed within approximately three months, with final street restorations to be completed in spring 2024.

The following areas will be affected; work will take place along the entire street unless otherwise noted: 

Fair Haven 

• Church Street
• Fisk Street
• Hayes Place
• Jackson Street
• Locust Avenue
• Park Lane from Linden Drive to Laurel Drive 
• Smith Street

Leonardo, Middletown Township 

• Bellevue Avenue from State Highway 36 to Leonardville Road 
• Bowne Avenue
• Briarwood Avenue 
• Brook Avenue from Powell Avenue to Oakland Avenue 
• Chamone Avenue from State Highway 36 to Leonardville Road 
• Elmwood Avenue 
• Lenwood Avenue from Elmwood Avenue to Briarwood Avenue 
• Oakland Avenue
• Powell Avenue
• Tiensch Avenue

North Middletown, Middletown Township 

• Atlantic Avenue from Neptune Place to Sycamore Avenue 
• Carter Avenue
• Clinton Avenue
• Columbia Way
• Dalby Place from Morningside Place to the West side dead end 
• Hudson Avenue from Sycamore Avenue to Thompson Avenue 
• Krueger Place from Morningside Place to Atlantic Avenue 
• Oregon Avenue
• Richard Place
• South End Avenue
• Sycamore Avenue from Atlantic Avenue to Hudson Avenue 
• Taylor Avenue
• Union Place

Union Beach

• Scholer Drive
• Dibling Street
• Donnelly Street
• Heckleman Street
• Haug Street
• Anderson Street

Linden: $700,000 total investment 

Starting this week, Montana Construction will install approximately 700 feet of new 8- and 24-inch ductile iron main along Stiles Street, from Lynn Court to West Linden Avenue, and West Linden Avenue, from Stiles Street to Coolidge Street. 

The project also includes installing one fire hydrant and 20 utility-owned service lines along the pipeline route. Workers also will replace any lead or galvanized customer-owned service line. 

Work is expected to be completed within approximately three weeks, with final street restorations to be completed in spring 2024. 

Pitching in 

The company also called upon New Jersey communities to lend a hand in the line-replacement efforts. 

“We’ll do all the work — all we need customers to do is identify their service line material using our online portal, and if it’s confirmed to be lead or galvanized steel, sign the agreement giving our contractors permission to complete the replacement,” New Jersey American Water President Mark McDonough said in a statement. 

“For this effort to truly be successful, we need everyone to ‘pipe up’ and tell us what their service lines are made of, so we can work together to get the lead out of New Jersey, once and for all,” McDonough added.