Businesses are beginning to feel impacts as water main repair work in Union Township continues into its third day

New Jersey American Water crews have been working since early Tuesday morning to repair a burst water pipe on Morris Avenue in Union Township. As of Wednesday evening, it is still unclear whether the work will be completed by Friday, and local business owners say they are starting to feel the impact.

Many stores at Lowes Shopping Center were closed Wednesday with no idea when they would reopen. Customers looking to spend some money a week before Christmas encountered sign after sign saying stores would be closed for at least that day.

Yadirah Lee of Hillside couldn’t run her errands because a store was closed.

“I came here yesterday and the water supply was still broken but the shops were open. I came to this Jembro to trade my pants for school because I have to go to work tonight,” says Lee. “They told me that they’re closed and all these stores are closed and I don’t understand why.”

The water still flows along Morris Avenue and accessing Morris Avenue via Route 22 is still a no-go without going through the Loews Mall. The manager at Jembro said they had no water, the store was closed and they didn’t know when they would get permission to reopen. A few doors down at the Dollar Tree, the manager there said the fire department had approved them to reopen.

About a block from the Lowes shopping center, the Mark Twain Diner is open, but the closures and detours are deterring customers. Manager Arturo Mena said Tuesday night that they had seen a little more business because of an event at Keane University, which is down the street.

“It’s actually not as good tonight as it was yesterday, even though they know we’re open. You can see that there aren’t that many people there today. We hope things will get a little better later,” says Mena.

Apart from the low water pressure, the supply to people’s homes will not be affected. However, closures and detours remain in effect, with the main closure in effect along Morris Avenue between the Route 22 overpass and the Lowes Shopping Center entrance.

News 12 spoke with Union Township Mayor Manny Figueiredo by phone about the situation. He says American Water has not been able to determine the cause of the leak and until it does, the Department of Transportation cannot assess the road and say whether it can be used.

Officials previously said the work would be completed by Friday, but now that deadline is up in the air. Residents are urged to avoid the area.

FURTHER INFORMATION ON DIRECTIONS

Route 82/Morris Avenue eastbound:

Route 82/Morris Avenue Detour Westbound:

Route 22 eastbound to Route 82/Morris Avenue eastbound, detour:

Route 22 westbound to Ingersoll Terrace detour: