Orange barrels, stacks of new water pipe and excavation crews have become the first visible signs of Hopewell Borough’s transition to New Jersey American Water.
Construction is now underway along West Broad Street between Louellen Street and Windsor Way, where crews have begun replacing an aging six-inch cast iron water main with a new 12-inch ductile iron pipe. The project marks the first major infrastructure investment since New Jersey American Water completed its $6.4 million purchase of the Borough’s water system on June 30.
Motorists traveling through the area this week have encountered lane closures, construction equipment and temporary detours as crews prepare nearly one-half mile of water main for replacement. Large sections of new pipe are already staged along side streets to West Broad Street, while excavation work has begun at multiple locations along the route.
The approximately $1.8 million project is the first phase of more than $7 million in planned improvements to Hopewell Borough’s water system over the next five years. In addition to replacing the aging water main, the work includes installing two new fire hydrants and replacing 47 company-owned service lines.
Construction is expected to continue into early October, with crews generally working weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Traffic patterns will change as work progresses, and motorists should expect periodic lane closures and detours through the construction zone. Access to homes and driveways will be maintained throughout the project.
The work is being coordinated with Mercer County’s planned repaving of West Broad Street so underground infrastructure improvements can be completed before the roadway receives a new surface.
More upgrades are on the way
The construction is one of the first visible changes residents have seen since voters approved the sale of the Borough’s water system last November. Since assuming ownership, New Jersey American Water has already taken the Borough’s PFAS-affected Well No. 4 offline and shifted customers to its regional water supply, while residents recently received their final combined water and sewer bill from the Borough.
In an interview with MercerMe earlier this month, New Jersey American Water President Mark McDonough said the company was focused on delivering the improvements promised during the acquisition process.
“We’re really executing on figuring out how to do the infrastructure work that we have planned and how to communicate to customers,” McDonough said. “That’s sort of been our immediate work.”
The West Broad Street project is only the beginning. In the coming weeks, New Jersey American Water plans to begin a borough-wide meter modernization program that will relocate water meters outdoors and identify lead or galvanized service lines for replacement as part of the company’s statewide effort to eliminate those materials by 2031.
