Discolored water in North Arlington: check this first
North Arlington's water comes from the Passaic Valley Water Commission, and the borough sold its own water utility in 2004. When the Commission flushes mains or works on a line, the first sign in a house is often tan or brown water at the tap. That is usually sediment stirred up in the main, not a plumbing failure inside your home.
Run the cold tap in a bathtub for a few minutes. If it clears, the issue was outside. If it stays discolored, or only the hot side is affected, the cause may be your water heater or old galvanized pipe, and that is when a plumber is worth calling. You can sign up for the Commission's alerts at 973-340-4300 to learn about work before it happens.
A small borough and the roads that connect it
North Arlington is the southernmost borough in Bergen County, with 16,457 residents and 6,749 housing units on about 2.5 square miles. That size means short drives, but a few landmarks decide how fast a crew gets to your door.
Belleville Turnpike and Route 7
The Belleville Turnpike runs along the Kearny line and crosses the Passaic on the Belleville Turnpike Bridge to Belleville. If the bridge is backed up, tell us and we will approach from the Ridge Road side.
Ridge Road and Route 17
Ridge Road meets the Belleville Turnpike and carries traffic north. It is the quickest way to reach the borough's interior streets from Kearny when Route 7 is slow.
Dispatch around the clock
Emergency dispatch is available around the clock for North Arlington, including overnight and holiday calls, with a clear price before work starts.
Before we arrive: burst pipe or active leak in North Arlington
While the crew is on the way, these steps keep a bad leak from getting worse. They apply whether the break is in a kitchen wall or a basement line.
Shut off the main valve
The main shutoff is usually where the water line comes through the foundation, often near the front wall or beside the water meter. Turn it clockwise until it stops.
Kill power to wet areas
If water has reached an outlet, a light fixture or the electrical panel, turn off that circuit first and do not touch wet cords. Call the electric utility if the panel itself is wet.
Clear the area
Take up rugs and move valuables away from the leak. Place a bucket or towels, and keep everyone out of a room where the ceiling is bulging with water.
Call the 24/7 line
Call (973) 488-5410. Tell us the street, the room and whether the water is clear or discolored, because it helps us decide what to bring.
Water heaters, sewer lines and the other usual suspects
A no-hot-water call is one of the most common after-hours requests anywhere, and a tank that leaks at the base is almost always past repair. Our water heater repair handles thermostat, element and valve failures, and we say plainly when a replacement is the better choice.
Sewer trouble is the other big category. A slow main, gurgling toilets or a smell from the basement floor drain can mean roots or a failed section, and sewer line repair begins with a camera so you know exactly where the problem sits. For smaller clogs, drain cleaning is quicker and costs less.
Brown water or a leak in North Arlington?
Call the 24/7 line and tell us what you see. We will say whether it is a plumbing job or a Commission issue.
Call (973) 488-5410Why a plumber sometimes tells you to call the Commission instead
If the problem is in the street, at the curb valve or at the meter, it belongs to the water supplier, and North Arlington's water customers call the Passaic Valley Water Commission at 973-340-4300. We will tell you honestly when the issue is on their side of the meter so you do not pay for a visit that cannot fix it.
Inside the house, everything past the meter is yours, and that is where we work.
Lyndhurst, Belleville and the Kearny line
North Arlington touches Lyndhurst, Belleville and Kearny, and our crews cover all of them. If you are comparing towns or have a relative nearby, our pages for Lyndhurst and Belleville explain how we handle those neighbors, and Nutley is a short drive beyond Belleville.
Riverside County Park along River Road is the easiest landmark for giving directions on the Lyndhurst side, and the Holy Cross Cemetery grounds, about one-eighth of the borough's land, help crews orient on the west side.
ZIP code 07031 and the neighbors we reach
North Arlington has one ZIP code, 07031, and we serve every street in it. We also cover nearby Rutherford addresses in 07070, Nutley in 07110 and Clifton in 07014 as service-area neighbors.
A 07031 emergency call usually starts with the water heater or the main drain, so we ask those two questions early and send the matching crew first.
According to the state Uniform Construction Code, ordinary maintenance is exempt from permits but most other plumbing work on existing buildings is not. Ask the North Arlington construction office what applies to yours.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Our dispatch line is open around the clock for North Arlington, NJ, including nights, weekends and holidays. A burst pipe, sewage backup or a water heater that has failed is handled as an emergency, and same-day appointments are available for smaller issues.
North Arlington has one ZIP code, 07031, and we cover all of it, from the Belleville Turnpike on the Kearny line to the Lyndhurst border near Riverside County Park. We also reach Rutherford, Nutley and Clifton addresses nearby.
Flushing stirs up sediment in the main, and a little of it can reach your tap. Run the cold tap for a few minutes. If it does not clear, or the hot water is the only discolored side, call us.
The part of the line in the street and the meter belong to the water supplier, which here is the Passaic Valley Water Commission. Pipe on your side of the meter is the homeowner's, and we can repair or replace it.
Permit rules vary, so ask the borough's construction code office before the work. State code requires permits for plumbing work on existing buildings and exempts only ordinary maintenance such as routine repair.
Unsure whether the problem is yours or the water supplier's? Call the line and we will sort it out with you.
Call (973) 488-5410