Early in the morning on Tuesday, October 29th, at around 6AM, a water main broke in Hoboken, causing the 500 block of Clinton Street (between Fourth Street + Sixth Street) to flood. At 6:01AM, the Hoboken Office of Emergency Management and the Hoboken Police Department arrived on the scene for emergency repairs. As of an 9AM this morning, crews were still on the scene trying to isolate the damaged main. As of 12:45PM, service has been restored to any impacted buildings, but traffic remains in the Clinton Street area.
Photo Credit: @thatpotatoguy612
Per a Nixle alert from the City of Hoboken this morning, the NJ Transit 126 bus is being diverted from Clinton Street to Bloomfield Street between the Hoboken Terminal and 14th Street. Additionally, the City shared that “Water customers in the immediate area of the break may temporarily lose water service and residents throughout Hoboken may experience low water pressure while repairs are underway.”
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Numerous Hoboken Girl readers reported helicopters flying over Hoboken around 6AM, near uptown Hoboken. We’ll update this piece as details unfold. NBC New York’s Chopper 4 was over the scene, per its recent reporting, which might have been what Hoboken residents were seeing.
Photo Credit: @crodrgz_7
As of 12:45PM, Veolia Water confirmed that service has been restored to buildings impacted by the leak on 5th Street + Clinton Street. Water pressure throughout the system has stabilized. Repairs are still underway — we will update this piece with more details should they arise.
Why Do Water Mains Break?
Water main breaks are par for the course here in Hoboken. While details surrounding this specific situation are yet to be revealed, The Hoboken Girl‘s report from 2022 proposed a few reasons why, generally, these tend to happen.
“In particular, the change of seasons is prime time for water main breaks to occur because of the rapid change in temperature. So the beginning of winter and the beginning of the spring thaw are often when we experience these calamities. The rapid change in ground temperature is accompanied by soil saturated by rainwater and snowmelt.
The age of the pipes involved also plays a big role. According to the City of Hoboken, “Some parts of Hoboken’s water system are more than 100 years old. The majority of the system is nearing the end of its useful life. As cast-iron pipes age, they become brittle and are more prone to break from changes in temperature, pressure fluctuations, or vibrations.”
Since that reporting, the City has outlined various ways in which it plans to address the water main (and subsequent flooding) issues here in Hoboken, which you can read about here, here, and here. Of course, it doesn’t help in the immediate if your car gets towed or you can’t take your morning shower, so all Hoboken residents should sign up for Nixle alerts to be up to date with the latest from the City.
We’ll update this piece with any additional details. For now, be sure to follow @thehobokengirl on Instagram + TikTok for the latest Hoboken and Jersey City news, and sign up for our newsletter that shares all of our top stories to your inbox here.
White House Shares Update on New Jersey Drones’ Origins
For several weeks, New Jersey residents have taken to social media to express concerns about multiple low-flying, car-sized drones floating above their surrounding areas. The mysterious sight has drawn a great deal of attention to the matter, with New Jerseyans looking for answers. On our end, we see local FB groups abuzz with concerns and potential sightings. On January 28th, 2025, the White House issued a statement on the situation. Here's everything we know about the drone sightings in New Jersey.
January 2025 White House Statement
At a press conference on January 28th, 2025, the new White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt released a statement on the drones in New Jersey. Per Politico, the drones were a combination of hobbyist and commercial operators operating with the authorization of the FAA. “After research and study, the drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the FAA for research and various other reasons,” she said during the briefing, reading a statement attributed to President Donald Trump. “This was not the enemy.”
No further information has been shared on what types of research was being conducted, or by whom. The FAA has not yet released a statement on this latest update, nor has New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. The Hoboken Girl will update this piece as necessary.
Where Have the Drones Been Spotted?
Dozens of unexplained drone sightings have been reported in several counties across New Jersey confirmed by both local and state authorities, including Sussex County, Passaic County, Bergen County, Warren County, Morris County, Essex County, Somerset County, Hunterdon County, Monmouth County, Burlington County, and Camden County. Stand-out sightings were of drones found hovering over Picatinny Arsenal in Wharton, New Jersey, and Trump National Golf Club Philadelphia in Pine Hill, New Jersey. Additional sightings have also been reported in Staten Island and Brooklyn, New York. Staten Island Congresswoman, Nicole Malliotakis has also been requesting answers as the drone sightings increase. As a result, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) 4/1797 restricting the operation of any Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in regions of New Jersey from December 6th, 2024 until December 20th, 2024. To take a closer look at NOTAM zones and other air-related restrictions visit faa.gov here.
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Several government officials have taken to social media to express their concerns including New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy who reported he had a briefing with U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, along with other senior officials from The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, the New Jersey State Police, and other members of the congressional delegation to discuss the matters at hand. Gov. Murphy concluded with "There is no known threat to the public at this time."
Yesterday I convened a briefing with @SecMayorkas, senior officials from @DHSgov, @NJOHSP, and @NJSP, and members of our congressional delegation to discuss reported drone activity over parts of North and Central New Jersey.
We are actively monitoring the situation and in close…
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) December 5, 2024
Senator Cory Booker also took to X releasing an official letter addressed to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and FBI Director Christopher A. Wray prompting the FBI to open an investigation.
Tom Kean, Jr., Representative of the 7th Congressional District of New Jersey also expressed similar frustration via X and via press release saying "The people of New Jersey deserve answers, and I will continue to demand accountability to ensure their rights and security are fully protected."
I join thousands of New Jersey residents in deep frustration regarding the growing concerns over drones operating in our skies. The safety and privacy of our residents must be a top priority, and right now, both are being put at risk.
I am calling for the Department of Homeland…
— Congressman Tom Kean (@CongressmanKean) December 9, 2024
Locally, the Wyckoff Police Department of Bergen County sent out a post to social media followers via Facebook saying "We have been made aware of large flying drones being observed this evening throughout the Township. County and local law enforcement agencies are aware of the recurring reports of drone activity in several counties and acknowledge the public’s concern about these repeated sightings. The FBI Newark and the NJ State Police are asking for the public to report any information related to the recent sightings of possible drones. Anyone with relevant information is asked to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit it online at tips.fbi.gov. If anyone finds a drone, immediately contact the Wyckoff Police Department. At this time, there is no known threat to public safety."
How Has the FBI Responded?
After a Congressional hearing in Washington D.C. yesterday, December 10, 2024, New Jerseyans are still left without answers. A video of FBI official Robert Wheeler circulating on social media only adds to the mystery of these events. During the hearing, U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas chimed in to ask "You're telling me we don't know what the hell these drones in New Jersey are?" while Mr. Wheeler replied with a simple "That's correct," echoing that the active investigation will continue.
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What If I See a Drone?
The Federal Aviation Administration website states "If you witness a drone operation that appears dangerous or is being used to commit a crime please report it immediately to your local law enforcement first responders. They can protect public safety and can help discourage dangerous or illegal activities."
Drone sightings can also be reported to the FAA via email contact form or by calling the FAA's UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) Support Center at 844-359-6982. Capturing photos or videos of the drone sighting can also help gather additional information.
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