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Community Corner

Accident Cuts Water, Sewer In Manahawkin, Cable To LBI; Service Mostly Restored

A pole drilling project by Atlantic Electric ruptures pipe on Cedar Bonnet Island, shutting down services and cable for most of the day on Tuesday.

STAFFORD TOWNSHIP —  An Atlantic Electric crew drilling a footing for a new pole ruptured an underground pipe on Cedar Bonnet Island, disrupting water and sewer service to portions of the area and cutting off cable service to Long Beach Island, a township official said.

According to an announcement made at Tuesday night’s council meeting by Township Administrator James Moran the incident occurred that morning.

The water and sewer department was able to quickly contain the sewage leak and turn off the water, he said. “There was no sewage discharge into the bay” Moran said.

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The accident cut off water and sewer service to the island as well as the northern side of Bonnet Island across the channel where the Dutchman’s Restaurant and several homes are located, he added.

Township Public Works put their emergency “vac trucks” into service and had restored sewer service to all areas except for Bonnet Island Estates, where the incident occurred, and a local marina by this afternoon. The water was back on and cable service to those areas and LBI's cable service was restored as well, he said.

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“Atlantic Electric informed us of the accident and said they are at fault,” said Moran.

Repairs will require a new pipe to be run under the channel between Cedar Bonnet Island and Bonnet Island to fully restore services to the entire area, he added.

The township will be in contact with Atlantic Electric on Wednesday to determine the company’s liability for the repairs and new pipe, Moran said.

At this point, the owners of the Bonnet Island facility are responsible for their water service and the township for the sewer and piping. Comcast Cable will have to take care of its fiber optic cabling, said Moran.   

“We all need to have a new pipe put under the water, so it’s best we work together,” the administrator told the council and those in the audience.

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