Newark, Delaware Water Outage Today
Live Newark water outage reports, City of Newark Water’s emergency line and the system’s federal record.
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
No water outage reports in Newark, Delaware in the last 24 hours
Who supplies water in Newark?
Newark is served by more than one water system: City of Newark Water, Artesian Water Company. Which one serves your address depends on the neighborhood, and the name on your water bill is the one to call about an outage.
Public water systems in Delaware are regulated by the Delaware Office of Drinking Water.
To report no water or a main break, call City of Newark Water at 302-366-7000, or Artesian Water Company at 302-453-6971.
Who runs the water in Newark: system profile
Federal records name Newark Water Department as the public water system for Newark, with about 40,000 people on its mains. Customers know it as City of Newark Water; the name on your bill is the one to call.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water system in EPA records | Newark Water Department (DE0000630) |
| Run by | Local government |
| People served | 40,000 through 10,000 service connections |
| Source of the water | Surface water (rivers, lakes or reservoirs) |
| Active facilities listed by EPA | 1 surface intake, 4 active wells, 2 treatment points, 10 storage tanks and reservoirs |
| Connections to other systems | 3 (3 listed as emergency supply) |
| State regulator | Delaware Office of Drinking Water |
| Health-based violations since 2015 | 1 |
| Highest lead result (90th percentile) | 1.6 ppb, action level 15 ppb |
Source: EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System).
Where Newark's tap water comes from
Tap water in Newark starts as surface water. Newark Water Department takes it from the White Clay Creek and runs it through treatment before it reaches the mains. Treatment points named in EPA's facility list include Curtis Treatment Plant. After treatment the water is held in 10 storage tanks and reservoirs, which is the buffer that keeps taps running for a few hours after a pump or main fails.
Why this matters when the water stops. Because the water is drawn from open surface sources, it has to be filtered and disinfected continuously. A plant problem therefore hits everyone at once, unlike a main break, which only dries up the blocks on either side of the damaged pipe. EPA lists 3 emergency connections to neighboring systems, which can be opened to move water across a boundary during a failure.
What causes water outages and low pressure in Newark
These are the causes that match the record for Newark, listed roughly in order of how much they matter here.
- Freezing weather. Newark sees about 86 days a year with a low at or below 32°F, and 14 days at or below 20°F. The coldest morning in the 2015 through 2025 record came on March 6, 2015. The longest stretch with highs that never rose above freezing ran 13 days, ending January 8, 2018. Frozen service lines and meters cause single-address outages, while ground frost and thaw cycles crack older mains and produce the street-wide breaks.
- Flooding and heavy rain. NOAA logged 114 flood, flash flood and heavy rain reports in New Castle County from 2015 through 2026, and 8 days a year bring an inch of rain or more. High water can wash out the ground under buried pipe, flood pump stations and push treatment plants past their limits, which is why boil notices so often follow a flood.
- Long dry spells. The longest stretch without measurable rain since 2015 lasted 45 days, ending October 21, 2019. Dry soil shrinks and shifts around buried pipe, and breaks often cluster when the rain returns and the ground swells again.
- Storm-driven power loss. Thunderstorm wind, hail and tornado reports in New Castle County number 259 since 2015. Pump stations and treatment plants that depend on City of Newark Electric run on the electric grid, so a storm that downs power lines can lower water pressure even when no pipe is damaged.
- Damage from other crews. Water mains share the ground with gas, power and telecom lines, and a strike by any contractor can dry up a block in seconds.
- Planned shutoffs and a problem at one address. Valve replacements and new connections are announced ahead, often with door hangers. If neighbors have water, check your own shutoff valve, meter and pressure regulator before calling.
How weather strains the Newark water system
Main break season in Newark runs from late fall into early spring, with the coldest stretch around December through February.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Days a year at or below 32°F | 86.5 |
| Days a year at or below 20°F | 13.8 |
| Days a year with a high at or below 32°F | 10.5 |
| Days a year at or above 95°F | 3.9 |
| Days a year at or above 100°F | 0 |
| Days a year with an inch of rain or more | 7.7 |
| Average annual precipitation | 45.8 in |
| Wettest year | 2018 (62.1 in) |
| Driest year | 2025 (39 in) |
| Coldest day in the record | March 6, 2015 |
| Hottest day in the record | June 24, 2025 |
Source: NASA POWER daily reanalysis (MERRA-2) for the city center, 2015–2025.
Freezing days peak in January, averaging 24.5 a year. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
The wettest year was 2018 with 62.1 inches; the driest was 2025 with 39. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
The figures are reanalysis estimates for the center of Newark, not readings from a single weather station, so treat them as a guide to how often each kind of weather occurs rather than as official records.
Is Newark water safe? Boil notices and EPA record
EPA lists 1 health-based violation for Newark Water Department since 2015.
Most recent health-based entries:
- June 2018: A contaminant above the legal limit It is marked resolved.
| Type of violation | Health-based | Monitoring and other |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 1 | 0 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
When Newark loses pressure after a break or a failed test, City of Newark Water asks affected customers to boil water for drinking and cooking. The notice ends only after samples come back clean, which usually takes one to two days after service returns, and the Delaware Office of Drinking Water supervises the process.
Lead, older pipes and water quality in Newark
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result filed for Newark Water Department is 1 ppb (2024). The federal action level is 15 ppb, so that result is comfortably below it.
Highest result on file: 1.6 ppb. Source: EPA SDWIS.
38% of occupied homes in Newark were built before 1970, and lead service lines and solder stayed legal until the federal ban in 1986. After any outage that disturbs the pipes, run the cold tap 30 seconds to 2 minutes before drinking, and ask City of Newark Water about its lead service line inventory.
Restoration times for water outages in Newark
Most repairs of an ordinary main break in Newark take half a day once the crew is on site. Bigger mains, deep bury and busy roads stretch that to a day or more.
| Situation | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Planned shutoff | A few hours inside a window announced in advance |
| Ordinary main break | Half a day once the crew has isolated the pipe |
| Large or deep main | A day or two, sometimes three |
| Low pressure after a pump or power failure | Until power returns and tanks recover, often within a day |
| Boil water notice after service returns | Until two clean rounds of samples, usually 1 to 2 days |
| Frozen service line or meter | Depends on thaw; a plumber is usually needed |
Source: Utility practice, EPA and state boil water guidance.
Ask City of Newark Water for a restoration estimate when you report the outage; for large breaks it is normally posted and updated as the repair progresses.
Emergency water storage for Newark households
With about 3.5 people in the typical Newark home, FEMA's one-gallon-per-person-per-day rule means 11 gallons covers three days and 49 gallons covers two weeks.
- Your water heater tank holds 30 to 50 gallons of clean water. Turn off the power or gas to it first, then drain from the valve at the bottom.
- If a planned shutoff or storm is coming, fill the tub and some buckets for flushing toilets and washing; keep drinking water in clean sealed containers.
How Newark compares with nearby water systems
| City | System | People served | Source | Health violations since 2015 | Highest lead (ppb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newark, DE | Newark Water Department | 40,000 | Surface | 1 | 1.6 |
| Wilmington, DE | Wilmington Water Department | 107,976 | Surface | 1 | 5.6 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia Water Department | 1,600,000 | Surface | 0 | 3 |
| Lancaster, PA | City of Lancaster | 120,000 | Surface | 2 | 9.9 |
| Reading, PA | Reading Area Water Authority | 95,100 | Surface | 4 | 2 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Water outage pages for nearby cities
Wilmington, DE · Philadelphia, PA · Lancaster, PA · Reading, PA
Staying informed about water service in Newark
Sign up for alerts from City of Newark Water and check its website or social accounts when the water goes off. If a boil advisory is issued, the water outage guide covers how to treat water and when it is safe again.
Newark quick answers about water service
Who do I call about no water in Newark?
City of Newark Water at 302-366-7000, day or night. Use 911 only if a main break is flooding property or roads.
Where does Newark get its water?
Surface water supplies Newark, according to EPA records for Newark Water Department. It draws from the White Clay Creek.
Is Newark tap water safe to drink?
EPA lists 1 health-based violation for Newark Water Department since 2015, most recently a contaminant above the legal limit in June 2018, and its latest 90th-percentile lead result is 1 ppb against the 15 ppb action level. Follow any boil water notice until the utility says it is over.
When is water main break season in Newark?
Breaks in Newark pile up in the cold, with about 86 freezing days a year and the worst stretch from December to February. The days right after a deep freeze, when the soil thaws and shifts, are usually the busiest.
Why did the water pressure drop at my house in Newark?
Low pressure often comes from a nearby main break, heavy demand on a hot evening, or a failed pressure regulator at your own home. If neighbors are affected too, report it to City of Newark Water; if only your home is, check the regulator and shutoff valve.
When will a boil water notice be lifted in Newark?
Plan on one to two days after pressure is back. City of Newark Water samples the water, waits for clean lab results and then lifts the notice, with the Delaware Office of Drinking Water overseeing the steps.
How many gallons of emergency water does a Newark family need?
Plan on one gallon per person per day for at least three days. The average Newark household has about 3.5 people, which works out to roughly 11 gallons for three days and 49 for two weeks.
Are there lead service lines in Newark?
38% of occupied homes in Newark were built before 1970, and lead service lines were not banned until 1986. Ask City of Newark Water whether your service line is on its lead inventory, and use a filter certified for lead if you are unsure.
Is there a water outage map for Newark?
We do not run a pipe map. The report count at the top of this page shows what other people in Newark have reported in the last 24 hours. For the official picture, check City of Newark Water for its outage page, alerts and social accounts.
More outage pages for Newark and nearby
Other outage types in Newark
Water Service Outages in cities near Newark
- Wilmington, DE 12 mi · City of Wilmington Water Division
- Philadelphia, PA 36 mi · Philadelphia Water Department
- Dover, DE 38 mi · City of Dover Public Utilities
- Lancaster, PA 38 mi · City of Lancaster Water Bureau
- Reading, PA 46 mi · Reading Area Water Authority
- Baltimore, MD 53 mi · Baltimore City Department of Public Works
Report counts are user-submitted; other figures name their official source. How our data works
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