An enclave borough with an emergency line next door
Lakehurst is a borough of 0.9 square miles and about 2,700 residents, completely surrounded by Manchester Township. Census boundary data shows only Manchester touching its border. For you, that means our Route 70 office is only a few road miles away. That distance is an estimate, not a promised arrival time.
The line is open 24/7 for homes in Lakehurst and ZIP 08733. Same-day appointments are available when the schedule allows. If you smell gas, go outside and call your gas utility or 911 first.
What to check in an older Lakehurst house
Lakehurst is old. The Census counts 1,069 homes here with a median build year of 1965. About 78 percent went up before 1980, about 40 percent before 1960, and 16 percent before 1940. A check of these signs can catch a problem before it becomes a flood.
- Brown or yellow water after idle hoursRust from old steel or galvanized supply pipe, or iron in the well water. Run the tap, and call if it keeps coming.
- Low pressure at one fixtureA narrowed galvanized line is the usual cause in a house from the 1940s or earlier.
- A damp patch on a ceiling or basement wallOld drain joints and supply connections leak slowly before they fail. Find the source early.
- Slow drains in several roomsOriginal cast iron or clay drains scale or crack. A camera shows which.
- A water heater older than a decadeRust at the base, rumbling or a tripped pressure valve signal the end. Plan for a replacement.
- A shutoff that will not turnOld valves seize. Replace one before you need it in an emergency.
If your home was built before 1987, the borough's water report also advises you to check for lead solder in interior plumbing. A licensed plumber can inspect the lines and tell you what is there.
Sources and rules used on this page
Borough facts come from the borough's own website and U.S. Census Bureau tables. Plumbing work follows the state standard in New Jersey's Uniform Construction Code plumbing subcode (N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.15), and permits are issued locally.
Streets with the oldest plumbing
The borough's own walking tour describes Union Avenue as the site of older, large homes. It calls Hibernia Avenue home to many Irish railroad workers' cottages, and Pine Street the site of old workers' cottages and one of the oldest sections. The borough calls Church Street the most beautiful street in town by many accounts, and it is on the same tour.
Homes this age may have had decades of additions, so the plumbing can be a patchwork of materials. If you live on these streets and buy or rent, ask for a plumbing look at the water heater, shutoffs and drain cleanout. Our drain cleaning service covers old lines, and leak detection helps when you cannot see the source.
Newer pockets exist as well. The borough's trash route names Pinehurst Estates, Barker's Village, Westlake, Chestnut Street, Manapaqua Avenue and Lakehurst Mobile Home Park. If you live in a mobile home, ask about the supply lines under the floor and keep that area protected in winter.
Water, sewer and permits: who handles what in Lakehurst
Two published sources describe water service in the borough, and they name different suppliers. The Borough of Lakehurst Water Department publishes a report for its own wells in the Cohansey aquifer. Manchester Township's utility report for its Eastern service area also lists Lakehurst. Check your water bill for the name of the supplier and for the contact number before you call about pressure or discoloration.
The borough reports using an aerator and sand filter for iron removal and adding chlorine. No hardness number appears in the reports we reviewed, so we are not quoting one. If you see white scale or staining, test your tap or ask the supplier for its annual report.
Borough Public Works maintains sewer lines that feed into the Ocean County Utilities Authority. Whether every property is sewered is not stated, so ask if your house has a septic tank. The borough's Construction Office issues permits for plumbing work and can be reached weekdays during business hours. A reoccupancy inspection is required before a one or two family home is sold, leased or changes occupants, so fix leaks and failed fixtures before that visit.
Before we arrive: shutoffs for a Lakehurst home
Find the main shutoff
Look where the line enters near a front wall, in a utility closet or at a crawlspace door. Turn it clockwise.
Open the lowest tap
This drains pressure from the pipes and slows a leak. Do it after the main is closed.
Protect the electric
Keep power cords and appliances out of water. Shut off the breaker only if the panel is dry and reachable.
Move things up
Lift rugs, boxes and papers off the floor and photograph the damage for your insurer.
With the water stopped, call the 24/7 line and describe what you found.
One ZIP shared by three places
ZIP 08733 is the borough's address ZIP, but the Census approximation of it also covers parts of Manchester and Jackson. Some places next to the borough use 08759, which is also our own office ZIP. Mail routes and township lines do not match, so give dispatch your street and say whether you live in the borough.
Our page on plumbing in Jackson explains the part of Jackson that shares 08733. For work around Lake Horicon or the downtown along Route 70, the service area page shows the full coverage map. The plumbing services list shows every job we handle.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The line is open 24/7 for Lakehurst, including nights and weekends. Dispatch will talk you through the shutoff and book the first appointment possible. Same-day appointments are available when the schedule allows, and the price is clear before work starts.
We cover ZIP 08733, which the borough uses on its own address, and nearby addresses with 08759. The ZIPs cross borough and township lines, so give dispatch your street address if you are not sure which town you are in.
Lakehurst is surrounded by Manchester Township, so our office is only a few road miles from the borough. That is an estimate. We do not promise arrival times, and dispatch will give a realistic idea when you call.
Check your water bill. Both the borough's water department and Manchester Township's utility publish reports that mention the borough. No hardness figure appears in the borough report we reviewed, so ask your supplier or test your tap.
Check the water heater age, the main shutoff and the drain cleanout. About 78 percent of homes in the borough date to before 1980, so original pipes are common. A plumber can test pressure and look at the drain with a camera.
The borough requires a reoccupancy inspection before a one or two family home is sold, leased or changes occupants. We do not run that inspection. Call the borough's Construction Office for what it covers, and fix known leaks beforehand.
Borough Public Works maintains sewer lines that feed the Ocean County Utilities Authority, but the borough does not state that every property is connected. Check your bill. If you have septic, tell dispatch before the visit.