Newark businesses and homeowners were left scrambling Tuesday morning following a major water main break that impacted the city.

The water main break was in Belleville and impacted over 100,000 Newark residents. A boil water advisory is in effect for portions of Newark and Bellville.

The issue had a major impact on some of Newark’s restaurant owners.

“We had to stop cooking, had to stop making juices, had to stop the whole operation,” says Jose Vargas of Taino’s Kitchen.

Workers at the restaurant were serving what they had already cooked but had to stop preparing anything new. They even had to consider if the restaurant should close down completely since the water was coming out tinted and brownish.

“We are working with what we got. If anything, we may have to close down early,” Vargas says.

Down the street at Divino Estilio Beauty Salon, the water was running clear - Arelis Checo was able to do hair like any other day.

“It looks good. Nothing happened here,” Checo says.

Some of the people who live in the neighborhood took the water problems in stride. Linda, who lives in the Forest Hill Terrace apartments, says that this is not the first time the water has run brown in Newark.

“I mean today is worse than other days, but this is an issue almost every month,” she says.

Linda says she is going to her mother’s house in Belleville to wait it out.

“Right now, I can’t cook. I can’t use the bathroom. I can’t eat, so I have to leave,” she says.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka says that crews are working to make repairs and restore all water service.

Anyone who is in need of bottled water should call 973-733-3274.