In 2002 Hopatcong Agrees to 500,000 Gallons Per Day with the MSA

There are multiple sides contributing to Hopatcong Borough’s sewer billing quandaries that are receiving much attention. A younger generation of educated homeowners are questioning the fairness of their sewer bills that were linked to over a decade of construction bond payments that never seem to end. Unhappy homeowners in Hopatcong who are paying above average water and sewer fees are starting to analyze what calculations go into these rates. People are also speaking up about receiving “threatening postcards," during their sewer hookup period, advising them they were subject to a tax lien sale if they did not make the payments in full.

The saga of Hopatcong Borough’s mess on street to home sewer hookup-projects are what the current Mayor and Council state were the bad decisions of past mayor and council members that often had “no rhyme or reason” in the execution of these projects. However, the past mistakes have found their way on the bill rates of sewer fees that can’t be ignored if you are on the hook for the hookup. Furthermore, the “no rhyme or reason” council member and mayor of the past has become the County Freeholder who is currently acting front and center in the charge for new sewer hookups for future new developments. This includes a bridge redesign plan with updated capacity sewage lines on the River Styx Bridge with an estimated price tag of $22 million dollars.

Former Freeholder Carl Lazzaro’s thoughts posted on NJ Herald on this River Styx Bridge project were this: “This project if it is approved will be funded by Federal funds from money appropriated thru North Jersey Transportation Authority - it took a couple years to get to this point and if approved will be a few more years before we get money and then construction and part of the project will need to be funded by the County so this is still a long way off in the distance” Other NJ Herald comments were this - “Yet another county bridge project that will cost millions and take YEARS to complete.”

An important fact is Hopatcong Borough’s sewage system could never have been launched without a wastewater processing plant to take care of these flushes and it found it in the Musconetcong Sewage Authority. In 2002 the Authority initiated the Phase IIA project to add an additional 500,000 gallon per day expansion to its wastewater treatment plant for the benefit of the borough of Hopatcong. Hence, Hopatcong’ has committed itself gallonages of wastewater for treatment to the MSA. These are becoming driving motives to push easy high-density new development construction that will be hooked up to both Borough services - water and sewer. Hopatcong has been expediting its redevelopment efforts by offering tax abatements to non-age restricted residential developments on lake shoreline real estate parcels. The tax abatements add no new revenue to the county, police and school budget but they do add revenue to pay for related MSA costs.

According to an MSA audit report for Fiscal Year End December 31, 2016, the MSA collected the second largest revenues ($985,592) from Hopatcong Borough out of the 7 municipalities it services. The Township of Mount Olive came in first at $1,400,666. One of the Hopatcong Council persons approving these new developments is Richard Shindelar. He is also the MSA rep and commissioner and his term ends January 21, 2021.