Fed Bucks Coming Montclair’s Way For Water Treatment: Congresswoman

MONTCLAIR, NJ — There are some federal dollars headed Montclair’s way to “completely rehabilitate” Rand Well, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill announced last week.

According to the congresswoman, a $2,056,000 proposal to remediate “unacceptably high” levels of PFOS and perchlorates at the well was among 14 community projects that she pushed for in the House Appropriations Committee Fiscal Year 2023 bill, which was signed into law in December. Read More: Rep. Mikie Sherrill Says She'll Push These 5 Bills In 2023

Sherrill’s office provided the following description of the proposal:

“This funding would be used to completely rehabilitate and create resiliency in Rand Well, which has unacceptably high levels of PFOS and perchlorates. This well serves the largest zone in Montclair. The funding will allow the town to assess the best solutions to achieve its clean water goals and implement construction. This project will help ensure local residents have access to safe and clean drinking water while saving the town residents from paying higher costs associated with continued maintenance of an older system.”

The announcement got a round of applause from Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller.

“Communities across New Jersey have been confronted with water infrastructure challenges including the presence of emerging contaminants such as PFOAS,” Spiller said.

“In Montclair, we’ve made investing in our infrastructure a priority, but to meet our goals, partnership from all levels of government is crucial,” Spiller said. “Congresswoman Sherrill has been an ally in bringing federal dollars back to Montclair, including this $2 million investment in rehabilitating the Rand Well that will help us ensure that we can provide clean water now and for future generations.”

• See related: PFOA Found In Montclair's Drinking Water

According to the Montclair Water Bureau’s annual Drinking Water Quality report, the Township of Montclair obtains water from the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission, in addition to three municipal wells. Read More: Montclair Releases Latest Drinking Water Quality Report

The report states:

“The Township of Montclair and the Borough of Glen Ridge are partners in the NJDWSC, which owns and operates the 29.6 billion-gallon Wanaque Reservoir and Treatment Plant and the seven-billion-gallon Monksville Reservoir. The Borough of Glen Ridge has three interconnections with Montclair through which it receives its water supply. The water is received by the Township of Montclair through its Grove Street pumping station, and is pumped throughout Montclair. The Montclair system also includes three municipal wells, one in each of the three pressure zones. Glenfield well is the only well online during the spring/summer of 2021. Carbon Absorbers were installed in 2017. Lorraine well will have carbon absorbers installed in 2021 and will run in 2022. No wells will run without carbon treatment.”

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