Moorestown Comes Step Closer To New Water Ordinance

Moorestown, NJ -- Moorestown Council took the first step to make changes to its water conservation ordinance during Monday night’s meeting at town hall.

Council unanimously approved an ordinance on first reading that creates four districts that match the districts used for trash collection. Watering would be permitted in the following districts on the following days:

• District 1: Sunday and Wednesday
• District 2: Monday and Thursday
• District 3: Monday and Thursday
• District 4: Tuesday and Friday

Watering will only be permitted 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Flowers and shrubs may be watered as needed with a hand-held hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle, but no hose or hose-end watering shall be permitted when it is raining.

Vehicles may be washed any day with a handheld hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle.

Automatic rain sensor devices are required for all sprinkler and/or irrigation systems to ensure that watering does not occur during periods of rain or immediately after a quarter inch of rain has fallen.

The proposed ordinance includes the following exemptions:

1. Outdoor water use from private wells, rain water harvesting, gray water or reclaimed water are exempt from the provisions of this section. Use of gray or reclaimed water must have an approved NJPDES permit issued through the NJDEP.

2. Outdoor water use for agricultural use, commercial farms producing harvestable crops, commercial nurseries, sod farms and golf courses.

3. Outdoor irrigation necessary for one day only where treatment with an application of chemicals require immediate watering to preserve an existing landscape or to establish a new landscape.

4. Outdoor irrigation necessary for the establishment of newly sodded lawns or landscaping within the first 21 consecutive days of planting.

5. Visually supervised operation of an irrigation system by a person in compliance with state law, at the minimum rate necessary in order to check system condition and effectiveness.

6. Any United States Environmental Protection Agency or New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection rule, regulation or declaration, which is more stringent than the provisions herein, shall supersede.

7. Any Declaration of a Water Emergency by the Township Manager and the provisions set forth in same shall supersede.

The changes are the result of an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) issued by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and approved by council on July 1, calling for the township to alter the way it imposes restrictions on water use by residents.

Township Solicitor Anthony Drollas is running the details by NJDEP to make sure it approves. There have been several workshop discussions on the ordinance, and changes have been made, but Drollas said he doesn’t anticipate any problems as much of the ordinance remains the same. Changes will be made if mandated by NJDEP.

The public hearing and final vote will be held on Oct. 17.

Additionally, council unanimously approved the following ordinances on final vote:

• Setting aside $280,000 and borrowing $266,000 for the purchase of police vehicles and equipment;
• Amendments to township ordinance concerning vehicles and traffic; and
• Setting aside $50,000 and borrowing $47,500 for the installation of new fencing at the Lenola Baseball Fields.