Moorestown Council Takes First Step on Water Main Replacement

Moorestown took a step toward repairing various water mains throughout the township Monday night as members of the public questioned why water infrastructure hadn’t been made a priority sooner.

Moorestown Council approved a bond ordinance on first reading Monday night that sets aside $1,650,000 and allows for the borrowing of $1,567,500 for for the replacement of various water mains throughout the township.

According to Moorestown Utility Superintendent Bill Butler, there have been 43 water main breaks in Moorestown so far this year. In a typical year, Moorestown will see about 15 breaks.

He said the reason for the higher number of breaks is because Moorestown bought more water from New Jersey American Water than usual, after two water wells at the Church Street water treatment plant were closed last year due to the presence higher levels of unregulated contaminant Trichloropropane (TCP 1, 2, 3).

“New Jersey American Water gets its water from the Delaware River,” Butler said. “It’s heavier than the water we get from a reserve under ground.”

One of those wells was reopened in June after no presence of TCP 1,2,3 was detected. Levels have tested at around .07 levels in each month since it has been reopened.

Township Manager Scott Carew said last week that the township isn’t considering closing the well again, and that the matter is being addressed.

The action taken Monday night is the beginning of action being taken to correct the water issues around town before the current contract between the township and New Jersey American Water expires in 2020.

The township is looking to replace several aging water mains, including some that are four inches wide. Butler said the minimum recommended size for water mains is between six and eight inches. Having different sized pipes throughout town can impact water flow and pressure, and lead to discoloration of the water that comes into Moorestown homes.

Pipes have to be replaced a little bit at a time because the street has to be dug up when they are replaced.

“If we did it all at once, you literally would not be able to get from one side of town to the other,” Carew said.

Water main repairs fall in line with planned upgrades at the township’s water treatment plants.

In July, council approved an ordinance to set aside $710,000 and to borrow $675,600 for preliminary design and engineering concerning the complete rehabilitation of the water treatment plant on Kings Highway. The township is hoping to have a contract awarded by the end of the spring, and begin construction on that plant, which is expected to last about one year.

The township should have a final report on what is needed at the North Church Street plant by the end of the year.

The township is hoping to have the plant on Hartford Road, which has been shut down for 25 years, up and running by 2020, at the latest.

Resident Michael Babcock has followed the water issue carefully. On Monday night, he brought in some of his water from home that had gone through his filtration system and come out brown.

Butler said he didn’t like the filtration system, and had he been with the township when it was being recommended, he never would’ve allowed it to be put in place.

Babcock asked how much money that is generated by the water system is put back into the water system, and why the township hasn’t tackled the problem until now.

Carew said he’s only been manager for four years, and much of council has not been in office very long.

Mayor Victoria Napolitano, Deputy Mayor Phil Garwood and Councilman Greg Newcomer were elected to council in 2012, and Councilman Manuel Delgado was elected to council last year.

Moorestown Democratic Committee Chairman Robert Gorman argued that if Carew had a five-year plan in place, there would be more progress on the issue by now.

“We’ve invested an average of $2.1 million the last four years, and there was an investment of $982,000 the previous 14 years,” Carew said. “In the last 18 years, we have four of the five highest years of putting money back in.”

Carew acknowledged that in the past, Moorestown has missed opportunities to invest in water infrastructure, but said this is the council that is trying to fix the issue.

The public hearing and final consideration on the water main ordinance is scheduled for the Nov. 30 meeting at town hall, 7 p.m.

The attached images are of Michael Babcock’s water he brought to the council meeting Monday night, and what his filter looks like when he changes it, comparing the used one to a brand new one.