Final Meeting Tuesday for Watchung Sewer Plan

A meeting slated for 7:30 p.m. May 8 at the may be the final hurdle for the borough's plans to extend sewer service to about 35 properties on Johnston Drive.

Work on the project has been underway for several years, after the Borough Council approved a contract for engineer Lee Purcell to draft plans. To finance the estimated $1.2 million cost of the project, the borough is seeking access to the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust for low-cost loans. 

"The benefit of going through the fund is you get 1 percent (interest on loans)," Borough Administrator Thomas Atkins said. He added the May 8 meeting "may be the final requirement of the laon application."

Once completed, the line will add about 1/4- to 3/8-mile to existing sewer service, enabling the Johnston Drive residents and about six on Valley Road to connect. As the project proceeds, the borough will be trying to work through an issue for some residents: state law requires residents to connect to sanitary seweres when service is available (which costs about $20,000), but some in the neighborhood have recently installed new septic systems.

Atkins said the borough will be seeking a way for those residents to avoid having to pay for connection so soon after the big expense of the septic systems.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.