DEP PROPOSES $1.2
MILLION WATERLINE PROJECT IN RINGWOOD BOROUGH
New Drinking Water Supply Needed Due to Gasoline Contamination
in Private Wells
(04/140) TRENTON -- Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell
today proposed a $1.2 million waterline project to bring
safe drinking water to the Wildwood Terrace neighborhood
in Ringwood Borough where ground water is contaminated with
the gasoline additives MTBE and TBA.
“Providing safe drinking water will bring some needed
peace of mind to the residents of this Ringwood neighborhood,”
said Acting Governor Richard J. Codey. “When companies
liable for pollution don’t take action, the state
will step up to the plate to protect public health.”
“Ringwood Borough residents have been aware of the
pollution in their ground water supplies for some time,”
said Commissioner Campbell. “Hooking up residents
whose wells are at risk to the municipal water supply brings
needed relief and protection.”
DEP determined that connection to a public water supply
system is the most reliable and cost-effective method to
supply drinking water to the Wildwood Terrace neighborhood.
Under an agreement with DEP, Ringwood Borough will hire
the design and construction contractors for the waterline
work using state funding. The estimated cost is $1,228,362.
To determine the water line project area, DEP mapped the
extent of contaminated potable wells. Using the area of
currently known contamination and ground water flow direction,
DEP targeted 81 lots of which 69 use wells as a potable
supply. The remaining properties are undeveloped or already
hooked up to a public water line.
Ground water contamination initially was found in the Wildwood
Terrace neighborhood in June 2004 during private well testing
performed by the owner of the nearby Skyline Service Station.
The main contaminants found in private wells in residences
and in ground water monitor wells at the Skyline Service
Station site were Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) and
Tertiary Butyl Alcohol (TBA).
A recently completed DEP water supply analysis for the
Wildwood Terrace neighborhood considered three alternatives:
installation of deeper wells, long-term use of Point-of-Entry
Treatment (POETs) systems and connection to a public water
system. The three alternative water supplies were evaluated
to determine their feasibility, reliability and cost. The
installation of deeper wells was not considered to be a
feasible alternative due to the likelihood of future recontamination
of the wells. Both the use of POETs and the connection to
public water were considered to be feasible alternatives,
but the POET option had an estimated cost of more than $2
million.
The waterline alternative calls for installing service
connections and sealing potable wells in the project area.
The nearest waterlines are located on Skyline Drive and
Oakwood Drive. The water line would need to be extended
along all of Oakwood Drive and Wildwood Drive.
Confirmed contamination exceeding the state’s drinking
water standard was found in four private wells during testing
by the owner of Skyline Service Station this summer and
fall as well as contamination below the standards in numerous
other wells in the project area. To address the immediate
drinking water needs of those residents with contaminated
wells above the standards, the owner of Skyline Service
Station installed POET systems to remove the contamination
from the well water.
The drinking water Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for
MTBE is 70 parts per billion (ppb) and 100 ppb for TBA.
DEP also will work to ensure that a remedial investigation
and any required cleanup work are completed for the Skyline
Service Station to protect the area ground water supply.
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