Ordinances propose spending $2.5 million on two plants.
Moorestown Township Council proposed the possibility of spending approximately $2.5 million on two water treatment plants if two introduced ordinances are passed.
The first ordinance proposes spending $1.5 million on preliminary engineer and design expenses for upgrades to the North Church Street water treatment plant, and the second proposes spending approximately $1.05 million on similar changes to the Hartford Road water treatment plant.
“We’re still working on the design part,” Township Administrator Thomas Merchel said, which is why the numbers are estimates.
Councilman Michael Locatell agreed.
“Until the final testing comes back on some of this stuff, that final design won’t be understood,” Locatell said. “There are other elements to this as the testing comes back, as this evolves, that may tweak the plan.”
Locatell also spoke on the poor condition of the Hartford Road plant.
“The initial testing came back very good. The water is clean. Nothing that’s spiking, no serious treatment issues there,” he said. “But the plant is a disaster. It’s antiquated. It really wasn’t designed right to begin with.”
As for the North Church Street plant, Locatell says while the quality isn’t what it could be, there’s great capacity.
“We can treat the quality,” Locatell said.
The upgrades to the plants will include a permanent filtration system to replace the temporary one in place.
Councilwoman Stacey F. Jordan says she has been meeting with residents to hear their ideas on the process.
“I don’t necessarily know anything about water except what I’ve learned for the past two and a half or three years,” Jordan said. “I’ve gone to different citizens who are heavily involved and talked to them about these different options — I think we are definitely on the right track.”
Council is working on making information more easily accessible, though there is a slew of information available on the township webpage.
“Our goal has been and always will be to give the best water to the citizens,” Locatell said.
A public hearing will be held on the ordinances on Monday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall.
In other news:
• Councilwoman Lisa Petriello reminded residents the Moorestown Police Department has a 24/7 drop off for unwanted, unused or expired prescription medications.
The Moorestown Board of Education recently voted to allow naloxone at Moorestown High School in case of opioid overdoses, prompting Petriello to point out there is a disposal opportunity right in Moorestown.
“A lot of these addicts start using old prescriptions we have at home,” Petriello said. “It’s important that we get the stuff out of our homes that we’re not using.”
• Mayor Manuel Delgado proclaimed Saturday, May 13 a day for all residents to have a community-wide yard sale.
“Moorestown residents produce tons of solid waste each year that includes no longer needed items that could often be reused, repurposed or otherwise recycled,” Delgado said. “Township residents pay significant disposal costs for these no longer needed items.”
Council is encouraging residents to take advantage of this yard sale to reduce waste and repurpose unwanted items.
