Pinelands Infrastructure Grant

An excerpt from the July 23, 2013 meeting minutes (released on August 13, 2012):

Mayor Brown gave the following overview regarding this Grant Opportunity:
The Township is pursuing a $60,000 grant from the Pinelands Commission for a pre-engineering study to find solutions to existing septic system problems in the Elwood Village Section of the Township,specifically Wharton Park.
Wharton Park homes were constructed in the 1960's and many have cesspools, in this 160 home development, which are beginning to fail.

Due to new legislation, a health department inspection is required when there is a real estate transaction, which will cause the cesspool to become abandoned and replaced with a conforming septic system, which could cost up to $15,000.00
Two meetings were held with representatives from the municipality and the Pinelands Commission to discuss solutions to address these aging septic systems, as well as environmental issues.

The possibilities that were discussed were:
1.  Low cost loans being funded by the NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust Fund to finance septic replacements. (Officials expressed concern with the ability to pay back the loan due to the cost of the systems)
2.  Constructing a wastewater conveyance infrastructure to connect to the Hammonton Sewage Treatment Plant. ( This solution was ruled out due to Hammonton's difficulty with properly disposing of its existing sewage flows)
3.  Construct a decentralized wastewater treatment system;  this would best address public health, environmental protection and economic issues.

The third option could also assist the school with their wastewater plant ( which they showed an interest ), as well as providing sewage treatment along the White Horse Pike.
Discussions included contacting the Atlantic County Utilities Authority regarding this type of system and utilizing their expertise, which the ACUA has offered assistance.

The Executive Director of the Pinelands has briefly introduced this to the Pinelands Commission and the scope of the work, a draft resolution and memorandum of understanding will be presented to the Pinelands Policy & Implementation Committee at their August meeting, and will be attended by Mayor Brown to address the Committee.

http://ecode360.com/documents/MU0269/public/43428806.pdf

At this meeting, Bid Specifications / Reconstruction of Fifth Avenue was approved.  Hopefully the potholes that cause big problems will be permanently repaired.