Moorestown Council talks temporary water solution

The interim solution to treat the Trichloropropane (TCP 1,2,3) and Trichlorethylene (TCE) that have been found in the township’s drinking water could come to fruition within the next two months.

Moorestown Town Council plans to have a resolution at its March 7 meeting to install a carbon filtration system to help treat the TCP 1,2,3 and TCE found in Wells 7 and 9 at the North Church Street Water Treatment Plant.

Township manager Scott Carew also announced he called for the township to shut down the well at the request of Mayor Phil Garwood on Friday, Feb. 19. Garwood said he spoke with each council member for their opinions, and all agreed to shut down the wells. However, Carew said he was the one to call for the shut down, not council.

Wells 7 and 9 were closed upon the recommendation of the state Department of Environmental Protection in October 2014 after a small amount of TCP 1,2,3 was found in the water. In June 2015, Well 7 was reopened when it tested as a non-detect.

However, since then, the TCP 1,2,3 tested again in Well 7, and residents and township officials also grew interested in the levels of TCE found at the sites. Due to the concern of residents and officials, the township decided it would take action by reclosing Well 7 and finding a temporary treatment solution until a permanent solution is ready to be installed.

Garwood also said Moorestown has not been in violation with its water; it continues to meet state and federal drinking water standards.

Township utilities engineer L. Russell Trice recommended the township hire Calgon Carbon to install a pair of carbon filtration tanks to filter and take out the contaminants over an expected period of 12 months. Trice said it would cost $341,800, which includes an installation fee and a 12-month rental fee at $11,400 per month. For a discounted price of $171,400, the township also has the option to buy the equipment after the rental period.

If council approves the resolution, the tanks could be in place four to eight weeks later and up and running two weeks after installation. The township will not turn those wells on until the temporary treatment is in place, according to Carew.

To compensate for the well being closed, the township is getting its water from New Jersey American Water, as it did last year. Carew hopes when the wells are up and running, the township will be able to avoid getting water from NJAW later in the year, thus eliminating additional costs.

“With the wells up and running, there might be a time where we are using our water when we normally would be using NJAW … from a water purchasing standpoint it may have no impact on the budget at all,” Carew said.

The next town council meeting is scheduled for March 7 at 7:30 p.m. in Town Hall, with a 7 p.m. workshop.