Donohue Pitches Water Link with Lower

DEL HAVEN – Calling clean drinking water a public safety priority, Middle Township Committeeman Timothy Donohue, in a May 20 release, called for a fast-tracked partnership with Lower Township Municipal Utilities Authority to bring water to residents of Del Haven.
Donohue, in 2015, requested that New Jersey-American Water Co. develop a plan to convey water to Del Haven.
He stated the partnership with Lower Township would reduce upfront costs of the project, as well as the long-term cost of water for Del Haven residents.
“The distance and logistics involved to bring water from Whitesboro and through the “Thirteen Curves” area make that approach cost-prohibitive,” Donohue stated.  “We appreciate the research and outreach done by New Jersey-American Water.  However, their cost estimates, when divided by the number of potential customers involved, would be beyond what our residents could afford to pay.”
Donohue, along with the township business administrator and Municipal Engineer Marc Deblasio, met with LTMUA Executive Director Michael Chapman April 13.
Preliminary discussions on the feasibility of the authority providing water to Del Haven were positive, Donohue stated. Chapman agreed to bring the idea to the MUA board. 
Middle Township, in the meantime, will draft preliminary cost estimates.  The LTMUA is about to begin a project that will convey municipal water to the East Villas area, running to the border with Middle Township.
“When I read about the East Villas water project, I thought this just makes too much sense not to pursue,” Donohue stated.  “It’s less than three-quarters of a mile from the north end of this project to the potential water customers in Del Haven. Lower MUA already handles sewer for some folks in that area. I think this can be a win/win for Lower and Middle Township.”
Donohue believes, that if all goes well, a plan to bring quality drinking water to Del Haven could be in place be this fall.
“Folks in this neighborhood have suffered too long, and their water isn’t going to get any better,” Donohue stated.  “We owe it to them to find a trusted, reliable source of clean water, at a cost they can afford.”