MUA Lacks Water Allowance For Town Bank, Villas Expansion

VILLAS — Lower Township Municipal Utility Authority (MUA) does not have a large enough water allocation from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to expand municipal water service into Town Bank and additional areas in Villas.
MUA Executive Director Mike DeMarcantonio told the Herald the authority is applying to U.S.D.A. for funding to install water mains in Town Bank and parts of Villas. Both areas are affected by multiple contaminants, saltwater intrusion and private wells going dry.
New water allocation from DEP would cover existing residents, not new development, said DeMarcantonio.
He said MUA was seeking unused water allocation at the county airport designated for the City of Cape May and Borden Clams. Neither are drawing water from wells at the airport.
When Lower MUA took over the county airport water facilities from the county, it was a costly venture, he said.
“We’re trying to get that allocation back to us and that will give us enough to get started on these projects,” said DeMarcantonio. “Then we still have to go after an additional, approximately 60 million gallons a month to supply the rest of the town.”
At an August 2007 Cape May City Council meeting, Cape May Water Superintendent David Carrick said giving up the water allocation was a “great deal” for Lower Township and the city needed to get something in return. The airport allocation for Cape May is 700,000 gallons per day, he said at that time.
As a partial solution, MUA is looking at the possibility of relocating a well located on Scott Avenue closer to the spine of the county along the railroad tracks. DEP has expressed a preference for water to be drawn from that area, further away from the bay.
MUA has no wells along the tracks at this time. He said MUA would need to obtain a piece of property in that area to install a well.
DEP suggested that MUA have every private well tested, something that would cost millions of dollars, he said.
“I don’t need to spend that kind of money to tell me that there’s problems out there,” said DeMarcantonio.
The county Health Department provided a “blanket letter” to DEP noting every resident in Town Bank and Villas should have a good dependable source of safe water.
The state Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency has given blanket approval for funding homeowners for water connections in Town Bank and Villas
While 60 million gallons sounds like a huge amount of water, DeMarcantonio said reports from the central part of the state indicate that the aquifer has recovered.
A desalination plant would solve the problem but he is not recommending one at this time. He noted the township is located on a peninsula, so a desal plant may be in the township’s future.
DeMarcantonio said the MUA has enough water capacity to serve about 500 customers who have not connected to the municipal water despite having water mains in the street near their homes.
“There is more than ample water to supply them,” he said. “They are already in the calculation,” he said.
With a mandatory water connection in force in the township, MUA is able to get funding for Town Bank and Villas. While it is not yet in place, DeMarcantonio said it looks likely funding will be received for water main expansion into Town Bank. He said he was not sure about funding to complete Villas.
Having funding in place would be a “feather in the cap,” for MUA as they ask the state to increase the township’s water allocation, said DeMarcantonio.
Bringing water to Town Bank is a $12 million project. The Villas expansion carries a price tag of an additional $12 million.
DeMarcantonio estimated a delay of one-year get state approval and funding. He said a contractor could complete the Town Bank project in a time period of two years. He estimates three to five years to complete both projects.
Of the two projects, Town Bank construction would begin first. Additional water mains will be installed in Villas before the expansion project when the Millman Water Tower is constructed, said DeMarcantonio.
Could Lower Township purchase water from Cape May’s desal plant? In 1988, Cape May spent $1 million to build a pipeline along Seashore Road connecting the Cape May Water Department to Lower Township MUA pipes. The pipeline is not used because Cape May does not need additional water at this time.
Cape May’s desal plant produces two million gallons of water per day. Of the plant’s $5 million construction cost, one quarter was paid by grants with remaining costs covered by low interest loans spread from 20 to 40 years.