The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
file photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, 6/5/2023 email to Ridgewood Water customers:
“Ridgewood Water personnel will be patrolling the neighborhoods to identify and cite Water Restriction Violators. ”
file photo by Boyd Loving
“This just does not seem to be a quality product.
Ridgewood water has a hardness level of 21 g, neighboring utilities, in the worse case was 7 g, water is considered “hard” above 5. This is off the charts, and effects everything from appliances effectiveness and servicing, washing dishes, showers, etc. Our particles (solids) level in the water is excessive, 121 per million, far above the next worse at 45 per million. This is on par with some third world systems. As for water on lawns and scrubs, I guess we can let it all go, would continue our slide towards a city environment, I recall we used to give awards for the nicest lawns and gardens.
Leaving RW Water in place with their ineffective management, sub par systems, ridiculous water rules, and terrible product cant really be the right path.”
I applied for a brief and temporary watering exception due to new planting and was denied, even though #1 of the ordinance states watering for the first 21 days of new planting is allowed. Apparently watering exemptions are not allowed from June to September (when else would people apply?) and management reserves the right to change policy without notice, which they did in rejecting my application. I understand there are problems with crumbling infrastructure affecting supply and delivery but I have heard this excuse since moving here nearly 30 years ago. Smart Controllers are costly and seem unnecessary when we are only watering 2 days a week, My system is equipped with a weather sensor which should be sufficient. I’m all for conservation and probably use a fraction of water compared to others, but if we cannot accommodate moderate consumer demand during a non-drought period, then something has to give. We have become so complacent about poor service that it’s becoming business as usual in Ridgewood. We should outsource our water to professionals, rather than have a council of volunteers making decisions on a complicated subject they know nothing about.
Zero enforcement. On Friday I saw watering during the day, even on busy Glen Ave by Travell.
Either enforce it or scrap it.And I agree with you it taste like shit and smells like chlorine , apparently management has let our clean deep wells fall into disrepair and chooses to buy surface water to supplant the deficiency so it must be treated with chlorine . Which brings up the question. So we buy all want then why both to restrict ? Just allow irrigation at 3-6am so the inadequate storage tanks don’t get depleted.
Since we must water only during dark hours and only certain days, hire some students to drive around town at 6AM and see all the wet streets (they dry pretty quickly but often are there until 8.) Another good clue is a green lawn–those are the houses that need checking. make a list and have those houses have an early morning check. The town could make a fortune on the fines.
April 7,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood
Ridgewood NJ, Fair share housing is driving all the high density housing in Bergen County and the rest of the state ,destroying neighborhoods and communities in their wake. . Anyone who is saying I am progressive and I want to run for higher level office in NJ, and at the same time saying “I will oppose” high density development, is not being honest with voters. This and the “rainbow flag” is the only progressive cause where they can show their voting record in Ridgewood to gain a ticket for higher office in NJ. This is exactly with Harwin’s mentor Paul Aronsohn did in 2008 and what a mess that made.
Fair Share Housing using the “Mount laurel Doctrine” clams to be helping working families but instead seems to be the DEVEOPERS BEST FRIEND. Forced over development creates more demand for police, fire, schools, roads ,sewers ,electric and water. , Often over whelming the infrastructure of the target town.
The back ground ,the New Jersey Supreme Court, in Mount Laurel I (1975) and Mount Laurel II (1983), declared that municipal land use regulations that prevent affordable housing opportunities for the poor are unconstitutional and ordered all New Jersey municipalities to plan, zone for, and take affirmative actions to provide realistic opportunities for their “fair share” of the region’s need for affordable housing for low and moderate-income people. Peter J. O’Connor, founder and Executive Director of Fair Share Housing Center, was one of three attorneys who brought the original Mount Laurel litigation.
The Mount Laurel Doctrine, which prohibits economic discrimination against the poor by the state and municipalities in the exercise of their land use powers, was the first case of its type in the nation and is widely regarded as one of the most significant civil rights cases in the United States since Brown v. Board of Education (1954). The Mount Laurel Doctrine today is a cornerstone of land use courses in all of our nation’s law schools.
In 1985, the New Jersey Legislature, in direct response to the Mount Laurel decisions, enacted the Fair Housing Act, which created the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) to assess the statewide need for affordable housing, allocate that need on a municipal fair share basis, and review and approve municipal housing plans aimed at implementing the local fair share obligation.
A new Village Master Plan document will guide Ridgewood’s development 40 plus years into the future making it critically important for trusted, experienced Council members to be active participants. Council members with a proven track record of protecting resident property values, Ridgewood neighborhoods, and the character of the Village we call home. Mayor Knudsen is the most experienced Council member in the area of Municipal Land Use making her participation important to the future of the Village. Experienced Council members with a comprehensive understanding of Municipal Land Use patterns, development and zoning, will serve the community best as we begin the exciting Master Plan process.
February 1 2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, during a question and answer at last nights Village council meeting, Councilmen Ramone Hache asked Richard Calbi of Ridgewood Water if it would be feasible to stem contaminates before they get into the water supply? Calbi answered that the best alternative to lower the Village’s consumption of Water. Saying Ridgewood Water’s goal is to get people to use less water outside lessening the need for the amount of water and the amount of water that needs to be treated .
Councilwomen Bernie Walsh followed up asking the obvious question ,what wells will the four new high density multi family developments draw from, what’s going to be the challenge? Richard Calbi claims New Jersey state calculations show Ridgewood with surplus water but the reality is far different during peak demand. Calbi then admitted there is going to be new demand with the developments but hedged that there was already a demand on those sites in the past , Calbi than made an astonishing assessment that in each development there would be an increase in consumption due to the amount of dwelling going in .
Mayor Knudsen jumped in and asked for clarification of the paper number and the real number, and Richard Calbi reiterated that at peak times during the summer Ridgewood Water simple does not have the capacity. Thus the need for water restrictions.
Was not the Village previously told that the new high density developments would lead to NO INCREASE IN WATER CONSUMPTION ? Can no flush Friday be far behind ?
November 1st 2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Water begins to prepare residents for further water usage cuts . On there Facebook page they posted, “a fun reminder to help conserve water? Ridgewood Water has 5-Minute Shower Timers available to customers at our office located in Village Hall, 131 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood. ”
First they restricted watering :Stage II restrictions (2 days per week irrigation) were imposed in June 2016 and are still in effect in Glen Rock, Midland Park, Ridgewood and Wyckoff. Without these restrictions, the use of drinking water for irrigation will continue increasing toward levels that are unsustainable regardless of drought conditions. To reverse this trend, an ordinance was approved by the Village Council on April 12, 2017 to amend the provisions governing Watering and Water Emergencies in the Village of Ridgewood Code. Changes include:
Making 2 days per week irrigation permanent year round,
Restricting irrigation hours to limit losses to evaporation,
Restricting irrigation using private wells to 2 days a week,
Adding new exemptions, including drip irrigation and smart controllers.
With four major high density housing projects going up in the Central Business District is Ridgewood Water getting the Village ready for further water restrictions?
file photo by Boyd Loving
Lot of water leaks in town – – our infrastructure is aging and we need to take preventive steps. At the same time, we need to be prepared for the additional strain of the hundreds of new families who are going to be moving downtown once the projects are completed.
Is the council taking steps for this gathering storm?
!. No enforcement of the new restrictions in any other town but Ridgewood.
2. Increase water rates in the future when water sales are reduced because of the restrictions.
3. Increased restrictions in the future because of the new developments
4. Law suit pending against Rdgewood Water If Ridgewood Water loses the suit the amount to be paid will be the soul responsible of Ridgewood taxpayers.
5 Continue request for money by Ridgewood Water at almost every Council meeting
“Facts are important.” Indeed. So where are the facts to support the allegations of mismanagement in this post? All we get are rainfall data which suggest a fundamental lack of appreciation for the difference between groundwater and surface water supplies. Yes, drought conditions impact an aquifer, but up to a point, excess rainfall simply runs off. The problems Ridgewood faces are not unique and have been decades in the making. In a nutshell: too much lawn irrigation (especially automated lawn sprinkling that has proliferated in the last 20 years) and increase in impervious surfacing which increases runoff and diminishes aquifer replenishment.
The fix is a little more complicated other than the obvious idea of preventing people from over-watering their lawns. More tank capacity would help but not solve the problem. You also will face enormous NIMBY resistance to locating such tanks where they are needed in residential areas. Partnering with a surface water supplier? Expensive, but an option if we want to underwrite the lavish lawn irrigation that we seem addicted to. Selling to a private supplier? A nightmare option of increased rates and unresponsive profit-motivated management.
Is RW management perfect? Or even good? Maybe not, but the infrastructure issues here come down to over-development and over-sprinkling of lawns. I see the water restrictions as inevitable and entirely reasonable. Get used to them.
May 16,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Tonights 7:30pm Planning Board meeting at Village Hall is going to be an important one for the fate of Ridgewood and we need you to show up and voice your concerns.
If you are concerned about our current water shortage/restrictions, ask yourself:
How do you think 200-300 added apartments in the proposed high density developments are going to impact this water shortage?
Forget about worrying about your lawn. What about your home? What if there ever was a fire? Should these oversized developments be built and should the current water shortage continue, will there be enough water pressure coming out of your street hydrant to save your house?
The Planning Board is likely to vote for the Ken Smith high density housing site tonight, 7:30pm at the Village Hall courtroom. This water concern is a public safety issue that the Planning Board can vote NO on as the developers have yet to do the proper research to address. Please come out this evening, speak about your concerns at the podium and help protect our village.
The Planning Board can vote NO on the basis that there is a public safety issue with the site plans – which we strongly believe is the case!
Here’s how (courtesy of Dave Slomin) :
WATER: A major safety issue is WATER. When Ridgewood Water testified on housing, they did so before the historic drought of the past two years. If current residents are unable to use water fully on a regular basis, how can we add 200-300 new homes in town? What happens if there is a fire at one of these buildings during peak water usage hours in the summer… that could be a disaster?
TRAFFIC: At the last meeting, there was debate about what level of responsibility falls to the developers to fix new traffic issues they create, all along the Franklin Ave corridor. Right now, they are saying they only have to install lights and signs, right near their building. But even the Planning Board’s own traffic engineer admitted, they don’t know the full impact of this development. But for the CURRENT RESIDENTS… WE NEED TO KNOW!
Until these issues are resolved, the Planning Board must vote NO. Please hold them to that by coming to tomorrow night’s meeting. The future of our downtown depends on it.
Ridgewood Water :
Stage II restrictions (2 days per week irrigation) were imposed in June 2016 and are still in effect in Glen Rock, Midland Park, Ridgewood and Wyckoff. Without these restrictions, the use of drinking water for irrigation will continue increasing toward levels that are unsustainable regardless of drought conditions. To reverse this trend, an ordinance was approved by the Village Council on April 12, 2017 to amend the provisions governing Watering and Water Emergencies in the Village of Ridgewood Code. Changes include:
This ordinance became effective on May 2, 2017 and applies only to Ridgewood, but it is expected that the Boroughs of Glen Rock and Midland Park, and the Township of Wyckoff will enact similar rules as they have in the past. Below is the approved ordinance. Questions can be directed to Ridgewood Water at 201-670-5521 or cswater@ridgewoodnj.net.
ATTENTION: RIDGEWOOD WATER CUSTOMERS IN RIDGEWOOD – PROPOSED CHANGES
Attention: Ridgewood Water Customers in the Village of Ridgewood
Ridgewood NJ, Stage II restrictions (2 days a week irrigation) were imposed in June 2016 and are still in effect in Glen Rock, Midland Park, Ridgewood and Wyckoff. Without these restrictions, the use of drinking water for irrigation will continue increasing toward levels that are unsustainable regardless of drought conditions. To reverse this trend, an ordinance was introduced on March 8, 2017 to amend the provisions governing Water Emergencies in the Village of Ridgewood Code. Changes proposed include:
Making 2 days a week irrigation permanent year round,
Restricting irrigation hours to limit losses to evaporation,
Restricting irrigation using private wells to 2 days a week,
Adding new exemptions, including drip irrigation and smart controllers.
This ordinance applies only to Ridgewood, but it is expected that the Boroughs of Glen Rock and Midland Park, and the Township of Wyckoff will follow suit as they have in the past. Below is the proposed ordinance. Questions can be directed to Ridgewood Water at 201-670-5521 or cswater@ridgewoodnj.net
CLICK HERE for proposed ordinance.
Can Ridgewood Water sue Midland Park & Wyckoff for not enforcing the water department’s restrictions? These towns have no regards for the restrictions and I would love to see how many violations, if any, were filed in theses towns. While Ridgewood residents are getting fined, rightfully so, these towns refused to honor these policies?
October 15,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Stage II (Severe) – Mandatory restriction of irrigation to Tuesdays and Saturdays for properties with odd-numbered addresses and Wednesdays and Sundays for properties with even-numbered addresses. No irrigation shall be allowed on Mondays, Thursdays, or Fridays except for the use of a hand-held hose. Irrigation using a hand held hose shall be allowed at any time.
On July 25th of this year the DEP began urging residents in the affected areas to voluntarily conserve water and for the rest of the state to practice wise water use due to continued dry weather that is impacting levels in reservoirs, lakes, rivers and streams as well as shallow ground water sources.
Ridgewood Water Consumer Forum Tuesday, August 2 at 7:00 pm in
the Youth Center of Ridgewood Village Hall. Village Hall is located at 131 N. Maple Ave.,
Ridgewood. Space is limited, so please register by contacting Donna Omelianuk,
Ridgewood Water, at 201-670-5500 ext. 271 or by email at domelianuk@ridgewoodnj.net
Water Questions!
by Linda McNamara
After talking to many people and watching council meetings when the issues of Ridgewood Water have been discussed ( planning to attend tomorrow night’s meeting!) I was wondering if a card could go out to all the residents in the village as well as to the other towns who use Ridgewood Water with a list of things a home owner can/ should do in order to achieve the best quality of water for home use. I have talked to the water department directly and have received good in formation but a lot of us are still uncertain about what we should be doing. The following are concerns/ questions that have been brought to my attention:
1. How do I find out if my pipes are in need of replacement? I have heard that
there are still many houses with intake pipes that are targeted for replacement
but many of these people are unaware of this. Who pays for this?
2. Better advertisement of how you can get your water tested and the ability to
buy a kit at Village Hall with directions about how to complete the process.
3. I have read in the paper that charcoal filters are recommended for everyone
and if this is the case, what does that involve and what is it removing?
4. How long are we supposed to run our water before use? I have heard
any where from 30 seconds up to 20 minutes. An employee at the water
department suggested filling one’s bath tub and turning on the outside
faucet for several minutes.
5. Many residents are purchasing reverse osmosis units. Is this recommended
and what is this protecting us from?
6. Many residents are concerned about the high levels of chlorine in the water.
Can this be explained and is it permanent?
My biggest concern is that while the town is good about getting information out, unless it is sent to every resident and user of Ridgewood Water, there are many who will never see this information. I have heard concerns from people who actually are the most informed and they are unsure. Quality water is so important to every individual and a simple fact sheet( possibly something we could put on our refrigerator door!) would be of great service to all users of Ridgewood Water. Thank you so much for your attention to this important matter.
