Reader asks after 15 years of summer water restrictions do the “buffoons” at Ridgewood Water really think there will be no impact from all the multi family housing proposals ?

Reader says , How could the stupid buffoon possibly say there will not be a water impact. What planet is he living on???

We have had lots of rain each week and yet we are in a water shortage right now. How does the prospect of 500 to 1,000 new toilets, showers, sinks, dishwashers and other water using things not increase the use of water?

Did anyone suggest he should quit his job and go be a politician as long as he is going to be so blatantly damn stupid???

Ridgewood NJ , While seasonal water restrictions remain in effect :

Seasonal Water Restrictions – Stage 1 Restrictions Now in Effect

During the summer months, water use increases dramatically due to lawn and garden irrigation. Ridgewood Water strives to provide the maximum allowable amount of water. The supply is sometimes exceeded by the demand during hot and dry weather The excess demand lowers the reserves in storage tanks, jeopardizing the ability to fight fires..

June 1st – Stage 1 Water restrictions began and will continue to the end August.

Ridgewood Water claims they, “would not be impacted by the proposal to amend the village’s master plan to allow high-density housing, but the village’s need for open space would be exacerbated, experts told the Planning Board at a meeting July 15.” https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-experts-weigh-in-on-housing-proposals-1.1053299

Reader asks…  The question should be why does the expert think that using the predicted 20,000 gallons of water a day will not have an adverse effect on the water table? That is 7.3 million gallons a year based on their numbers. I do not understand how we have that much extra water since we have to use water restrictions every summer.

Readers were not buying the claims one bit , The water restrictions put in place are not based upon available water but, rather, Ridgewood Waters ability to pump it in an emergency situation. There IS enough water in the aquifer, but we do not have the infrastructure to provide it in times of high demand and the restrictions guarantee (hopefully) that there will be water avaialable in an emergency. Hence, restrictions which allow only half of the households in the Village to water on any given day. Mondays are used to rechagre Ridgewood Waters tanks.

That being noted, if we need water restrictions now to ensure public safety, how will adding all of these housing units effect the Village. I realize that they will not come with lawns but they will be using water (20,000 gallons/day).