file photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Mayor Susan Knudsen announced that the Village of Ridgewood has been approved for a direct grant in 2022 in the amount of $2,800,000 from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) .
The $2.8 million funds will be used as a direct revenue offset for 2022 planned capital expenses of $3.5 million for the drinking water treatment facilities construction project known as the Ravine Treatment Plant. Scheduled for completion in 2023, the Ravine Treatment Plant will provide a regional solution to treat Ridgewood Water’s drinking water for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in the local raw water drinking sources.
“When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?”
Don Quixote
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“Ridgewood Water customers will be the benefactors of one of the largest singular and direct clean water funding items in support of the region’s most important water treatment initiative,” Mayor Knudsen said. Knudsen further explained that, “The Village of Ridgewood and all of the residents of New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District are fortunate to have Senator Menendez and Congressman Gottheimer in Congress with their extensive knowledge on clean drinking water issues and problem solving around financial matters fighting to bring home this Federal funding.” The grant for the Ravine Treatment Plant capital project, to be funded by a State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG), was brought to the attention of Congressman Josh Gottheimer and Senator Menendez by Mayor Knudsen last year as a result of her ongoing efforts to seek funding for Ridgewood Water customers in support of drinking water projects that will reduce the cost burden created by PFAS contamination to rate payers throughout the Ridgewood Water territory (Glen Rock, Midland Park, Ridgewood, Wyckoff).
Mayor Knudsen added, “Without this federal assistance, this expensive treatment cost would have been placed solely on the Ridgewood Water consumers who draw from the Brunswick Aquifer. No family should need to singularly bear the financial brunt of this necessary infrastructure modernization as neither the utility nor the customers are responsible for placing this contaminant in the raw water source.” This project will help ensure that Ridgewood Water meets NJ DEP and US EPA standards for PFAS contaminants by bringing the system to non-detection levels.
PFAS contamination affects several municipalities in North Jersey, including those serviced by Ridgewood. The problem is pervasive, regional and singularly one of the most expensive treatment projects taken on by a publicly owned utility of this size in recent history in New Jersey. Knudsen acknowledged, “The Village of Ridgewood is grateful to have the services of Director Rich Calbi and the staff of Ridgewood Water for quickly applying to and complying with this grant process, for their expertise in this area and for all of their work to ensure that our drinking water meets or exceeds the standards set by our public health officials.”
2.8 million up for the taking by government pet projects. Menendez and Stock Wiz Kid Josh get a photo op with Ramone poking his head in. Paulie V at Josh’s heels. And Ridgewood water will still sell contaminated water.
need to post the key facts on the PFAS/PFOS contamination levels in the latest quarterly report from R Wood H2O. Only 1 or 2 out of 23 ? processing locations can NOW handle removal? Need to cite the facts on cancer causing effects, links from cosuming specific quantities of water at the current PFAS/PFOS levels! Most customers are unaware of the preventative steps/filtration methods and devices that can result in safe levels/filtration. The quarterly report was a staunch example that harkens to the con job noted in the post re: NJ Con-man , Koi Pond Post. Maybe 60 minutes will do a story on it ?!.
…and still the water is poisonous.
the water in ridgewood is dangerous,
it causes cancer and reproductive harm, and ridgewood still allows it to come out of everyone’s faucet. it’s terrible and is hurting people.
Maybe healthbarn can give some of its millions in grant money and help save residents lives instead of the prosperity of the restaurants. Or just stop taking grant money!!!
Drink bottled water. Cook with bottled water. Use bottled water for coffee/tea.
Bottled water is unregulated. There are no standards or guidelines as to what can contain. The major brands are tap water that filters out some solids, not necessarily chemicals, metals, etc. Ridgewood Water has to comply with strict legal standards and attempts to meet guidelines. Ridgewood Water is attempting to acheive state of the science (which is always a moving target.
But you fools keep wasting your money on that unregulated filtered tap water (aka – “bottled water”). Plastic bottles are harmful to your health and the health of the environment. Would it make you feel any better to know that Poland Springs extraction point was, up until recently, within an asphalt plant?
Does Starbucks in Ridgewood use the municipal water to make all their coffee beverages that people enjoy drinking on a daily basis? Do all the restaurants in Ridgewood use this water when preparing the food they sell, or the water they serve to drink?
At this point, I wouldn’t want to eat or drink any food/beverages from Ridgewood. It’s too dangerous. Ridgewood needs to solve the water problem fast. It’s beyond dangerous, and it’s simply reckless to put people’s health at risk.
where would you go instead? All the area towns are in the same boat
Mahwah NJ has a much bigger problem…good for Ridgewood NJ to address this for residents! Ridgewood NJ is still a beautiful village… wonderful shops and restaurants, beautiful real estate… great school system.
The water in Ridgewood causes cancer and other serious health problems. Anyone who reads the reports that are mailed out to everyone knows this. It is a very serious problem.
People are going to start getting serious health problems. Lives will be ruined.
People will be moving out of Ridgewood if the water problem isn’t fixed. It needs to be fixed!!!
Show me your data. Thanks.
Ridgewood water quality reports are mailed to everyone with a mailing address in Ridgewood. The reports continue to state that the water is harmful to consume. There is additional data, you have to make the effort to read it. It is a fact the consumption of Ridgewood water is dangerous, it isn’t an opinion.
Ridgewood water causes health problems. Serious health problems.
At this point, state, or even federal, intervention is required. This water is being used in people’s homes and restaurants in towns. This is a VERY serious issue.