The Ridgewood Water Paradox: National Awards vs. Local Frustrations
photos courtesy of the Village of Ridgewood
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Is the Village of Ridgewood a national leader in water safety, or is there a transparency gap leaving residents in the dark?
Recently, Mayor Paul Vagianos and Ridgewood Water Director Richard Calbi took the stage at NJIT’s Workshop on Translational Research and Technology Innovations for PFAS Decontaminations. To the room of state legislators and environmental experts, Ridgewood was hailed as being “well ahead of the curve” in the fight against “forever chemicals.”
However, back at home, the sentiment among some residents is a bit more complicated.
The “Leader” Label: What Happened at NJIT?
At the workshop, Ridgewood Water was recognized for its proactive stance on PFAS decontamination. While many towns are just beginning to acknowledge the presence of these chemicals, Ridgewood has been actively presenting data and collaborating on cutting-edge research.
The accolades focus on the Village’s commitment to finding long-term technical solutions to a crisis that is sweeping the nation.
The Reality at the Tap: 40 Quarters of Challenges
Despite the praise on the national stage, local data reveals a long-standing struggle. Ridgewood Water has reported levels exceeding NJDEP guidelines for PFAS for over 40 consecutive quarters. For residents, the frustration isn’t just about the chemicals—it’s about the delivery of the news.
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Transparency Concerns: Current flyers and communications have been criticized for burying the data behind QR codes and secondary links rather than placing the numbers front and center.
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The Waiting Game: While relief was initially promised by 2023, the timeline for permanent infrastructure fixes has shifted. Residents are now looking at late 2026 or early 2027 for the completed upgrades.
Conservation or Necessity? Summer Water Rationing
Adding to the tension is the Village’s strict water rationing policy. While the limits on summer watering are officially messaged under the banner of environmental conservation, many locals wonder if the rationing is a direct result of the PFAS crisis and the limited availability of “clean” wells during peak demand.
“We are being told we are ahead of the curve, but our residents are still clicking through three links just to see the latest PFAS exceedance data.”
What’s Next for Ridgewood?
The recognition at NJIT proves that Ridgewood is a laboratory for water innovation. However, for the Village to truly lead, the “translational research” must translate into clearer communication and swifter infrastructure completion.
Stay Informed: To see the latest water quality reports for yourself, visit the Ridgewood Water Quality Portal.
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Tags: #RidgewoodNJ #PFAS #WaterQuality #LocalGovernment #Transparency #NewJerseyNews #EnvironmentalHealth
Thank you for summarizing the current state of affairs. You did forget the millions of dollars RW is spending to fix the problem and the quarterly PFAS fees we are paying that will continue another ten years according to Mr. Calbi during a budget meeting in 2024. Mr Calbi also told us he was fixing PFAS by 2021, then he said 2023 then 2025, and now 2026 or 2027 when the last facility is fixed. Shouldn’t we see some improvement with the 11 facilities that have been upgraded. Just saying….