Toll Brothers Runoff Alleged to Have Contaminated Drinking Water in Saddle River Valley

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Upper Saddle River NJ, PLEASANT BROOK made the news again today. Scott Fallon from The Record published photo of Pleasant Brook taken by GreenUSR community volunteer Derek Michalski. Pleasant Brook is under constant assault by giant construction company Toll Brothers that decided to dewater 100 plus acres of construction desert in the middle of the town by pumping dirty muddy water called “colloidal clay” directly into the brook that divides 19 Meadowbrook Rd and 1 Lake Street in Upper Saddle River. These two mega construction projects are being developed by Toll Brothers. Between those two sites 150 acres of land will be dewater over the course of next 2-5 years. According to renowned environmental lawyer and ground water pollution expert from Boston, Matt Pawa who visited the area last month approximately 200 families in the corridor of Pleasant Brook are at potential health risk.

Recently District Director Catherine Best, a U.S. House of Representative, contacted local resident and GreenUSR volunteer Derek Michalski on behalf of Congressman Josh Gottheimer and requested more information regarding this ongoing pollution. Since arsenic water pollution is a serious matter, the congressman seems to be genuinely interested in this small body of water called Pleasant Brook and its implications on the local Bergen County aquifer. In the recent months, the congressman was very vocal regarding lead pollution disovered by another large corporation, Suez, in some of its water pipes in the area. Additionally, Suez has two wells located in Upper Saddle River which only adds to the community anxiety. But Derek Michalski states: if you think only lead is bad for you think twice. If you think the latest warning coming from the office of our congressman about increased levels of lead in some of our public drinking water lines is alarming just imagine what the combination of arsenic and lead can do to infants, young children, adults and our senior citizens who drink water from contaminated wells in Bergen County. I believe it’s time for Congressman Gottheimer and other county and state politicians to demand townwide well water testing in Saddle River Valley. The Suez contamination episode from last month should be a clear warning sign that not only in cash strapped Flint Michigan is the public at risk but also in one of the most affluent zip codes in America 07458 the danger of digesting well water contaminated with lead or even worse arsenic by its residents is real. As a homeowner of a contaminated well, I publicly ask Congressman Josh Gothheimer to extend his inquiry beyond lead pollution and focus on both LEAD & ARSENIC pollution! Residents of Mahwah, Ramsey, Upper and Saddle River have waited enough and, now, since their wells are showing increased level of arsenic every day is crucial. My well is already contaminated with arsenic, added Derek Michalski and although I don’t have children we have hundreds of other families with children and I am fighting now for them and their future health.