Ridgewood Water details 2024 improvements and plans to prevent boil water advisories

Ridgewood Water is making significant strides in improving its infrastructure and communication, as highlighted in the recent Village Council meeting. In 2024, the utility successfully installed and rehabilitated 1.4 miles of water main, addressing aging infrastructure across the four municipalities it serves.

Key initiatives include the launch of a service advisory map to keep residents informed about outages, and the introduction of the "Ridgewood Water Weekly" newsletter, which shares updates on ongoing projects through social media and the utility's website. A new lead service line replacement program has also been implemented, with over 500 residents signing up and more than 200 homeowners completing replacements independently.

Ridgewood Water received the New Jersey DEP's inaugural "Waters Work It" award, recognizing its commitment to water quality and service. The utility is set to enhance its operations further by restructuring its treatment division and implementing a facility maintenance division to ensure better upkeep of remote well sites.

Looking ahead, Ridgewood Water plans to install a booster station on Lehi Avenue to improve water flow and prevent future boil water advisories, a concern that arose last fall. Officials are optimistic that these improvements will be operational by late spring or early summer, ensuring a reliable water supply during peak usage months.