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South River updates water-main replacement; service-line replacements undecided
Summary
Council staff reported surveying and test-pit work for an 18th and 16th Street water-main replacement project and said design and permitting are underway; residents asked whether private service lines will be replaced and staff said it is too early to determine ownership or replacement scope.
Borough staff told the council the town has begun preparatory work for the 18th and 16th Street water-main replacement project and that surveying and test pits will start in the coming weeks.
The update came during the council's February 2025 meeting, when a staff speaker said the borough received data from its consultant and that surveying would begin in about a week. “Surveying is starting approximately in 1 week. Test pits and development of the plan and the test pits, we submitted to the subcontractor of the locations. A hundred and 7 locations were found,” the staff speaker said.
The speaker noted some test locations may encounter conditions such as underground tanks or utilities within the right-of-way; those findings will affect permitting and the road-opening permit the borough will request from the county.
During public comment, resident Jim Hutchison (38 Virginia Street) asked whether the borough planned to replace customer-owned service lines when the mains are replaced. The council and staff responded that it is “too early” in the project to make decisions on service-line ownership or replacement and that those issues will be determined as design and funding are finalized.
The meeting also included updates on related local transportation and utility projects. A staff update described ongoing work under multiple NJDOT local aid grants (FY 2022, 2023 and 2024 programs), with roadway paving and final work scheduled for spring, and said consultants were preparing design submissions for electrical substation maintenance and stormwater grant applications.
No binding decisions on private-service-line replacement were made during the meeting; staff said they will coordinate further with consultants and with county permitting authorities as the project advances.
