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Ramsey updates water infrastructure plans: PFAS treatment, lead-line replacements and financing steps discussed
Summary
Council members and staff reported progress on PFAS treatment planning, lead service line replacement compliance and funding steps; submissions to the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank are under review and a bond ordinance for project funding is planned.
Officials at the May 20 Ramsey Mayor and Council meeting updated the public on work to address PFAS in drinking water, the state-mandated lead service line replacement program, and related financing steps.
Councilwoman Cusick, reporting for utilities and public works, said H2M — the borough's architecture and engineering firm — "is working with the Ramsey Water Department regarding treatment approaches" for PFAS at the borough's wells and treatment facilities. She said Arrow Road and other well projects (Darlington, Brookfield, North Central and Spring Street) were submitted to the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank for funding; Arrow Road was submitted in August 2024 and the others in February 2025. The iBank was still reviewing environmental planning documents as of the May 20 meeting.
On lead service lines, Cusick said the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's replacement legislation requires that "all lead service lines served by the water system be replaced by the year 2031." The borough's public works owns the service line from the main to the curb stop; property owners own the line from the curb stop into the building. The borough is preparing a bond ordinance that will include Board of Public Works funding for the next phase of mandated lead replacements, Snyder Avenue water-main upgrades, PFAS design work, and the PFAS treatment project to be bid later in the year. Finch Park court resurfacing and lighting and an initial phase of an upgrade to the emergency communications network and radios were also noted as borough projects to be included in upcoming bond ordinances, with roughly 50% of the Finch Park funding expected to be offset by previously obtained open-space grants.
Cusick also said the borough's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report is being completed; a CCR postcard will be mailed in June and the full report will be available on the Ramsey website starting July 1. Separately, Councilman Kilman reported that the Ramsey Emergency Services Complex project remains under further review; the plan and bid package must be submitted to the state Office of the Controller for review before the work may be bid, and there were no estimated dates for those steps.
No formal council action to award contracts or to adopt the pending bond ordinance was taken at the May 20 meeting; staff were reporting status and preparing applications and draft ordinances for future council consideration.
