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Ridgewood water director outlines multiple service contract and PFAS spending recommendations
Summary
Ridgewood Water Director Rich Calbee presented a package of recommended 2026 service contracts and treatment purchases — including wells repair, HVAC, corrosion inhibitor, PFAS media, and asset-management work — that will be considered for formal approval at the council’s regular meeting.
Ridgewood Water Director Rich Calbee told the Village Council at a Jan. 7 work session that the utility is recommending a slate of contracts and purchases for 2026, ranging from routine maintenance to PFAS-treatment operations.
Calbee said the low bidder for servicing water wells and pumping facilities was AC Schulte's at $249,340 and staff recommended a service contract for the year not to exceed $500,000, to be paid from the water operating budget. He also reported a low HVAC bid (KCG) of $37,375 and recommended a not-to-exceed HVAC maintenance contract of $48,000 for 2026.
On water quality, Calbee recommended buying a proprietary corrosion inhibitor from ESC Environmental, noting the system’s most recent lead test averaged 2.7 parts per billion against the New Jersey action level of 15 ppb. He recommended purchasing the chemical for up to $300,918.20 from the operating budget.
Calbee said annual replacement of granulated activated carbon at PFAS treatment facilities will be budgeted for four plants this year, now that a Glenrock facility is online, and he recommended $363,600 for that allowance. He also asked the council to approve the final year of a three-year contract for the Water Smart customer portal and InvoiceCloud for $48,106.70 and a new three-year shared-service contract with Everbridge for emergency notifications not to exceed $49,769.67 (split 25% water, 75% village budgets).
On capital projects, Calbee recommended awarding professional engineering services to Suburban Consulting Engineers for design of a Glen Avenue main replacement (vintage 1920s main) at $177,200 to support improvements around a new pump station. He also requested $350,000 from the water capital budget to develop asset-management plans and standard operating procedures for eight to nine PFAS facilities, which the I‑Bank funding requires.
Calbee recommended a shared-service agreement to provide coliform and E. coli testing for the borough of Hawthorne at $20.30 per sample (with annual increases) and said the Ridgewood lab could expand similar services to adjoining utilities. He also asked the council to approve change order No. 3 for the ravine PFOS treatment professional services agreement with Mott MacDonald, requesting an additional $39,000 from the water capital budget because of contractor delays and noting the contractor is paying daily liquidated damages. Finally, staff recommended refunding an overpayment of $7,425.41 to a property at 500 Route 17.
These items were presented for discussion at a work session; Calbee and staff said formal authorization will occur during the village’s regular public meeting next week.
