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Environmental advisory committee pitches 'Slow Mo Summer' and solar irrigation pilot for Hopper Avenue
Summary
Waldwick’s Environmental Advisory Committee proposed a "Slow Mo Summer" pollinator initiative and presented a solar-powered irrigation pilot for the Hopper Avenue bridge that would draw water from the brook, use solar panels and subsurface 'ollas' to conserve water, and seek grant funding to cover an estimated $11,360 in materials and roughly $12,000 in labor.
Tom, chair of the Borough of Waldwick’s Environmental Advisory Committee, asked the council to consider a “Slow Mo Summer” campaign that encourages residents to mow less during summer months to support pollinators and conserve water. He said the committee would provide signage and school-based demonstration sites and asked the borough to review code language that now labels overgrown lawns as merely “unsightly.”
The committee then introduced a pilot irrigation and beautification project for the Hopper Avenue bridge. David I., an environmental engineer and resident who has served on the committee since its founding, presented a conceptual design for four railing-mounted planter boxes irrigated by a solar-powered transfer pump drawing water from the brook beneath the bridge. “We are not relying on municipal water supply. We’re taking our own water from the Hocus Brook,” David I. told the council, describing a system that would use a transfer pump housed under the bridge, a rain barrel with a filter fabric bag, and terracotta “ollas” (porous water reservoirs) to slowly deliver water to plant roots.
David I. provided equipment and cost estimates: about $11,360 in materials (specified items and U.S. sources for the planter boxes) and nearly $12,000 in labor, with a full installed cost that could reach roughly $26,500 after taxes and a 10% contingency. He said labor could be reduced through volunteer work and student involvement. He proposed pursuing grant funding (noting Sustainable Jersey and potential PSE&G sponsorship) and local fundraising; he said Sustainable Jersey grants typically range from about $2,000 to $20,000 and suggested a target of at least $10,000 to make the pilot feasible.
Council members pressed on maintenance and permitting. David I. said the green team would maintain the installation: “This is us. This is the baby of the green team,” and outlined seasonal maintenance steps (purging lines in winter, replanting and recommissioning in spring). On permitting, council members asked whether the bridge and potential penetrations for pump anchoring were county or state jurisdiction; the mayor directed the borough attorney and staff to check whether tapping the brook or mounting equipment would require external permissions before the project proceeds.
The council welcomed the proposals and encouraged the committee to return with a formal written plan, grant applications and a permitting checklist. David I. estimated, pending approvals and funding, the pilot would take about four to six months to procure, install and commission.
Next steps: the environmental committee will provide its detailed proposal and grant materials to borough staff for review; the borough attorney and DPW will examine permitting and bridge ownership before any work begins.
