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Montclair revisits proposed municipal well in park amid PFAS and permit deadlines
Summary
The township’s utilities director outlined a plan for a fourth municipal well to improve water quality and resilience, warned a permit‑extension deadline of 12/31/2033, said PFAS were found in a prior test, and estimated construction costs near $5.5 million while noting multiple regulatory and community approvals would be required.
Michael Primavera, Montclair’s Director of Utilities, described a renewed push to develop a fourth municipal well—referred to in the meeting with variant spellings (transcript: Nichuain/Nisheen/Nishwane)—that he said could produce roughly 1,000 gallons per minute and improve local water quality and system resilience.
Primavera said an action window exists to preserve the township’s allocation permitting and that Montclair must take clear steps by “12/31/2033” to avoid losing the allocation and triggering a lengthy re‑permitting process. He said a 72‑hour pump test at target flow (1,000 gpm) and comprehensive NJDEP sampling would be required to design the treatment chain and to pursue construction permits, soil‑erosion permits and potential Green Acres land‑use approvals.
On contaminants, Primavera said a small 24‑hour pump test run in April 2024 (100 gpm sampling over three eight‑hour runs) detected PFAS and other constituents that would require treatment. “We did find PFAS and other things in the water, so we would have to treat for that,” he said, and added that treatment options (activated carbon, ion‑exchange) will shape the ultimate plant footprint.
Primavera estimated a current construction cost of about $5.5 million, and said the township would explore financing through the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank, the state revolving fund and competitive grants to reduce local borrowing. He also framed resilience benefits: with an additional permitted well, Montclair would reduce costly seasonal leased water and be better prepared for large main failures like the 2022 North Jersey main break that disrupted service regionally.
Residents raised park‑use and design concerns, Green Acres replacement funding obligations, noise and the project footprint; Primavera said the town would hold community meetings before advancing large‑scale construction and that substantial design and permitting work (including the 72‑hour pump test) must precede those presentations. He emphasized that current Montclair water meets NJDEP standards and said the well would generally improve chlorine residuals and reduce disinfection by‑products in the southern wards during summer months.
No formal vote or binding authorization to build was taken at the meeting; Primavera presented technical steps and funding pathways and requested community input as the township moves toward formal testing and permit applications.
