Maple Shade reviews lead-service-line plan, well issues and overnight sewer tie-in

Town engineers briefed the council on multiple water and infrastructure projects, including lead-service-line replacement planning, a scheduled sewer-force-main tie-in and a well with an emerging contaminant that may require future treatment and funding.

The engineer reported the township has an NJIB application for lead-service-line replacement and hopes to advertise bids for replacement work with a June 3 bid date. The team said roughly 150 definite suspect services remain on the most recent list after prior meter-replacement work helped reduce the number from an initial list of more than 400; exploratory work to confirm service materials was described as an initial $2,000-per-home effort where necessary.

Engineers also said a tie-in on Route 73 for the Main Street force main would begin at 8 p.m. and run through the night, with notices given to nearby residents because of hauling trucks and nighttime traffic. Staff earlier said that such work must be done during low-flow hours and that trucks will be present.

On water quality, the engineer reported an emerging contaminant (referred to in the transcript as “POS”) in one Main Street well is at or near current maximum contaminant levels and that new regulatory limits scheduled for 2029 could require carbon filtration at the plant. The engineer said possible funding routes include I-Bank loans and tracking litigation settlement funds, but cautioned that funding distribution and eligibility remain uncertain.

Council discussed prioritizing infrastructure repairs ahead of road repaving to avoid later trenching and rework, and raised coordination concerns with utility companies (notably PSE&G) that sometimes trench newly paved streets; members suggested revisiting moratorium or bonding rules to protect capital investments.