State wants township to make changes in rock salt storage

West Amwell cited for polluting a nearby well due to improper storage

By: Paul French Jr.
   WEST AMWELL — The state says improperly stored road salt in the township’s public works yard is polluting a nearby well, but municipal officials say they’ve done everything they can until a new storage facility is built next year.
   The township was notified by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection that it still needs to make some changes after it was found in violation for discharging pollutants.
   Township Clerk Betty Jane Hunt distributed a letter from the DEP to members of the Township Committee Aug. 8. The letter was received July 31.
   The letter stated the DEP had received complaints concerning high levels of sodium chloride in a private well located at 255 Mount Airy-Harbourton Road. March 20, the department started an investigation and issued the township a notice of violation for "unpermitted discharge of pollutants (road salt)" from the township Department of Public Works yard. The yard is located at 258 Mount Airy-Harbourton Road and is used to store the township’s supply of road salt.
   Since being notified of the violation in March, the township responded by supplying bottled water to the resident and conducting samplings on 10 private wells located on Mount Airy-Harbourton Road.
   The township also repaired the leaking roof of the storage shed containing the road salt to prevent stormwater from entering the building and discharging pollutants. A tarp was placed over remaining rock salt that is exposed and keeping the shed doors from closing.
   According to the letter, the township is planning to eliminate the salt storage shed and utilize a proposed salt storage building to be built at Hunterdon County’s new facility in the township. The county anticipates the construction to be complete in 2002.
   The letter stated the department is concerned with the lack of "managerial oversight for this facility," citing the poor condition of the storage shed and the exposed salt as examples. The department is requiring the township to provide effective management or supervision of the public works yard to prevent future problems. The department also is requiring several written quarterly reports detailing levels of sodium chloride in nearby wells.
   "First of all, we have to think, are we saying that it is our fault?" Ms. Hunt said. "And should we be?"
   Most of the committee felt enough already had been done by the township.
   Committeemen Peter Buchsbaum asked what the township was supposed to do.
   "We’ve complied as far as I’m concerned," Ms. Hunt said.
   Mayor Gary Bleacher suggested inviting a representative from the DEP to come to the next township Board of Health meeting.
   "I think there are some issues to take up here," he said.