‘Gray water’ may be available during drought
Sewerage authority may make effluent available
to member towns
MONMOUTH BEACH — In an effort to help out in the drought, the Two Rivers Water Reclamation Authority is exploring whether it can make available to businesses or municipalities the effluent from its sewage plant for watering flowers or other purposes.
The authority’s board directed Michael A. Gianforte, executive director of the agency, at its March 19 meeting to check with the state Department of Environmental Protection to see if it could dispense treated sewage water to those wanting it while restrictions are imposed on the use of fresh water.
Board member William Baarck noted that the authority dumps millions of gallons of treated water in the ocean every day. He said the authority ought to make an effort to make that water available to those who need it.
Board Attorney William J. O’Hagan said another authority he was familiar with had wanted to make its effluent available to water a golf course next door, but the DEP wouldn’t approve that use of it.
"That goes back about 20 years," he added.
But Gianforte said Evesham Township had just received a WAVE award from the Association of Environmental Authorities for pumping treated sewage water onto a township golf course. He said the Linden-Roselle Sewerage Authority was making its effluent available for industrial cooling purposes.
Gianforte reported he had received an inquiry from Sea Bright Mayor Gregory W. Harquail as to whether treated water would be available to fill a 500-gallon tank of the borough’s to water plantings around town.
Harquail, questioned later, said he made the inquiry because Sea Bright’s Beautification Committee was doing planning for its summer and year-round plantings and didn’t want to go forward with them in light of the drought without some assurance that water would be available to nourish them.
He said that in the summer the borough puts a 500-gallon plastic tank on the back of a public works truck, which normally is filled up at the borough garage, to go around town and water flower pots, bushes and evergreens.
Harquail said he approached the sewerage authority about using its "gray water" and wanted to know two things: Would it be beneficial or detrimental to the plants and whether there would be any odor from the effluent. He said he was assured the water would not harm the plants and would have no odor.
"We still would like to have the town look nice and flowery," he said. "Hopefully we won’t need it, but we would like to have it if necessary."
Gianforte said he already has written the DEP to ask whether member or customer towns could use the authority’s effluent for landscaping or road maintenance. He said he would want the authority to recoup any cost involved to it, but that no determination has been made how much to charge.
Baarck told the other board members the authority’s position; if it gets DEP approval, residents should be bring their own containers to get the effluent.
But O’Hagan said he could see many problems with such an arrangement.
"You think it’s going to be used for one purpose and the recipient may use it for another," he said. "We could hold harmless the recipient, but that wouldn’t affect a third party" to whom the treated sewage water might be given.
Baarck said it would be a shame if that resource couldn’t be used.
"It’s a shame if we get sued," O’Hagan responded.