County cracks down
as drought drags on
By gloria stravelli
Staff Writer
County Freeholders are urging residents and businesses to improve efforts to comply with drought restrictions or face the consequences.
Acting at the urging of a local water resources agency, freeholders have proposed a resolution calling for strict compliance with state mandated water-use restrictions imposed in response to the continuing drought.
The resolution, expected to be approved this week, calls on county citizens "to make additional efforts to conserve water with the goal of avoiding a critical water shortage and greater restrictions in the future."
Last week, the Monmouth County Water Resources Association (MCWRA), a consortium of stakeholders in the county’s water supply, made a presentation to freeholders seeking their help in raising public awareness of the long-term drought affecting the area and of the importance of complying with drought restrictions.
Vincent Domidion, chairman of the MCWRA, told freeholders drought conditions began in 1998, and said the public lacks a basic understanding of the factors that affect the county’s water supply.
"What is not readily understood is that this drought is anchored in declining stream flows," he told freeholders. Domidion, Colts Neck, explained that streams help maintain water levels in reservoirs and stream flow is impacted by ground water levels. The long-term drought, he said, means groundwater is not being replenished, ultimately impacting reservoir levels.
To help raise public awareness, the MCWRA will initiate a Drought Watch Box with data on rainfalls, stream flows and reservoir levels on the county Web site, www.visitmonmouth.com, he announced.
"We are seeing an apparent lack of compliance with drought restrictions on the part of the public," Domidion said following the meeting. "Watering is going on despite the prohibition, and we see that as a result of insufficient understanding of the central component of stream flow. This is the component that people don’t tend to understand. Until flow is restored, we will not have the level of support necessary to sustain the reservoirs during dry periods."
Monmouth County Emergency Management Coordinator Harry Conover, a MCWRA member, told the workshop meeting that his office will issue a summons to violators who could face fines of $1,000 and penalties of up to six months in jail for each violation.
Under an order issued by the state Department of Environmental Protection, homeowners and businesses are prohibited from watering lawns, and washing cars, impervious surfaces and buildings.
David Legg, manager of New Jersey-American Water Co., Shrewsbury, updated freeholders on the water supply.
Legg told the meeting the Swimming River Reservoir, the county’s major source of drinking water, was at 50 percent levels by the end of August. The reservoir is normally at 91 percent during August and 89.6 percent in September.
Rainfall of 2.79 inches Aug. 29 raised that level to 62 percent, he said. Another .7 inches fell Sept. 1, and 1.5 inches Sept. 2, raising the reservoir to 76.7 percent capacity.
"We need to make sure everyone’s complying" with drought restrictions, he said. "If we are able to do that, we may be able to go into next summer and meet everyone’s needs."
William Simmons, environmental health coordinator with the county Health Department, told freeholders 90 domestic wells have run dry as a result of the prolonged drought.
The Water Resources Association was created by freeholders in 1985 to advise the board on water resource issues. The agency is comprised of the heads of county departments involved with water issues as well as citizen members, public health officers, and representatives of water purveyors, sewerage authorities, environmental groups and municipal governments.