BY JENNIFER AMATO
Staff Writer
NORTH BRUNSWICK – A study of the township’s water supply has determined that rehabilitating the existing water treatment plant will be more cost effective than purchasing water from surrounding towns.
After nine months of analysis, water engineering firm CH2MHill and township engineer CME Associates presented five different options based on water demand, cost, advantages and disadvantages and affordability to the Township Council on Monday. They compared purchasing water from American Water, Middlesex Water, the city of New Brunswick, or a combination of New Brunswick and American Water, and compared these options to repairing the current facility located on the corner of Suydam and Canal roads in Franklin Township.
“The heart of the water treatment plant is the filters,” Paul Malmrose of CH2MHill said. “Once we get that in shape we should be good for a really long time.”
The North Brunswick plant was built in the 1960s and upgraded in the 1980s and 1990s after suffering from a fire in 1989. Currently, 6 million gallons per day are produced, but due to age and permit requirements, the equipment has exceeded its useful life, according to Malmrose. The gravity filters implemented in the 1960s and the pressure filters constructed in the 1990s present the most concerns about technical and functional obsolescence, according to Business Administrator Robert Lombard.
From a technical point of view, although the pipelines of American Water in Franklin and Middlesex Water in Edison could potentially reach North Brunswick, the project could be long and costly and New Brunswick’s northern lines would have to be increased in diameter to support the township.
From a financial point of view, the estimated costs over a 30-year period would be higher to accommodate these options rather than upgrading the township’s own water-treatment facility. Focused around water purchase, distribution system, operations and management, new treatment plant debt service, MCIA debt and yearly removal and replacement costs, it was determined the township’s best interest lies in remaining in-house.
“I think with [CME consultant] Tim’s [Gillen] cost it looks pretty obvious what we would select,” Malmrose said, in regards to an average cost of $8.41 million over a 30-year period for a township facility compared to prices ranging from $12.41 million to $13.63 million for utilizing outside sources.
Gillen said that North Brunswick’s population is expected to eclipse 40,000 residents by 2012, which is a projected 5 percent increase in each five-year period. He expects the future water production requirement to be 8 million gallons per day with peak times seeing 10 million gallons per day. Since he believes there will be a relatively stable, small projection for growth, any future industries relocating to the town should not affect the water supply.
Malmrose also mentioned the advantages of the township’s ability to control its own rates and the significant savings due to minimal operating and management costs as well as a minimized capital cost. However, he suggested that repairing the plant in two phases would be more of an optimal cost-effective solution.
“Our initial evaluation indicates that this goal is achievable. We can maintain rates of 3 percent and provide a good quality of drinking water,” he said.
If the council accepts the recommendation, the next steps would be to work on a phased implementation upgrade, evaluate project costs to repair and replace only the essential components, pursue funding for the first phase and define water treatment objectives and priorities for the $26 million project, according to Malmrose.
“I think the simple conclusion is to say this does work,” Lombard said.
In October 2002, the township entered into a 20-year agreement with American Water Services to manage its treatment plant, including system maintenance, bill collecting and ensuring the production of safe drinking water. The township owns the treatment plant and pays for all capital improvements.