FREEHOLD — Municipal officials are addressing the upkeep of Freehold Borough’s water treatment plant and the community’s roads.
At the Aug. 3 meeting of the Borough Council, a resolution awarding a contract in the amount of $23,850 to Hatch Mott Mac- Donald, Freehold, to assess the inefficiencies of the water treatment plant was passed.
“The water treatment plant is antiquated. Part of it was built in the 19th century (1890) and the other part was built in the 1950s,” Business Administrator Joseph Bellina said.
The plant requires a labor intensive process known as “backwashing,” whereby filters are cleaned by reversing the flow of fluid through them. This process, in an updated or new system, can become completely automated.
The upgraded system will be “more efficient and with less mistakes” said Tom LaSalle, assistant supervisor of the Water and Sewer Department.
The assessment authorized by the governing body will provide officials with an evaluation of the existing systems and identify recommended upgrades at the facility to improve overall operational efficiency and reliability, according to the proposal from Hatch Mott MacDonald.
The study will also provide a comparison of upgrading the existing facility vs. constructing a new facility. The treatment plant is on Waterworks Road.
In other business, a resolution awarding a contract for various road repairs was also passed. Earle Asphalt Company, Farmingdale, was awarded a contract in the amount of $375,000 to repair roads throughout the borough.
About 20 roads, including Frances Drive, Michael Lane, Center Street, Court Street and Main Street, are scheduled for repairs such as paving and milling.
“Repairs are typically made on two to three roads per year, and we keep everything in check, however, the last two winters have taken a toll on so many roads in town,” Bellina said.