Infrastructure

Canvassers with Montana Construction will soon be out in neighborhoods, looking to help residents set up appointments to check their pipes to determine whether they’re lead or galvanized.

NJAW wants to have 4 crews working simultaneously in 4 parts of town starting in April. A public meeting will be held April 2 at 7:30 p.m. — both in person at Town Hall & via Zoom. “We just found out about it last week,” said Township Admin. Patrick Wherry.

The agreement is one of many steps in the process of selling the municipal water utility to NJAW. The Village expects the process to be completed later this year.

Subject to approval from the NJ Board of Public Utilities, NJ American Water anticipates completing the acquisition of South Orange’s water utility in the second half of 2025.

The fee will be included in the annual sewer bill and will be due by the last Friday in June.

The bike lanes, which will extend the length of Parker from Irvington Avenue to Maplewood Avenue, could be under construction by late 2025.

“All those communities that were devastated by Tropical Storm Ida and by all the subsequent storms, they all relied on that obligation to do work,” said Township Committeeperson Vic DeLuca. “People spent money and they need to be reimbursed.”

TC member Vic DeLuca said the utility would enable the town to help prevent flooding, fix/add infrastructure, and incentivize residents to reduce impervious surfaces. Some public commenters questioned whether a new utility was the most effective way to deal with challenges.

The utility will provide a regular pool of funds for annual drainage improvements and be funded by residential and commercial properties, with fees ranging from $35-$175 annually based on the amount of impervious surface on a property.

Due to delays in the delivery of traffic signal equipment, upgrades to 11 intersections in Maplewood and South Orange may not be completed until 2026.