By MICHAEL NUNES
Staff Writer
EAST BRUNSWICK — There will be no decision on a water tower on Henry Street, at least until next year, according to Council President Michael Hughes.
“We have done some digging through our records and we have a little more legwork to do as a council and as a municipality before we can really present something to council for an up or down vote,” Hughes said, continuing that he does not expect a decision on the proposed $3.3 million allotted for the 1-million gallon water tower to be made until early next year.
The water tower was slated to be on the agenda for the Feb. 22 Township Council meeting as a discussion item. With this decision to postpone the vote, it will no longer be on the agenda.
According to Hughes, the problem lies in the space the council was planning to use to build the water tower.
“We’ve got some sharpening of our pencils to do on the staff level in regards to the plot of land we were looking to utilize for that,” Hughes said.
“In order to go through all the approvals and to have a discussion that isn’t contingent on us receiving approval from any other governmental agencies, we’re pushing it off until we have approval from every governmental board that we can potentially place a water tower there,” he continued, adding that there were possible issues on both the county and state levels with moving forward.
Residents and environmental activists fought against the proposed water tower at previous meetings, worried that their property values would decrease as well as the possible environmental impact of constructing the tower in the forested area near Farrington Lake. Residents also questioned the necessity of the water tower.
“The residents of Henry Street voiced legitimate concerns and questions, and we’re going to explore them and make sure we have all the answers,” Hughes said.
According to township officials, a water tower in the area of town west of the New Jersey Turnpike is needed in the event that one of the pipes that run under the heavily trafficked toll road breaks.
The council would also be open to looking for alternative sites for the proposed water tower, according to Hughes.
“We’re going to keep hunting for alternative sites. We’re looking for something that is the least intrusive, wherever that is have to see,” he said.
Contact Michael Nunes at mnunes@gmnews.com.
