Reservoir replacement
By: Joe Malinconico
Paterson Press
PATESON - Construction of two enclosed tanks to replace the open-air Levine Reservoir in Paterson - which provides drinking water for up to 93,000 North Jersey residents - start this summer, [2025] officials said.
..... It's been a long time coming for a massive project by the Passaic Valley Water Commission that is supposed to protect the water supply from various types of pollution, including droppings from birds and animals, and contaminants in rainwater runoff, as well as sabotage.
..... "Obviously, the safety of the water that goes to the families not only in Passaic but to the other uses is of paramount importance, said Passaic Mayor Hector Lora.
..... "The main thing is to make sure that water is clean and not contaminated, either by natural causes or malicious actions," Lora said.
..... "We need to make sure there's no way anyone can do anything to it."
..... In 2006, the federal environmental Protection Agency established new restitutions on open-air reservoirs, which set the water commission's tank plans in motion. In 2010, the regional water utility completed its first feasibility study on the project.
..... After years of community meetings and some opposition over the aesthetics of the tanks, the commission voted in 2020 to go ahead with the work.
.....
Then came more studies and design work before the water utility commissioners awarded the construction contract in May 2024.
..... But two losing bidders field lawsuits, causing additional delays.
..... Jim Mueller, the water's commission's executive director, said the utility expects to close on a $53 million loan for the tank project from the New Jersey Water Bank in the first week of June. [2025]
..... The money form the water Bank loan will cover the $41.8 million construction contract $5.5. million in engineering fees, $1.9 million in planning and design costs, $2 million for contingencies, and $1.25 million in administrative expenses, Mueller said.
..... The reservoir - established about 140 years ago - sits near the Great Falls, within a block surrounded by McBride Avenue, Spruce Street and Grand Street.
..... It provides water to sections of Paterson, Passaic, Fair Lawn, Elmwood Park, Lodi, Garfield and Edgewood, officials said.
..... With a usable capacity of 15.2 million gallons, the reservoir serves as a holding area for water already treated at the commission;s plant in Little Falls.
..... The two concrete tanks being built in the reservoir's footprint will each have a capacity of 2.5 million gallons.
Expedited permit process
..... Once the loan is finalized, the contractor can begin getting the construction permits form the city of Paterson. some officials expressed concerns because of recent delays in the Paterson permitting process.
..... But Mayor Andre Sayegh said the permits for the water tanks will be handled quickly. "I have been a strong supporter of this project since the inception because it prioritizes public helaht," Sayegh said. "Therefore we will expedite the permitting process in the interest of safety."
..... Bob Guarasci, head of the New Jersey Community Development Corporation nonprofit organization, was among those who opposed the construction of the tanks about a decade ago.
..... The group's headquarters is within the same block where the reservoir is Guarasci said his organization had "opposed the tanking project because we felt the reservoir should be purposed as a recreational asset within nations park."
.....
"We accept that the project is fully approved and our objective at this point is to ensure that the work is done in a way that as least disruptive," he said.
..... Guarasci said he recently met with Mueller and others from the water commission to arrange community forums about the project.
Water fees raised to pay for project
..... The Passaic Valley Commission has raised its water fee by 5.9% per year for five years to help pay for the project, part of a $893 million capital program. Levine is one of three open-air reservoirs owned by the commission, along Notch and New Street in Woodland Park. Mueller said the commission will move on to building the tanks at the other reservoir locations after the Levine project. He said they are among about seven open-air reservoirs for treated water still functioning in the United States.
..... In 2021, Paterson and Passaic residents learned about the vulnerabilities of open-air water supplies of Hurricane Ida spewed contamination into the New Street Reservoir.
..... The caused a six-week disruption during which customers were told to boil their water before using it.