Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 28 August '85 3

DEP Warns Middle Seivage Board — Twice

By JOE ZELNIK \ COURT HOUSE - Middie Township sewage commissioners must have t<X get their mail. It's always) bad news. / Of course there~was-*ne Romney East law suit, reported in this week's News Digest column, which arrived after the commission's meeting last Aug. 20. But in time for the meeting were what the commission called "the failure letter" and "the moratorium letter." Both came (24 hours apart) from the Division of Water Resources of the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). THE "FAILURE LETTER" came from John M. Tomasiello. supervisor of the Compliance Monitoring Ur.it, and told them their plant was rated "unacceptable" after an inspection July 25. That was on the basis of too high a concentration of BODs (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) and too many suspended suspends in its effluent. Plus, the DEP added, a county Health Department water sample in Crooked Creek adjacent to the plant on July 18 found unacceptably high fecal coliform bacteria counts. That's the back bay where the maximum acceptable number is 200 MPN (Most Probable Number. ) The county got a result of "greater than 2,400," the highest it normally records.

The DEP, in close to a form letter, warned the commission to "institute v measures to correct the ) deficiencies," report back ' within 15 days, or face "substantial monetary and criminal penalties." THE "MORATORIUM LETTER", probably written with no knowledge of the "failure letter," came from Division of Water Resources Director John W. Gaston. He pointed out that the Middle sewage treatment plant is overcapacity and, "consequently, you are required to immediately implement a sewer moratorium program." A moratorium, it said, "... must prohibit the issuance of approvals for extensions and may restrict the issuance of approvals for connections." It defined an extension as a pipe conveying sewage from more than one building, or 2,000 gallons or more per day. "We have no intention to extend anywhere," commented Commissioner Phil Heck. "I don't see any problem." "We're doing the best we can without spending millions of dollars," said Walter Tumier, the licensed plant operator. THE BOARD ACCEPTED Solicitor Carmen Alvarez's suggestion that it invited the DEP to "come to a meeting and give us some idea exactly what it is the state expects from us." Turnier reported that the plant's flow meter is "old, chlorine-damaged" and

lately totally out of whack, showing everything from a low of 33,000 gallons a day to a high of 500,000. "The treads are shot," he said. The plant has a 100,000-gallon-per-day licensed capacity and has been running slightly over that in recent months. But the August average was 187,000 gallons, he said, clearly unreliable. TURNIER SAID a new "sensing machine" might run $1,000, a new flow meter even more. "It's an emergency," said Alvarez, clearly concerned about trying to defend a commission using erratic flow figures. Chairman Albert Karaso said he was trying to borrow an "ultrasonic meter" the county MUA (Municipal Utilities Authority) removed from the former Cape May sewage treatment plant. "It's imperative," said Alvarez, "with what's going on, with the state breaking down our necks, that we have accurate readings. "I was under the impression," said Heck, "that our budget is set and we can't do anything." "This is an emergency item," said Alvarez. "Other government bodies say they can't," said Heck. "This is an emergency," repeated Alvarez. The board agreed to move on "stop-gap" measures to get an accurate flow and budget for a new flow meter next year.

^Pp^~L0% OFF WITH THIS I SATURDAYS 8 TO 12 | ATTENTION MIDDLE TOWNSHIP L RESIDENTS f DEE LUMBER CO WILL STOCK A LI COMPLETE LINE OF HOUSE NUMBERS 1 1 TO HELP YOU COMPLY WITH TOWNSHIP ^ ORDINANCE #513-85 V\ CHANGE OF ADDRESS f DEE " 45* to°$4.99 / / 8 Readlna Ave Mon - Fri 8 to 4:30 {[ Cape May Court House 465-5021 Sat 8 to 12

[?]

END OF SUMMER 50" 0FFI Name Brand Merchandise For The Entire Family Red Lined Mdse. ONLY

' KEC9 S Milted BACKYARD^TMB^H^^^^fflH|^SUMMER/WINTER^ — TABLE rTTTrrTl "EST0NE II U!K!S MMm ^ pn»IHJJ$388 ICU iTilfl W »«i IT!

DAILY 9-6 • FRI. 9-9 ■ SUNDAY 9-5 IN. CAPE MAY DAILY 9-6 • FRI. 9-9 ■ SUNDAY1LF3 ■■■■■■■■■■