The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-10-08
PASSAIC POLLUTION.
Plans to Dispose Of Sewage
Necessities for a Trunk
Sewer.

- AC vi ~ l. ti9RS-S ~
every point from New Providence bridge
alarm for health. The present fear is
aroused chiefly by the unusually low
water. the long drought having reduced
the flow SO that there is scarcely enough
to drive the mills. With low water the
pollution is made apparent to smell and
SIGHT, and perils which would be passed
ton.
The first of the river polluting towns
is Summit. and many residents of that
place and vicinity regard it as a great
offender. Its sewage is conducted to dis
posal grounds on the bank of the Pas
sale. below New Providence. The
grounds consist of a series of terraces,
and only filtered liquid is supposed to
enter the river. AS a matter of fact.
however. the disposal grounds do not
absorb the sewage. n the rivers con-
dition at the sewer outlet and for nearly
a mile below is dangerously bad, due to
the sewage flow. The grounds are the
subject of complaint to the vicinity and
endanger the health of residents who
have invested large sums in properties
near. Complaints nave been made, and
ehS q oO0Ao VI I1Cdilu is 10 tUOh 1IlO
the matter and see whether the State
health laws are not violated.
The offences of Paterson, Passaic City
and nearly every other place along the
river below Paterson Falls are well
Known. There has been practically no
police regulation for years, and the con-
ditlon OF the river has been growing
steadily worse. All of the cities and
towns o1onn ifc "a -I- :.
size. and the danger will be greater as
time elapses. The dredging of the river
at Beaeville for the East Jersey Com
pany's pipe lines and upward flow of
Newark sewage in the tide, owing to
the small quantity of fresh water COM
ing down, add to the nuisance.
DON'T SERVE THEIR PURPOSE.
1t is agreed now by all who have ex-
amined the subject that such disposal
works as those at Summit do not serve
the purpose. East Orange is now fin
lshing an outlet sewer at a cost of $780,
wv. including over a mile of tunneling,
and connecting with the Newark sewer
age system. The disposal works are to
pc abandoned entirely, and, in fact, are
NOT now used on the original plan, the
nlrerlng being done through coke, at
large annual expense. The city of
orange mas ALREADY constructed its put
let to the river, but, unfortunately it is
SO 1ar up stream as to be a serious men
agent.
AS fast as a town secures a water sup
Ply 1t requires a sewerage system, and
public health viii not be endangered.
The flow of the only large river drain
ing this section, the Passaic, is far from
suficient to carry off the discharge. The
construction of a trunk sewer from Pat
erson to Newark n on to the main in
tercepter on the is agreed to
be a necessity. But the drainage of
summit and of points between that place
and Newark is another problem, and one
which which will require a different plan
Of action. To carry a trunk sewer from
the top of the ridge on which Summit
lies to the tide water would be a very
costly work. yet it seems the only solu-
ton. Part of the expense could, how
ever. be placed upon places which could
re TRUNK SEWER NEEDED.
The difficulty of treating the question
is on account of the number of cities,
towns. townships and villages concerned.
The State Board of Health will proba-
bly, a the matter UP soon, and it is
expected nat some scheme for combined
action will be planned. If anything is
be lone at the next session OF the
Legislature, however, it will be necessary
TO proceed soon.
extending south from the north
ern boundary at the Passaic River to
the l~nterceptinS sewer on the meadows,
n conveying the sewage from the up
per section at tide water, has long been
admitted; and only the pressure Of other
work has prevented its construction be-
fore this. If, however, it is constructed
with only the conveyance of Newark's
sewage in view, and that of East Orange
now to be added, it would be necessary
to have a separate sewer for Paterson
and Passaic through Newark. This
would not be allowed, of course, and
some arrangement by which these cities
would share in the construction of New
ark's new interceptor will be required.
The extension and radical repair of the
increase in the power of the pumping
station, would also be needed. Newark
requires the intercepter soon, and the
other places interested will have to has
ten their plans.
Thu subject is occupying the attention
of engineers, and the State Board of
Health will probably take occasion to
consult them in any investigation it may
make.