News

Jun 11, 2023

Brigantine starts state

On July 26, 2023, residents in Brigantine talk about beating the upcoming heat wave. BRIGANTINE — The city started its state-mandated lead pipe replacement program by awarding an $81,000 contract to

On July 26, 2023, residents in Brigantine talk about beating the upcoming heat wave.

BRIGANTINE — The city started its state-mandated lead pipe replacement program by awarding an $81,000 contract to evaluate what the city needs.

H2M Architects and Engineers of Wall Township, Monmouth County, will perform that evaluation.

Municipalities across the state are working to comply with a 2021 law that requires both municipal and publicly traded water systems to take inventories of their service lines and replace those that are identified as being made of lead or select other materials the law deems harmful by July 22, 2031.

Water service lines for homes built after 1987, along with homes that have been raised and elevated, most likely already have the updated service lines, Mayor Vince Sera said. But homes built before then would most likely have lead or galvanized pipes that would need to be replaced.

The replacement, estimated to cost the city over $60 million, will happen in 10 phases.

The city has applied for grants and state aid to help pay for the project, but the state has not allocated enough money to fairly fund all the municipalities in need, Sera said.

He also said one of the major issues the island will run into as soon as they start digging up the streets to replace its water mains is that they also will have to replace their sewer lines.

"Most of the sewer lines in the city are original, and as soon as we start disturbing the sand around them, they are going to collapse. We are starting to see sewer line collapses around the island in the same areas that South Jersey Gas has replaced their gas mains," said Sera. "It makes no sense to dig up the streets to replace the water lines and then turn around a few weeks or months later to dig them up again to repair the sewer line collapses."

Earlier this year, the city approved a 65% increase to water and sewer rates to help cover the cost of the replacement. But the rate will most likely need to be adjusted again if the city is unsuccessful in receiving grants or state funding, Sera said.

"The water quality in Brigantine is routinely tested by our water department, and there have been no issues with lead in our city water," Sera said.

Contact Selena Vazquez:

609-272-7225

[email protected]

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On July 26, 2023, residents in Brigantine talk about beating the upcoming heat wave.

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