Ho-Ho-Kus announces compliance with DEP water rules ahead of schedule
HO-HO-KUS — Tests taken earlier this month after the borough's $3.7 million water treatment system upgrade indicate "below detectable levels" of chemical contaminants ahead of the May 23 deadline, Mayor Thomas Randall announced Thursday.
The announcement is posted on the borough website, hhkborough.com, and will be mailed to residents.
"We are happy to announce that the Department of Environmental Protection has been on site and has given their final approvals to close out the remediation portion of the project on April 18," Randall said. "While a few cosmetic and punch-list items remain to be completed, the water quality portion is complete."
Ho-Ho-Kus was one of seven Bergen County municipalities, and 34 across the state, cited in January 2022 by the DEP for excessive levels of "forever chemicals" known as PFAS in their water systems, including perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA.
Other Bergen County entities cited include Garfield, Mahwah, Oakland, Park Ridge, Waldwick and Ridgewood Water, which serves Ridgewood, Wyckoff, Glen Rock and Midland Park. Depending on the severity of contamination, municipalities were given varying deadlines for compliance with the new maximum levels.
Ho-Ho-Kus Business Administrator William Jones said the project was financed with a $3.7 million loan from the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank. Because the borough was ready to close on the loan before July 1, 2023, "we were able to qualify for $1 million in loan forgiveness off the top of the loan," Jones said, so the cost after anticipated forgiveness is $2.7 million.
The borough is part of a larger group in multi-district litigation against 3M and Dupont, which are accused of being the sources of the contaminants.
NATIONAL STANDARDS EPA announces new drinking water standards. How could NJ water systems be affected?
The borough is serviced by five wells. Four received on-site treatment, Jones said. The borough did not need to purchase supplemental water from Veolia North America to keep its contaminant numbers down during remediation, he said. The fifth well is pumped to one of the other four for treatment.
The announcement did not give specific numbers for the April test results, saying only that "none of these contaminates can be found at the parts per trillion standard" set by New Jersey, and earlier this month by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The borough's August 2021 tests results reported varying parts per billion of perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, at the four sites.
The DEP's April test results for Ho-Ho-Kus are posted on its website.
"We would like to thank the residents for their patience during this time," Randall said. "This work has resulted in the best possible outcome for our residents."
Randall said questions should be directed to Jones at 201-652-4400, ext. 231, or jonesw@Ho-Ho-Kusboro.com.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Ho-Ho-Kus NJ meets DEP water rules ahead of schedule
