Roosevelt to repair, not replace old water tower Water/sewer bills to go up at least $70 BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer ROOSEVELT - Residents can expect their already high water and sewer bills to go up once again. At the April 28 Borough Council meeting, Councilman Jeff Ellentuck reported on recommendations for repairing the structure supporting the town's 71-year-old water tower. The New York City-based WJE Engineers and Architects issued the report on March 21. The document lists repairs for the structural support in order of importance. According to Ellentuck, the repairs should take place within six months. He said the downspout pipe on the tower must be re-welded and extended. He said water is currently coming out of the pipe onto a hill and then flowing back onto the tower's concrete supports and wearing them away. The report also states that the tower's concrete foundation needs to be repaired. Ellentuck said that would entail digging around the structure and pouring in new concrete, not replacing the old concrete. WJE also recommended replacing brackets on the support structure and repainting the tower. Ellentuck said areas of corrosion should be sandblasted and maintained every 15-20 years. "It's the same report we got 15-20 years ago," he said. Ellentuck said the steel support is .25 inches thick, whichWJE concluded is sufficient for the structure. Ellentuck said the monthly water and sewer base rate of $155 would increase to approximately $300 if the borough follows through with the water tower repairs and recommended pipe cleaning. If the borough just proceeds with the water tower repairs, themonthly base rate would increase to between $225 and $250, he said. In early 2007, Borough Engineer Carmela Roberts recommended that the water tower, which is as old as the town, be replaced. At that time, Roberts said the tower, which supplies water to the entire town, was recently inspected and found to be in poor condition. She said it should be repaired or replaced immediately, as its parts are no longer functioning as designed. Ellentuck said the cost of replacing the tower is estimated at $1.7 million. Roberts had also recommended having the borough's pipes relined,whichwould cost $1.8million. Ellentuck said the borough's baseminimum payment in principal and interest per year for these expenditures would be $112,500, which would double the current water and sewer rate for residents. "It's a mess of money," Ellentuck said. He said the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust Fund (NJEITF) would lend the borough the funds for repairing the tower and cleaning the water mains. Ellentuck also said there are security issues at thewater tower, and the statewants new doors and fencing to be installed. ResidentMelissa Branco thanked Ellentuck for the work he has done on the issue. "There are so few souls here [to] pay taxes," she said. Branco, who is part of one of the first families to settle in the borough, said, " It means a lot of us who have been here for 70 years can continue to do so."