Middle approaches major milestones in Del Haven water project
Residents in the Del Haven area will receive fresh water through a partnership between the Lower Township MUA and Middle Township.
The timeline for a project supplying fresh water to around 1,000 Del Haven homes will go into high gear this summer.
As with many large infrastructure projects across the country, the schedule was adjusted to address product shortages and permitting delays related to the COVID-19 shutdowns.
Middle Township officials, who are planning the initiative in conjunction with the Lower Township Municipal Utilities Authority, will begin advertising the project for bid on June 21. Bids will be reviewed about a month later.
The next stage in the process will be construction. It is expected to begin in late September and last around nine months.
The timeline allows for the current shortage of PVC pipe to be resolved. The pipe is a critical material in the project.
The Del Haven Water Project is designed to bring a resourceful solution to a complex problem. Residents in the bayfront community of Del Haven rely on well water, but saltwater has been entering the wells for many years. The situation has left the community without a reliable source of drinking water.
Without an easy way to connect Del Haven to the water-supply infrastructure, residents seemed stuck. But Mayor Tim Donohue suggested a partnership with the Lower Township MUA a few years ago, after learning about a similar arrangement that helped a community on Middle Township’s border.
Middle Township reached out to the Lower Township MUA and Wildwood Water Utility about a partnership.
An ordinance authorizing a water supply and distribution agreement between Middle Township and Lower Township MUA passed in 2019. The intricate plan will bring water from Wildwood to the Lower Township MUA, and then from Lower Township up Bayshore Road into Del Haven.
All property owners in the area impacted by the agreement are required to connect to the new water system. The project includes installation of fire hydrants that will enhance public safety.
The arrangement will not increase debt for Middle Township or its taxpayers.
