Lakehurst Water Tower Slated for Repair

Last month, Lakehurst’s council approved a resolution which would provide for the first new paint job on the borough's water tower in two decades.

However, as business administrator Norbert MacLean explained this week, the tower, located at 5 Union Ave. behind borough hall, is due to receive more than just a new coat of paint.

“Though we haven’t repainted the water tower in 20 years, we have scheduled inspections every 5 years. We test the meters and do everything required of a usual inspection,” MacLean said. “During the recent inspection, it was brought to the borough’s attention that there are other non-compliance issues with the tower that need to be addressed.”

Specifically, MacLean raised three areas of the tower which need to be brought into compliance with modern standards and laws before the repainting can begin: the ladder ascending the structure and a related safety wire six inches from the face of the tower (the wire needs to be moved an additional six inches further from the tower for a total of 12 inches), the access vents on the top of the tower (which will require the installation of a fabricated roof), and an inspection hatch to be cut into the base of the tower.

In September’s council resolution, the contract for the repainting project was awarded to the lowest bidder, the Cherry Hill-based firm Allied Painting, at a cost of $338,500.

MacLean said that the borough was fortunate for the current coating of paint to last 20 years, but the inspection revealed that it was time for a touch-up.

“The tower has been exposed to the elements and weather of all kinds, every day for the last two decades," he said. "The last time the tower had to be repainted; exterior sandblasting had to be done first. We are fortunate to not have that be the case this time around."

MacLean said that the borough was waiting for cellular and microwave antennas currently fixed on the tower to be removed before the repair work could be started.

“We’ll also be using our high-service pumps to service [the water needs of the borough] while the work is going on. For those, we’re having a pressure relief valve tested and installed this week."

The administrator explained that the aforementioned antennas needed to be removed, the tank shut down and drained and the fabricated roof installed on top of the tower before the repainting work could begin.

“After all that’s done and the cranes are in place, we’d like to start work the week of Oct. 24,” MacLean said.

MacLean said that there would be no negative impact upon the downtown area of Lakehurst while the work is going on, as everything is contained in one area, and borough employees will park in the municipal parking lot as opposed to behind borough hall.

The business administrator noted that the cost of $338,500 contained in last month’s resolution did not cover engineering fees and contracting work, but that the borough had bonded up to $850,000 for the work on the water tower to be completed, in addition to a future planned repainting of a ground storage tank and upgrades for a pump house and treatment plan in the spring.