PATERSON CITY LOAN CLOSING

Paterson City recently closed on a $2,458,630 loan with the NJ Water Bank to execute a change order for a previous project. In 2008, Paterson City closed on a $9 million loan with the NJ Water Bank (f/k/a the NJEIT) for the construction of solids/floatables control facilities in order to eliminate and properly dispose of solids/floatables that cannot pass through a screen having square openings of 0.5 inches from the city's 31 permitted combined sewer overflows (CSOs). This project proposed to improve CSO issues which is one of the primary focuses of the NJDEP and is one of the key first steps to improve water quality in the Passaic River. During the course of construction an unexpected amount of soil contamination was encountered that was not identified in preconstruction evaluation and testing. This required testing and disposal at an appropriate out of State facility. In addition, there was a utility conflict between one of the diversion chambers and the main electrical duct bank that supplies downtown Paterson. This required the redesign of the chamber and extensive measures to monitor and protect the duct bank during the construction of the chamber.