Rowers with the Navesink River Rowing Club youth program launch their scull Tuesday morning following an all clear from the NJDEP. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
By BRIAN DONOHUE
Boaters have returned to the Navesink River over the past day or so as concerns over the effects of a sewage spill last week have ebbed and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection issued an all clear to go back on the water.
(Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
“The Red Bank force main sewage break spill was not considered a risk for swimming or shellfish since the discharge into the Navesink River was determined to be minimal,’’ read a statement sent Tuesday morning from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
The statement continued:
“Several tide changes have occurred since the spill, and any remaining contamination will already have been flushed. As the nearest bathing beaches and unrestricted shellfish beds are also a far distance from the site of the break and spill, no additional sampling or advisories/closures were determined to be necessary.”
The spill started Thursday when a contractor doing soil testing in the Red Bank train station parking lot on Monmouth Street broke a large sanitary sewer main causing a wastewater spill into storm drains that empty to the river, officials said.
Borough officials issued an alert through social media channels warning residents to avoid river activities in the area of the Route 35 Bridge until the water was deemed safe. Brian Rice, chairman of the Navesink Rivers Municipalities Committee issued a similar statement urging boaters to avoid the river.
The spill, estimated at about 6,000 gallons per hour, lasted roughly nine hours until crews were able to repair the main shortly before midnight Thursday.
The DEP statement indicated the agency had stuck to its routine water monitoring schedule and had not conducted specific tests in response to the spill. The normal schedule calls for water sampling to be conducted from Highlands on Monday and Tuesdays from the Navesink at Shrewsbury Yacht Club, with results typically posted the next day.
“These beaches and/or shellfish beds are not located in close proximity to where the spill occurred last week and, therefore, are not considered to be at risk,” the statement read.
At the Navesink River Rowing Club, rowers returned to the water Monday afternoon after the DEP notified local boating clubs Monday that the water was safe.
The club’s youth program was launching sculls this morning for the first time since the spill after cancelling their session Monday.
At Red Bank Marina, however, owner Steve Remaley said crabbers have still not returned and seem to be staying away over concerns about the water quality. On Monday, he said he had just one boat rental.
Told about the DEP statement, which he had not seen or heard of, he replied, “Well, thank God.”
Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
