PASSAIC

Preakness Valley well shut down by Passaic County

Richard Cowen
Staff Writer, @RichardCowen123

WAYNE — For decades, the public well at the Preakness Valley Golf Course was one of the best-kept secrets in Passaic County.

Located in the main parking lot behind the clubhouse, the well provided in-the-know Passaic County residents with fresh spring water, the clean-tasting alternative to the chemically treated product that comes from the tap. For $50 a year — $25 for senior citizens — a county resident could make unlimited trips to the well to fill up a 5-gallon jug.

"That well must have been in operation for at least 70 years," said Edward A. Smyk, the Passaic County historian. "It was never advertised. It was all word of mouth. My father was a golfer; that's how he knew about it."

That perk ended earlier this month when the county announced that it had closed the well because it was no longer "financially feasible" to operate it. In a statement published online, Passaic County Administrator Anthony J. DeNova said the well had been shut due to "issues related to the structure housing, the well pump and other operational concerns," and it was not "financially practical" to make repairs.

Danvir Raju of Paterson used to get water from the well at the Preakness Valley Golf Course in Wayne. "It tastes better," he said. "The water that comes from the tap doesn't taste very good."

Just how much it might cost to fix the well is not known, because the county never undertook an engineering study to estimate the cost of the repair. The quality of the water, which had been testing clean, was not the issue, county officials say, but running the operation was proving to be too much of a hassle.

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Freeholder Theodore "T.J." Best said fixing the well was discussed by the Public Works Committee, which he leads, and he supported keeping it open. Best said the estimated cost of repair was "about $40,000."

But there were other issues as well. He said a local school would come in and fill up its water jugs, and that a few businesses take water from the well by the truckload.

There was also the problem of securing the well. Locks have broken, Best said, and the county would station park rangers or golf course employees at the well to check the registration cards of people who came to get water.

"We decided that it would be better if the county got out of the water business," Best said.

It's not clear how many people used the well. A study of wells in New Jersey conducted by the Department of Environmental Protection put the number at around 200 in 2003. The Passaic County spokesman, Keith Furlong, put the current number at around 800. The county is offering refunds to cardholders who complete a form at the Preakness Valley Golf Course. For information, call 973-881-4921.

The well has been closed at a time when the freeholders have made a major commitment to fixing up the county parks. This year, the freeholders have earmarked more than $4 million for park renovation projects, including a remodeling of the clubhouse at the golf course. But spending $40,000 to fix the well is not on the agenda.

The well was particularly popular with members of the Bengali community in Paterson. City Councilman Shahin Khalique, a Bengali who represents the 2nd Ward, said he has received about 50 calls from constituents wondering what happened to the well.

"They want to know what happened," Khalique said. "People come up to me in the market and want to know about it. I plan to to talk to the freeholders."

One member of the Bengali community, Danvir Raju, visited the well one recent day to see if the county had reopened it. Instead, he was greeted by a sign recently planted by Passaic County announcing the closure.

"I used the water because it tastes better," he said. "The water that comes from the tap doesn't taste very good. We use the well water for cooking and drinking."

Sign at Preakness Valley Golf Course tells Passaic County residents that the well in the parking lot behind the clubhouse is closed.