October 2, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 5 Ho-Ho-Kus Lift station will be replaced by Jennifer Crusco The East Gate Lift Station, which is part of Ho-Ho- Kus sanitary sewer system, is slated for replacement. Last week, the borough council awarded Maser Consulting, P.A. of Red Bank a contract for engineering and design of a new duplex pumping station for the site located on East Gate Road. The council received three bids for the project, and Maser Consulting was deemed the lowest responsible, responsive bidder. A contract in the amount of $52,414 will be executed following legal review, and Chief Financial Officer Joseph Citro has certified that adequate funds have been appropriated to pay for the contract. Ho-Ho-Kus Department of Public Works Superinten- dent of Buildings, Roads, and Grounds Jeff Pattman indi- cated that the existing lift station was built in 1967. He said the facility has undergone minor upgrades over the years, and was refurbished in 1990. “It’s time to upgrade,” Pattman told Villadom TIMES last week. “We have to stay ahead of the curve.” He explained that the borough has experienced increased development, including additions to existing homes, since the station was originally installed, necessitating the cur- rent push for an update. The lift station, which Pattman described as being located in a low-lying area, involves an air pressure vessel. Sewage enters the tank, becomes pressurized, and is sent along a gravity-fed main to the borough’s Bogert Road sta- tion. Ultimately, the sewage is sent on to the Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority facility in Waldwick, where it is treated. The lift station is so named, Pattman explained, because the material is lifted into a forced main. The entire system is gravity-fed, and there are always two pumps available to ensure the system can run continuously. Pattman indicated that the replacement station would feature improved technology. The new system, he said, will not involve air-release, and the sewage will be refined by a grinder pump. He described the new station as a capsule. Asked about the timeline for this project, Pattman indi- cated that officials would be sitting down to discuss specif- ics following Ho-Ho-Kus Borough Attorney David Bole’s review of the contract. Trial run Lana Langevin, councilwoman for a day, visits with Ho-Ho- Kus Councilman Kevin Shea, who was her mentor at the Sept. 24 public meeting. The honorary seat on the council was a prize offered at a Ho-Ho-Kus Education Foundation benefit.