Toll Brothers Unleashes Ghostly Water in Upper Saddle River

In the month of ghosts, spirits, Halloween and spectral goings on Toll Brothers have once again left residents stunned by unleashing white water into Pleasant Brook.

Sadly, and shockingly, the long history of brown water being released into the Pleasant Brook continues.  For over 2+ years stormwater runoff, pumping, flooding and numerous other issues have resulted in Pleasant Brook turning brown regularly.

But now it has turned white. And not the clean, clear sparkling kind of mountain passes.

The type that looks turgid. And toxic.

 

 

In preparation for the deluge expected from the remnants of Tropical Storm Delta Toll Brother apparently purged their tanks in anticipation of extreme rainfall so they can hold more water. Except they have never turned the stream white before. In the 2 years of rain and flooding this hasn’t occurred, just the brown sludgy water that clogs and congests Pleasant Brook. And the question is what is in the water?  And the tanks? Some information would be nice. Where is the public disclosure? Transparency? Public relations? How about just plain old neighborliness?

Despite numerous complaints, calls, meetings, Stop Work Orders, etc. etc. it still goes on.

Residents call. Police turn out. State officials are notified. Boswell Engineering issues some paltry statement to allay fears. Yet, it still goes on despite the attempts at soil stabilization: grass, trees, shrubs, hay bales. And pumping of questionable water, contaminated with who knows what gets released into the open waterways. And Upper Saddle River taxpayers foot the bill as officials have to turn up and address this. Statements, paperwork, telephone calls, reports, filing. Many hours are spent. And YOU are paying for this. (Have you checked your taxes recently?)

Questions are asked about what is going on, what hasn’t this being stopped? Vague answers are given.

Lots of head scratching continues. Why is this going on and still happening? Why haven’t  Toll Brothers been stopped from doing this? From the outset why weren’t the retention tanks sized sufficiently for the amount of land and runoff? As Toll Brothers removed literally hundreds of trees there is no soil absorption and NOTHING to stop water cascading away from the property. This isn’t rocket science, it’s storm water management – and this is Toll Brothers profession. This is what they do. They know what is required. But they haven’t dealt with it appropriately in Upper Saddle River and the town mayor and council along with Boswell Engineering let them get away with it. With a whimper and not a harsh word.

Don’t you wonder why?

Why have the mayor and council allowed this to continue. With no concern for the residents. For the properties? For the reputation of the town? Or just, for the environment.

Unfortunately, now, it seems  Toll Brothers have gotten of the hook and can carry on as they like as the far sighted and brilliant politicians in DC have removed environmental protections for streams. With not so much as a slap on the wrist. A win for the corporations. A loss for everyone else.

So Toll Brothers can continue to pollute Pleasant Brook and the only people who will suffer are homeowners whose properties border it. And those down stream. And possible any of the residents who draw water from the aquifer.

A win for Toll Brothers. Not so much for the Upper Saddle River residents and the environment.

In ancient China, as long ago as eleven century BC, white was considered the tint of death. Given the questionable toxicity of the soil at Orchard Ridge – The Preserve aka Apple Ridge you have to wonder what is in the water.

What do you think? Is this a harmless prank or something much more sinister? do you care?

 

 

Read the history of Toll Brothers environmental history in Upper Saddle River and Mahwah.