Engineers seek ways to curtail foul odor
BY TOYNETT HALL Staff Writer

HOWELL - Take Route 9 into Howell and make a right turn where you smell the pungent odor of rotten eggs and methane gas. Welcome! You have just entered Freewood Acres.

For about four years, residents of the neighborhood just off the state highway say they have endured an unpleasant smell coming from a sewer line that runs near their homes.

This past summer the residents urged the Township Council and the Manasquan River Regional Sewerage Authority (MRRSA) to come up with a solution to a situation that they say stinks.

The MRRSA, which is based in Howell, owns the sewer line that transports sewage to a treatment plant in Ocean County.

While no clear answer as to what is causing the smell was identified, the officials told the residents their concerns would be addressed.

It has been several months since those complaints surfaced and some residents say they have yet to see any action. Although some residents acknowledge that the smell has lessened, they believe officials are still ignoring the issue.

Dave Major, who has lived in Freewood Acres for 37 years, said, "I really don't think they care. They are all backpedaling on their word. My family and I should not have to live like this. We are spending more than several thousand dollars in taxes. This is one of the poorer developments in the township. We have no curbs, no sidewalks and no city water. This is not fair. I grew up in this house and I would really hate to relocate because of this. If this matter is not addressed it will only make me get louder until something happens."

Getting louder is just what Kenneth Harper, who has lived in Freewood Acres for 15 years, said he will do. Harper said he is not certain officials will address the residents' concerns and said he is planning to go back to another council meeting to complain about the situation some more. He said if that fails he will take the issue to state officials.

Mayor Joseph DiBella said the township has received correspondence from MRRSA and said action will be taken during the first week of November.

In a letter written by MRRSA Executive Director Jerome A. Cevetello Jr., he reported that engineers have come up with possible solutions to help mitigate the situation.

According to the letter, the solutions given are: "Howell and MRRSA inspect internal house plumbing and if necessary smoke test, homeowners to correct any plumbing deficiencies if necessary; MRRSA install activated carbon air filter inserts into manholes No. 14 and No. 15 at West Third and Smith streets.

"MRRSA install an additional vent pipe at manhole No. 6, Route 9 and Sunnyside Road; Howell construct a parallel 8-inch line and disconnect local residents from the 36-inch interceptor line, as per MRRSA's May 24, 2000 suggestion.

"Howell sewer the entire area of Freewood Acres to eliminate septic systems, as per MRRSA's Jan. 5, 2004 suggestion; Lastly, the relocation of a Howell 10-inch line coming into MRRSA's manhole at the intersection of West Third and Smith streets."

Cevetello indicated that some of the solutions should be undertaken as long- term answers.

He also said, as indicated in the letter, that MRRSA officials need access to resident's homes. According to him, that is one of the first steps in the process. However, no one has given the authority access to see if residents' home plumbing was done properly.

According to DiBella, "Only a resident can give approval to get into (his) home. We told the MRRSA representative they need permission from the homeowners and the township does not have that authority. We encourage MRRSA to contact the homeowners."