Scientists tackle testing at TWW’s century-old reservoir
Trenton Water Works is working with Princeton Hydro to conduct enhanced water-quality monitoring at the 123-year-old Pennington Avenue Reservoir.
In service since 1899, the reservoir holds approximately 100 million gallons of finished water. The engineering firm has been awarded a $27,000, three-month emergency contract that requires Princeton Hydro to assist water-filtration plant personnel in conducting specialized testing and monitoring day-to-day water quality at the Pennington Avenue Reservoir.
Founded in 1998, Princeton Hydro has significant expertise in natural and aquatic resource management and water resource engineering.
“We’ve hired Princeton Hydro to provide expert consultation on recent outbreaks of small insects known as midges, which feed on algae, and to help mitigate future algae growth. There are occurrences in two parts of our water system: the reservoir and a home in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Ewing Township,” said Mark A. Lavenberg, director of the city’s Department of Water and Sewer, which operates Trenton Water Works. “We are looking forward to working with a company that has committed to Trenton as a place to do business, strengthening our city’s economy.”
The Pennington Avenue Reservoir is one of three open-air reservoirs in New Jersey. It is also one of the oldest parts of the water utility’s infrastructure. However, it is essentially a Class 4 dam that is prone to leaks and has become an outdated way of protecting and managing a multimillion-gallon water supply for a five-municipality service area, noted Lavenberg, a water industry veteran.
“To be on par with modern water-industry standards, we’re advancing a comprehensive plan to take the reservoir offline and replace it with several decentralized storage tanks, starting with two 8-million-gallon tanks at a Prospect Street site in Trenton,” Lavenberg said.
In 2019, Trenton Water Works developed a $405 million, six-year capital plan to undertake critical capital projects within its central pumping station, water-filtration plant and distribution system, installing two-way communicating water meters, and decentralized finished water storage. These projects are designed to maintain high water quality and make the 163-year-old public water system more resilient. TWW’s capital plan is part of Mayor Reed Gusciora’s promise to reverse the neglect of the water utility in previous years and to modernize Trenton’s water treatment, distribution, storage, and technological capabilities.
Princeton Hydro relocated to Trenton from Ringoes in May to the Block-3 adaptive reuse rehabilitated portion of the Roebling Industrial Complex, which includes Roebling Lofts. They were the first recipient of the City’s Job Creation Loan program.
Purchased by the City of Trenton in 1859, Trenton Water Works is one of the oldest and largest publicly owned water systems in the United States.
TWW supplies approximately 28 million gallons of water per day to a quarter-million consumers in a five-municipality service area comprised of Trenton, Ewing Township, parts of Hamilton Township, Lawrence Township, and Hopewell Township. TWW operates a 60-million-gallon water-filtration plant and water-distribution system that consists of a 100-million-gallon reservoir, 683 miles of water mains, three pump stations, nearly 8,000 valves, 3,517 fire hydrants, and six interconnections between TWW and other water suppliers. TWW serves approximately 63,000 metered customers.
Book project gets nonprofit cover
Trenton community members recently announced the establishment of the Safkhet Literacy Project.
The new Trenton-based nonprofit organization is designed to support the currently active Trenton Books at Home Program, an initiative that has provided free books for Trenton youth since 2006.
Through Safkhet, the Books at Home program can now accept tax-deductible donations and apply for grants to support the program.
In a statement announcing the organization, Eric Maywar, spokesman and owner of Classic Books in Trenton noted, “For over 16 years, Trenton kids have come down to Classics Bookstore to select books to keep. We also partner with teachers and literacy organizations throughout the city to provide books directly to their students as well as through literacy-based projects and events—giving out thousands of books a year. We do this because, as research shows, having access to books at home increases the level of education children will attain.”
The organization’s board of trustees is as follows: chair, Pamela Sims-Jones, senior program associate at Mercer Street Friends Food Bank and former director of Leadership Trenton; vice-chair, Raj Manimaran, director of community relations at the College of New Jersey and board president of I Am Trenton Community Foundation; secretary, Margaret Griffin, former owner of Micawber Books; treasurer, Donna Maywar, assistant director for equity compliance at Princeton University and co-owner of Classics Bookstore; Todd Evans, host of the Capital City Open Mic; Nia Maywar, mechanical engineering student at Olin College of Engineering; Noah Maywar, senior at Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville; and Laurice Reynolds, community organizer and “matriarch” of Classics Bookstore.
The Safkhet Literacy Project operates at Classic Books, 4 West Lafayette, Trenton. For more information or to make a donation, email classicsusedbooks@gmail.com.
From the art world: Artworks gets green-lit for transit art funding
Artworks, a community nonprofit that promotes artistic diversity by fostering creativity, learning, and appreciation of the arts through exhibitions, workshops, and other events is the recipient of a federal award as part of a fiscal year 2022 government funding bill.
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, whose district includes Trenton, secured $500,000 for Artworks for the Artwalk project for lighting and murals along a pedestrian and bicycle passage between the Trenton Transit Center and downtown Trenton.
“As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I play an important role in deciding where and how the federal government spends its money. As the only appropriator from the New Jersey congressional delegation, I want to make sure that New Jerseyans’ tax dollars come right back to their home state,” said Watson Coleman in a media release. “The ArtWalk Project is a perfect example of what can happen when a wonderful local institution working with the city and federal government applies its expertise to improve Trenton for both local residents and neighbors from the area who come to Trenton to work and enjoy the Capital City.”
The funding for the Artwalk comes in addition to approximately $7 million in federal funding for nine other projects across New Jersey’s 12th District in the fiscal year 2022 omnibus. These projects range from youth development programs to infrastructure restoration.
Art All Day Set for September
Art All Day returns on Saturday, September 17, with its annual afternoon of open artist studios, gallery exhibitions, live art making, mural installations, and walking, biking, and other tours.
The citywide celebration that attracts thousands of visitors, hundreds of artists, and scores of venues runs from noon to 6 p.m.
The event launched in 2012 is produced and coordinated by Artworks Trenton, the nonprofit arts center that houses galleries and studios and coordinates the noted Art All Night event in the spring.
Art All Day visitors simply go to Artworks, located at 19 Everett Alley where it intersects with South Stockton Street, and pick up a map/program for a self- or coordinator-guided tour.
The day traditionally ends with a reception at Artworks’ galleries from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring the Art All Day participating artist group show.
Events are generally free, but some events or activities may include a small fee to defray costs. Artists’ works will be for sale.
For more information or to link to a mobile site map, visit www.artworkstrenton.org.
Trenton Library celebrates TAWA past presidents
The Trenton Artists Workshop Association (TAWA) and the Trenton Free Public Library will present the exhibition “Tawa Past Presidents” at the Trenton Free Public Library from September 2 to October 1. An opening reception is set for Friday, September 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. as part of the city’s First Fridays events.
The library and exhibition are also one of the stops for Artworks Trenton’s annual Art All Day event, set for September 17.
“Tawa Past Presidents” features work by six former TAWA leaders; Elizabeth Aubrey, Robert Girandola, Aubrey Kauffman, Robert Lowe II, Dave Orban, and Mary Yess.
Elizabeth Aubrey has been President since 2012. She is a Bordentown-based painter known in part for her works depicting abstract interpretations of nature, open space, and industrial sites. She has exhibited at the Prince Street Gallery in NYC, Muse Gallery in Philadelphia, Ellarslie, and The Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster. Her work is in private collections and the Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission.
Robert Girandola lives in Yardley, Pennsylvania, and was president from 2009 – 2011. He has exhibited at Ellarslie, Artists of Yardley, and the TAWA exhibit at the Prince Street Gallery. A Columbia University graduate, he is best known for his 2006 bronze of NYC Firefighters for 9/11.
Aubrey J. Kauffman is a Mercer County-based photographer who focuses on urban landscape and man’s impact on the environment. He was president of TAWA from 1987 to 1996. His work is included in the collections of NJ State Museum, Rider University, and Johnson and Johnson’s Corporate Headquarters, New Brunswick, NJ. Kauffman lives in Ewing
Robert Lowe was an active force with TAWA from 2005 to 2015. He is a Trenton based painter known in part for his works in watercolors and oils. He has exhibited throughout Bucks County and Greater Trenton Area and is a signature member of the Garden State Watercolor Society. His work is in private collections and the County of Mercer.
David Orban, president from 1985 to 1987, is a Hamilton-based artist who works in oil on canvas or wood. He describes his work as “painterly realism”. He enjoys the juxtapositions of unusual objects and the dramatic effects of theatrical lighting to push the compositions even further into abstraction. His work can be found in the collections of Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission, Mercer County Community College, The College of NJ, and Brooklyn College.
Mary Yess was the first elected TAWA president and served from 1979 to 1983. She is a Hamilton-based artist and works in oil/oil pastel/mixed media Her work focuses on “Old industrial buildings — from all over the U.S., but mostly along the Route 1 corridor near Trenton.” Her work is in numerous public and private collections, including Ellarslie/Trenton City Museum and the Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission.
TAWA is a Greater Trenton nonprofit organization and has a 40-year history organizing exhibits in such venues as the New Jersey State Museum, Trenton City Museum, Artworks Trenton, Prince Street Gallery in New York City, and more.
The Trenton Free Public Library is located at 120 Academy Street in Trenton and is in the new Creek2Canal Trenton Arts District. Hours are Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on the library, call 609-392-7188.
More information on the Trenton Artists Workshop Association can be found on the organization’s Facebook page.
Artist and past TAWA president Mary Yess’ ‘Oxford Codex: Lares Industria IV.’,
