(Paterson, NJ – November 30, 2023) – Passaic Valley Water Commission (PVWC) is helping to keep Paterson beautiful by rehabilitating its two brick buildings on the north bank of the Passaic River at the Great Falls. The Pump House, which was built circa 1895 and the Gate House, built between 1906 and 1907, are part of the history of the Great Falls. This $2.1M rehabilitation, which is scheduled to be completed by late Summer 2024, will help to restore the buildings back to their original facade. Some of the anticipated work includes new roofs, cleaning and restoring the windows and doors and restoration of the brick work that encases the buildings.
PVWC has hired the architect firm Bilow Garrett, well known for their work on historic buildings. Bilow Garrett enlisted the assistance of Mary Delaney Krugman, a historic preservation specialist who will help ensure the work is done with accepted historic preservation standards and guidelines. Bilow Garrett and Ms. Krugman are working with Phelps Construction Group, who will do the construction and rehabilitation. Once completed, the buildings will, once again, become an integral part of the water system and will complement the historic and newly renovated Hinchcliffe Stadium, which is right across the walkway.
“The work at the Great Falls is just part of the upgrades the company is planning so that we can continue to provide our customers with a reliable and sustainable water supply well into the future,” said PVWC Executive Director Jim Mueller. “At PVWC, we understand there is a delicate balance between how much we can improve the system while keeping water rates affordable and that is why we are taking a detailed look at our system and will begin to address the critical areas first,” he added.
The company has contracted with several engineering firms to conduct studies of the infrastructure throughout its service area to identify where the system is most vulnerable. Once the results of those studies are received, PVWC will begin its infrastructure improvement program.
When PVWC starts its infrastructure improvement program, customers will begin to see even better water quality with improved water flows and pressure, as well as a more sustainable and reliable system with less main breaks.
Passaic Valley Water Commission, recipient of the 2023 Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies Gold Award for exceptional utility performance, serves over 800,000 consumers in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris and Passaic counties. Stay informed of PVWC-related activity by registering to our free notification system by visiting https://www.smart911.com/smart911/ref/reg.action?pa=pvwc.
