Wyckoff Adopts Modified Water Restrictions

The Wyckoff Township Committee voted to modify its water restrictions Tuesday night, amending an ordinance submitted by Ridgewood Water, the utility that serves Wyckoff as well as Ridgewood, Glen Rock and Midland Park.

After seeing heavy fines from the state Department of Environmental Protection in recent years for exceeding its water allocation, the utility had sought to make the restrictions easier to comply with.

At the current “moderate” drought condition, watering is confined to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for odd-numbered addresses and Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays for even numbers. Additional restrictions can be imposed if the conditions become more severe.

Officials from the utility have said that the new restrictions are simpler than the previous rules, which paired odd/even house numbers to the date.

Wyckoff modified the penalties imposed on repeat violators of the restrictions, however, keeping fines at $50 and removing a provision that would have allowed the utility to shut off the water for offenders. Township committee members had raised concerns that step could potentially pose health hazards.

While Wyckoff police are tasked with enforcing the restrictions and reporting violations to the utility, it is not yet clear whether the township can legally block Ridgewood Water from cutting the water supply to violators on its own.