Drone Flight at Newark City Hall Budget Session Highlights Reservoir Safety

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NEWARK — The city's water and sewer utilities spending will increase by $7.8 million in this year’s proposed plan, Water and Sewer Department Director Kareem Adeem said earlier this week at a budget meeting, where he demonstrated a security drone used to watch the Newark-owned Pequannock Watershed.

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The watershed supplies drinking water for New Jersey's largest city, so city officials want it secure.

“Our security drones are in full operation,” Adeem said, just before the drone started loudly whirring. “We operate them every day – 24-hour surveillance that we provide throughout our 37,000 acres of watershed.”

The device , piloted from a balcony at the rear of the council chamber, caught Council President LaMonica McIver’s attention.

“Make sure we turn that around, so taxpayers can see,” McIver said.

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The article continues below the video.

The laughter and smiles from council members came with a more serious message highlighting the importance of protecting the city’s drinking water supply and ensuring the public’s safety at the watershed.

“It’s not a joke to be able to have this kind of equipment and to be really elevating our systems and our equipment here in our city,” McIver said.

Security doesn’t stop in the sky.

“The human presence, we’re looking to increase that, too,” Adeem said. The department, in coordination with West Milford, also needs to update its fire tower, he said.

Adeem said there is no armed security on site, something McIver asked the business administrator to facilitate.

“This city should be able to spare some armed security guards there,” said McIver, who added there is a risk of terrorism. She also pointed to the June drowning death of an 18-year-old Randolph man and raised the issue of the city’s liability in such cases.

Spending in the water utility is budgeted to increase by 2.35% to $68.016 million, while spending in the sewer utility is set to increase by 9.11% to $71.97 million. The increase is the result of “drainage improvements,” design costs, capital expenses and debt service, Kareem said.

Pressed by East Ward Councilman Michael Silva for details about those drainage improvements amid more frequent flooding, Kareem said the city has improved conditions.

“The projects that we’ve done over the last 10 years have mitigated the flooding,” he said. “However, we can’t beat the flooding. Climate change is real. Sea level rise is real.”

City officials did not say the cost of the drone, and a request by TAPinto Newark to the water department was not answered as of Friday afternoon.

Previous Coverage

• Landlord's $1M in Unpaid Bills Prompt Newark Water Shutoffs, Official Says
• Pumping up Revenue, Newark Hikes Sewer and Water Rates
• Newark Lead Water Line Replacement Probe Finds More Gaps, DEP Says
• Lead Left in Some Replaced Newark Water Pipes, Mayor Says in Executive Session

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