I would like to submit my opinion concerning the Old Bridge Municipal Utilities Authority (OBMUA) workers who did work for me and two of my neighbors at the Society Hill townhouse complex in Old Bridge.
A problem developed a few weeks ago when my neighbors appeared to have an underground pipe leak in their front lawn. The OBMUA was called, and its workers came, headed by a man named Wally. They were here for about three-four hours assessing the problem, explaining to all of us what they would be doing. I have to say that they were wonderful.
The men had to dig out our water shutoff valve, which was rotted and buried in mud approximately 3-4 feet deep for years. I watched these men put their upper bodies in a 3- to 4-foot hole to try to get at the problem. They eventually replaced the rotted stems in the ground, pressure-tested all our water lines and finally determined what the possible problem was for this particular neighbor. They explained everything along the way, even when we had multiple questions because none of us understood what had to be done and what might have to be done to solve this problem. They worked even when it started to rain. They had to put up canopies to protect themselves as they buried their heads in the 3- to 4-foot hole they had to dig to get at the shutoff valves. They came back daily because of the rain and then to see that the ground dried out, and they finally determined that it was a leaky faucet used to water the lawn in the front of the home.
I commend them highly in spite of the fact that the OBMUA raised our rates a lot over my years here and lowered our minimum water-gallon usage from 10,000 gallons to 6,000 gallons.
These men, whom I saw here last year on another court at Society Hill, deserve a big raise.

Catherine Roth

The article in the Suburban News can also be viewed directly at the Suburban web site below

http://sub.gmnews.com/news/2013-06-20/Letters/Praise_goes_out_to_OBMUA_workers.html