Protection of watershed must remain priority

In search of ratables, the 70-square-mile Metedeconk Watershed — 20 percent of which is located here in Jackson — may be compromised by the township authorities as well as developers who downplay its value to area residents.

The personal tax stability that the township claims homeowners will receive from commercial ratables will be lost as a result of the negative impact to the watershed’s natural ability to handle non-point source pollutants. In other words, your "tax break" may go to your new water bill.

The Jackson Township Municipal Utilities Authority said they only use "confined aquifers" for 8,000 homes and businesses in Jackson (Tri-Town News, Dec. 24, 2003). This is great, but what about the remaining residents and family and friends downstream ... people who draw well water and use the Metedeconk and Toms River watersheds? We must tell developers and their lobbyists that these sensitive lands are hands-off.

Also, in June 2003, a team of national environmental experts was assembled to study the Metedeconk River. Their overriding conclusion was that "the Metedeconk Watershed community must act now to effectively manage its water resources." Is this warning something that should be ignored?

Clean water has been nature’s gift to us for generations. Let’s not degrade, destroy or downplay its importance.

Steven Brosky

Jackson