If you've been by Edgemont Park lately, you might have noticed that the pond is one big layer of scum. The worst it's ever been, says Stephen Wood, director of Community Services for Montclair. The physical reason for the scum is nitrogen-filled storm sewer runoff, which feeds the algae in the shallow pond. The bureaucratic reason is that herbicide spraying is several weeks late because of failure to get a permit renewal from the state DEP.
"Just slipped through the cracks, as simple of that," says Wood.
Despite the scummy conditions, Wood says there's no real danger, or smell, from the scum and that nobody would be hurt if they fell in. "It would just be gross," he said.
That's an understatement.
Yesterday, the Montclair Fire Department tried unsuccessfully to spray some of the scum off with water hoses. Herbicide treatment is expected to begin in a few weeks.
There seems to be an obvious solution: have one of the parks workers use a pool skimmer every week to control it. If the pond's deepest point is beyond 4 feet, they can use a simple rowboat to reach those areas.