Department of Public Works
136 Furler Street, Totowa, NJ 07512
Business Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:00am – 3:30pm
Saturdays: 8:00am – 1:00pm
Jim Niland, Superintendent
jniland@totowanj.org | (973) 956-1000 ext. 1072 | fax (973) 956-7298
Jim Both, Assistant Superintendent
(973) 956-1000 ext. 1073 | fax (973) 956-7298
Roxanne Urchak
(973) 956-1000 ext. 1071 | fax (973) 956-7298
The primary function of the Department of Public Works (DPW) is the maintenance of all township roadways, traffic signs and signals, and right of ways. DPW also handles the repair and maintenance of police cars, fire trucks, and administrative vehicles, including all Department of Public Works trucks and heavy equipment. Ground maintenance of municipal property, recreation fields and firehouses, along with snow removal, is also included.
SEWER
The primary function of the Totowa Sewer Department is to handle and manage the collection and conveyance of approximately 2,500,000 gallons per day of sanitary sewerage from individual users through the Borough and to pump it to the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners located in Newark, New Jersey where it is properly treated and disposed of.
The Department consists of a network of seven (7) pumping stations located in various sections of the town and convey the sewerage to one central pump station which then pumps all the sewerage collected to Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners through a pipeline shared with Little Falls and West Paterson.
RECYCLING
The Department is also responsible for the recycling center. The yard is open Saturday mornings for those residents who are unable to stop during business hours. For more information on Recycling, see below.
VEGETATIVE WASTE
If you would like to purchase vegetative waste bags, the Department of Public Works sells bags for 40 cents each. These bags can also be purchased at the Municipal Clerk's Office.
LARGE BRANCHES
The DPW also removes large branches with the chipper machine. Please call the Department of Public Works at 973-956-1000, ext. 1071 and ask to be put on the list for collection of large branches with the chipper machine.
RECYCLING REQUIREMENTS
The Recycling Market’s requirements have changed and will no longer be accepting any type of plastic bag with recycling items. This includes putting your commingled or paper recycling in a plastic bag.
Please do not place any of your recyclables in any type of plastic bag. Some examples are grocery store, department store, garbage or clear plastic recycling bags. Your recycling must be placed loose, in a recycling container only, or it will not be collected. Click here for more information.
CHRISTMAS TREES
Christmas trees will be collected every Thursday during the month of January. You must bring the tree to your curb Wednesday night for Thursday morning pick-up. These Thursday collections are for real trees only - artificial trees can be thrown away with your regular garbage collection.
NOTE: Trees CANNOT be placed in a plastic bag or contain any lights/wiring.
BATTERY IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
With more and more devices being powered by batteries, it can get confusing knowing what types of batteries you have on hand and what to do with them once they reach their end-of-life. Some old batters can even cause fires when disposed improperly. Thankfully, the Battery Identification Guide available at www.call2recycle.org/avoid-the-spark-nj will not only help you to identify battery types but also explain how to properly manage your old batteries. Learn more about recycling at recycle.nj.gov.
PASSAIC COUNTY RECYCLING
2023 Household Hazardous Waste Collections
2023 Computer and Electronics Recycling Events
2023 Document Shredding and Recycling Collection Program
2023 Used Bicycle and Sewing Machine Collection Event
2023 Tire Recycling Collections
2023 Compost Bin and Rain Barrel Sale and Education Program
2023 Medical Sharps Collection
2023 Fluorescent/LED Bulb Collection
2023 Scrap Metal/Tanks/Cylinders Recycling Collections