To the Editor:

Has there been a thorough investigation of what is wrong with the sewers under Henry Avenue and Witherspoon Street? There were problems when the hospital was in operation and to the town’s credit, Bob Hough did a fantastic job coordinating a multi-week clean-up of the worst spillage with a hazmat team. The spillages raise questions as to whether those sewers are undersized, under-pitched, or cracked.

The sanitary sewers were in high demand with the hospital. As both a homeowner and retired plumbing contractor, I am very concerned about the effects of another high demand use — the 280 apartments proposed by AvaIonBay for this 5.6 acre lot.

I’ve lived on Harris Road since 1958 in a home built by my father. Ours was the second home on the block. The effect of sewage backing up into my home and those of my neighbors was sickening and traumatic, with unknown long-term effects.

I know that everyone wants to have a better use for the center of Princeton than an abandoned hospital, but I am worried about the infrastructure. Can this old sewer system that has already failed repeatedly serve a huge number of new residents and if not, what will be the cost to our town to clean up the mess?

John Armonia

Harris Road