MORRISTOWN (12/19/05) – The Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) has agreed to a feasibility study to obtain billions of gallons of more water from an abandoned mine in Mine Hill.

The MUA thinks it may be able to pump excess water from its own wells as well as from area rivers and Lake Hopatcong during periods of high flow into the Scrub Oaks Iron Mine in Mine Hill.

The water would be used to meet current and future demand and customer growth.

It is estimated the 3,200 foot deep mine could hold about two billion gallons of water with the MUA then using about half that amount for its own needs.

The State Department of Environmental Protection has indicated it will contribute $500,000 toward the $1 million feasibility study and that it will take approximately 15 months to complete.