Chester
Chester Township is septic country, while Chester Borough is largely on public sewer. Most township homes manage their own wastewater, and many also draw water from private wells. That means a failing system is not just an inconvenience but something that can affect drinking water nearby. Regular pumping, an inspection before buying, and quick attention to wet spots or odors are the basics. A local septic contractor who works in Chester regularly knows the soils and the health department process.
Chester is mostly farmland, preserved open space and wooded hills, and about 86 percent of the township sits in the Highlands Preservation Area, where new sewer lines are essentially off the table. That keeps septic the rule here for the long haul. The ground varies a lot from lot to lot. Ridges near Hacklebarney and Mount Paul can be stony with shallow rock, valley lots along the Black River and the Lamington's tributaries stay damp in spring, and parts of the township are mapped over carbonate rock, where engineers take extra care with how effluent moves. Big homes on acre plus lots, long runs from house to tank, and private wells nearby all shape how a Chester system should be serviced.
Sections of Chester
- Hacklebarney (Chester Township hamlet)
- Milltown (Chester Township hamlet)
- Pleasant Hill (Chester Township hamlet)
- Horton (Chester Township)
- Milldale (Chester Township)
- Mount Paul (Chester Township)
- Upper Ironia (Chester Township)
- Historic Main Street village (Chester Borough)
- Chester Borough
- Hacklebarney
- Milldale
- Pleasant Hill
- Horton
- Upper Ironia
- Mount Paul
Main roads
- U.S. Route 206. Main north-south highway through the township and borough
- County Route 513 (North Road). North-south county road, known locally as Old Route 24 or North Road; meets Route 206 in the borough
- County Route 510 (Old Route 24). Main east-west road through Chester
- Main Street. Chester Borough's historic shopping and dining street, home of the craft shows and Municipal Field
- Hillside Road. Chester Borough: site of the historic First Congregational Church
- Tannersbrook Road. Chester Township: road subject to localized flooding per the county hazard plan
Landmarks
- Hacklebarney State Park. 890-acre state park established in 1924, bisected by the Black River
- Black River Fish and Wildlife Management Area. 3,020 acres in northern Chester Township for fishing, hunting, canoeing and hiking
- Nathan Cooper Gristmill. Historic mill in Black River County Park
- Chubb Park. Chester Township: 85 acres with playing fields, ponds, skating and sledding
- Tiger Brook Park. Chester Township: 270-acre preserve with a 10-acre reservoir
- Highlands Ridge Park. Former Bell Labs 'Telephone Pole Farm' site, now home of the NJ Highlands Council headquarters
- First Congregational Church. Chester Borough: NRHP-listed church on Hillside Road
- Chester House Inn. Chester Borough: NRHP-listed building at Main Street and Hillside Road
Nearby towns
- Mendham Township
- Randolph
- Roxbury
- Mount Olive
- Washington Township
- Tewksbury Township
Not sure if you're covered? Call and ask. If the local crew can't reach you, they'll say so up front.