Local, state and county officials gathered in Sayreville to announce nearly $2 billion in state financing for water infrastructure projects, which includes millions in funding for projects at county-operated pump stations in Sayreville and Edison.
At a press conference at the Middlesex County Utilities Authority (MCUA) on Aug. 27, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner, Bob Martin, announced $1.94 billion in financing for projects at drinking and wastewater facilities statewide. Nearly $800 million is earmarked for projects to protect facilities from future storms and floods.
The funding will be provided as low-interest loans through the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust (NJEIT).
“Superstorm Sandy exposed infrastructure vulnerabilities across the state,” Martin said at the press conference. “Sandy caused an estimated $2.6 billion in damage to our drinking and wastewater infrastructure.”
According to Martin, the storm impacted 100 water treatment plants and disrupted power to 427 of the state’s 604 water supply systems.
“In highlighting the resiliency changes that must be made to ensure the safety of our residents and economic prosperity for our state, the $1.9 billion covers about 280 projects that will be done across the state of New Jersey,” Martin said.
The MCUA, which serves about 797,000 residents in 38 towns, applied for $185 million in state funds to finance projects to develop “storm-hardened” pump stations in Sayreville and Edison, including flood-protection walls around the perimeters of each property.
Those stations were deemed inoperable after superstorm , which caused an estimated Sandy
$50 million in damages to county treatment facilities on Oct. 29, 2012.
The station in has been working
Edison at full capacity since January 2013, and the station returned to full operation Sayreville four months later.
According to the MCUA Executive Director, Richard Fitamant, the financing will enable the authority to complete the permanent repairs that are required after superstorm Sandy and move forward with mitigation projects to protect the stations in the future.
“The financing announced earmarked for the MCUA will help fund four projects,” Fitamant said at the press conference. “Two that will address aging infrastructure and electrical substation upgrades at our central treatment plant and rehabilitation of the main trunk sewer pipeline, as well as the two [superstorm Sandy] projects.”
Last year, those stations received nearly $100 million in state funding for similar purposes.
Councilman Art Rittenhouse, chair of the Sayreville’s water and sewer committee, said at the press conference that the funding represented a “united effort” between the county and state to get the necessary repairs and mitigation work completed.
Martin also announced that the financing includes $72 million for continued repairs and mitigation projects at the Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority in Union Beach, as well as $20 million for the water treatment plant in Middletown Township.