SAYREVILLE – The Sayreville Pump Station, a regional wastewater facility located along Canal Road in Sayreville, was officially re-opened on June 22 with a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by officials from the Middlesex County Utilities Authority (MCUA) and Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners.
The facility, which was damaged by Superstorm Sandy in 2021, is the largest wastewater pumping station in the state, serving approximately 800,000 people from 30 municipalities across Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties and pumping nearly 80 million gallons of water per day, according to information provided by the Middlesex County Office of Communications.
The pump station suffered significant damage during Sandy, requiring the MCUA to complete a series of fixes to various parts of the station. Receiving approximately $75 million in FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) funding, the station received improvements that offers it the needed protection to sustain the impact of a storm well beyond what was experienced with Superstorm Sandy, according to the statement.
Improvements to the station include: a 1,630-foot flood wall constructed with concrete on two sides and exposed steel on two sides; a 10-megawatt power facility with three diesel and one natural gas generators; and a 25-foot-wide flood gate at the main entrance to protect the pump during major flood events.
“The Board of County Commissioners thanks the MCUA and its leadership team for continuing their mission of preserving and protecting central New Jersey’s environmental resources through the restoration of this station,” Ronald G. Rios, director of the Board of County Commissioners, said in the statement. “The Sayreville Pump Station is a crucial piece of our infrastructure, and while improvements have been made over the years to mitigate issues, this full restoration will create a better functioning system.”
“Since the station’s damage in 2012 by Superstorm Sandy, the MCUA was steadfast in ensuring the station continued to operate. Thanks to the funding from FEMA, we were able to bring this station back to full capacity, with a restoration that not only addressed the issues brought on my Sandy but prepares the station to withstand stronger storms and weather events that impact the region in the future,” County Commissioner Charles Tomaro, chair of the Infrastructure Management, which oversees the MCUA, said in the statement.
“These past nine years have made MCUA resilient,” MCUA Executive Director Joseph Cryan said in the statement. “We would not be where we are today without the assistance and support of MCUA Commissioners, Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners, FEMA, NJDEP, NJ I-Bank, and our partners to fully restore the Sayreville Pump Station to its full capabilities as one of the largest wastewater pumping stations in the state of New Jersey. This $92 million project protects critical infrastructure and equipment from flooding and prevent disruption during future weather events.”
MCUA has preserved and protected central New Jersey’s environmental resources through responsible waste management and stewardship of the environment around the Raritan River and Raritan Bay since its creation in 1950, according to the statement.
MCUA, a public entity, was established by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners, then known as the Board of Chosen Freeholders, to manage the county’s wastewater and solid waste services. The MCUA is committed to promoting public health, protecting environmental resources, and sustaining the development and growth of Middlesex County through efficient and responsible operations of the wastewater treatment facility and the Middlesex County Landfill, which have a direct impact on the quality of life of over 800,000 residents and businesses in central New Jersey, according to the statement.