New Jersey American Water will break ground on April 12, 2017, on a $65 million flood protection project at its Raritan-Millstone Water Treatment Plant.
BRIDGEWATER - New Jersey American Water will break ground Wednesday on a $65 million flood protection project at its Raritan-Millstone Water Treatment Plant.
The work will raise the current flood wall and berms to provide flood protection from 500-year flooding events, according to a news release. The plant serves over 1 million people in seven counties in Central Jersey. The company supplies water to some 2.7 million New Jersey residents.
The ceremony takes place at 10 a.m. at the facility located at 100 Polhemus Lane.
The plant is New Jersey American Water's largest water production facility, it was stated in the release, producing some 92 million gallons a day. It can produce 155 million gallons per day at maximum capacity.
The plant, located near the confluence of the Raritan and Millstone rivers, is in an area of Somerset County that experiences flooding, according to the news release.
It was impacted by flood waters following Hurricane Irene in 2011.
The existing earthen berms and north side reinforced concrete flood wall surrounding the plant are designed to provide flood protection for a 100-year flood event, it was stated. The system of flood protection has been tested three times in recent years where peak flood water levels were recorded within inches from the top of the berm and wall.
Water from the plant is also provided to five large bulk water sales connections, and two Critical Regional Emergency Interconnections serving Newark and Trenton.
Those attending the ground breaking include Somerset County Freeholder Director Peter Palmer; Andrew J. McNally, chief counsel of the state Board of Public Utilities; Dan Kennedy, assistant commissioner of Water Resource Management, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; Dave Zimmer, executive director of the state's Environmental Infrastructure Trust; Robert MacLean, president of New Jersey American Water and senior vice president of the Eastern Division of American Water; and, Robert Schaefer, director of central operations for the utility.
New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state. American Water serves 15 million people in 47 states and Ontario, Canada.