Included in this year’s Water Resources Development Act are much-needed federal funds to support water and wastewater infrastructure in Deptford and Washington townships.
Congressman Donald Norcross supported the Act of 2024 in a recent U.S. House vote on Dec. 10. The annual measure now goes to the Senate for final approval before the president can sign it into law.
“By investing in storm and wastewater management and flood mitigation infrastructure, we can better protect our cities, towns, businesses and homes from the destructive power of severe storms,” Norcross said. “I’m proud to support the authorization of these important projects to ensure all South Jersey residents are safe.”
The act authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to undertake locally driven infrastructure and water resource projects that will result in regional and national benefits to strengthen the nation’s global competitiveness and supply chain; grow the economy; move goods throughout the country; and protect communities from flooding, according to a press release.
Congress has passed Water Resources Development Act legislation on a bipartisan and biennial basis since 2014. The 2024 act maintains the regular consideration of that important infrastructure legislation, and it provides Congress the opportunity for input into projects undertaken by the Army Corps.
The act also authorizes the Secretary of the Army – through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works – to conduct studies; construct projects; and research activities that can lead to the improvement of rivers and harbors of the United States, according to the corps.
WRDA has authorized over 200 new feasibility studies for locally proposed projects and 22 projects, according to the press release. They include:
- Authorizing $4,000,000 for water and wastewater infrastructure in Deptford Township
- Authorizing $3.2 million for water and wastewater infrastructure in Washington Township and Gloucester County
- Raising the authorized funding level for the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority project from $119 million to $143.8 million
- A feasibility study for a navigation project in Paulsboro
- A feasibility study for channel deepening in the Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania portions of the Delaware River
The Washington Township Municipal Utilities Authority was created by virtue of an ordinance adopted in June 1962, according to its website, for the purpose of construction and operation of a sanitary sewerage system for the proper collection and disposal of certain sanitary sewerage and other wastes in the township, along with a water distribution system there.
The township authority has approximately 181 miles of water and 173 miles of sewer mains. It delivers water to its customers and acts as a sewerage collection agent. Sewage is treated by the Gloucester County Utilities Authority, whose collection system contains 38 pumping stations, several force mains, and gravity lines that deliver sewage through one of two metering stations maintained by the county utilities authority.
The water system has three million-gallon tanks, one 400,000-gallon spheroid tank, and three standpipes that provide a total storage capacity of approximately 10 million gallons of water. The authority pumps about seven million gallons per day from 14 existing wells.
The Deptford Township Municipal Utilities Authority is an independent agency created in June 1960, according to its website. It currently provides 11,000-plus residential, commercial and municipal customers with water and sewer services and also provides fire protection services.
