Middlesex Water treatment plant now meets NJ contamination standards

SOUTH PLAINFIELD – Middlesex Water Company has completed construction of its new $52 upgraded water treatment plant at its wellfield on Park Avenue.

The plant, now in service, treats groundwater in compliance with all state and federal drinking water standards, including levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

In 2021, the state Department of Environmental Protection adopted a new water contamination standard. Water at the Park Avenue plant initially exceeded the new PFOA regulation, though the water had met all pre-existing standards.

At that time customers in Carteret, Clark, Edison, Metuchen, Rahway, South Plainfield and Woodbridge were advised to install home water filters to reduce PFOA levels in tap water or use bottled water for drinking and cooking. A class action lawsuit against Middlesex Water filed on behalf of customers last year remains in litigation.

PFOA is a chemical used in industry and consumer products that breaks down slowly and can build up in people, animals and the environment over time. The chemical can be found in water, soil, air and food, as well as food packaging, household products, personal care products, drinking water and soil and water near waste sites.

Long-term exposure can result in problems with cholesterol levels, liver, kidney, immune system, the reproductive system in men, and developmental delays in infants and children.

Middlesex Water, meanwhile, is in litigation with 3M, the firm it believes is responsible for the PFOA contamination. A trial date is set for Oct. 2, in U.S. District Court in Newark.

More:Middlesex Water not part of 3M's $10 billion settlement with water providers

The company suspended use of the wellfield once it was able to switch to alternate sources of supply in November 2021.

By June 2022, because of an expedited construction scheduled, Middlesex Water was able to begin treating groundwater containing PFOA in compliance with the new standard through a partial and temporary treatment facility. This interim facility also helped Middlesex Water meet heightened seasonal water consumption demands.

By the beginning of this month, the facility advanced to permanent treatment status. The company's average for PFOA in the water at the Park Avenue facility is at a non-detectible level, the company said.

Dennis Doll, Middlesex Water chairman, president and CEO praised the company's internal engineering and operations teams and external consultants who worked together to put the upgraded treatment facility online.

"Our company did not place PFOA into the groundwater, yet we’re committed to protecting public health and as such, are required to expend significant funds and labor resources to remove it to comply with standards,” Doll said. “We are grateful to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for their counsel as we navigated the design, construction, operationalization and public communication relative to our treatment facility which continue to be comparable challenges for water systems in many states.”

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Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.