Middlesex County Utilities
Authority's Sewer Line Break Update
March 11, 2003
(Provided by MCUA)
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5:00 p.m.
Contact: Richard Fitamant or Tony Cicatiello
732.721.3800
- Today, March 11, at 2:18 pm, the 102”
force main was placed back into full service; the bypass is now
eliminated; all sewage is now being treated at the MCUA Wastewater
Treatment Plant
- From the beginning of the break to today, the total amount
of bypass sewage at the Sayreville Pumping Station was estimated
at 570 million gallons
- At the break site, the construction company is backfilling and
grading the site
- On Wednesday, March 12, backfilling and grading will be completed;
removal of sheeting completed; seeding will be performed in the
spring months; contractor demobilizes
- MCUA’s independent consultant took samples at the Sayreville
pump station and in the Raritan River today; all data will be
forwarded to DEP; sampling on the Raritan River will continue
on Friday
- Last night, the MCUA attended the Sayreville Municipal Council
meeting and answered questions from the community; the shell fish
industry was represented and MCUA agreed to meet with them
- Updates by MCUA will be provided on an as needed basis; if there
is any further information on any aspect of this incident, we
will make it available to the public immediately
WATER SAMPLING RESULTS
March 8, 2003
The DEP closure order for shellfish beds in the Raritan Bay, Sandy
Hook Bay, Navesink River and Shrewsbury River issued by Commissioner
Bradley M. Campbell on March 3, 2003 remains in effect.
The DEP’s most recent water sampling results from March 8
indicate that fecal coliform levels remain elevated in the eastern
and western portions of the Raritan Bay, and that the impacts of
the sewage spill have spread into Sandy Hook Bay, the Navesink River
and the Shrewsbury River (see charts).
At least half of the waters within Sandy Hook Bay exceed the FDA
health-based standard for fecal coliform in shellfish harvest areas,
which is 88 parts of fecal coliform per one hundred milliliters
of water.
In Sandy Hook Bay, tests for fecal coliform showed elevated levels
up to 1,100 parts per 100 milliliters.
Fecal coliform levels also were elevated in the Navesink and Shrewsbury
rivers, ranging between 23 and 43 parts per 100 milliliters. While
these levels are below the FDA standard of 88 parts per 100 milliliters
that applies to the harvest areas in Raritan and Sandy Hook bays,
it exceeds the standards in the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers,
which have areas that are designated “seasonal waters.”
Shellfish harvested in the winter from “seasonal waters”
can be sold directly to the marketplace without going to a depuration
plant for purification. The fecal coliform health-based standard
for “seasonal waters” is 14 parts per 100 milliliters.
As a result of the elevated levels of fecal coliform, the shellfish
bed closures will remain in effect until further notice. The DEP,
weather permitting, will be collecting water samples on an ongoing
basis and will continue to closely monitor the situation.
New sample results will be posted as available.
View Fecal Coliform Bacteria Charts
March 4, 2003
On March 4, 2003, the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) collected 59 water samples from the
four harvest areas (Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Navesink River,
Shrewsbury River) where Commissioner Campbell closed shellfish beds
as a result of the Middlesex County Utility Authority’s sewage
spill.
In the western portion of the Raritan Bay, DEP
tests revealed elevated levels of fecal coliform ranging between
2,400 to 4,600 parts per one hundred milliliters.
The FDA health-based standard in shellfish harvest
areas for fecal coliform is 88 parts per one hundred milliliters
of water. Typically, the levels of fecal coliform in New Jersey’s
harvest areas are lower than this level.
As of March 4, 2003, levels of fecal coliform in
the Sandy Hook Bay and the Navesink River remained normal. However,
based on a computer modeling system being used by the DEP to forecast
the impacts of the sewage spill, those areas will not be impacted
by elevated levels of fecal coliform until this weekend.
As a result of the forecast and of the elevated
levels of fecal coliform in the western portion of the Raritan River,
the shellfish bed closures will remain in effect until further notice.
The DEP, weather permitting, will be collecting water samples on
a daily basis and will continue to closely monitor the situation.
New sample results will be posted as available.
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