Camden County Razing Wastewater Plant in Gloucester Township

As part of a major sewer-line expansion in six Camden County towns, the wastewater-treatment plant on the grounds of ' township campus is being demolished. 

County officials announced Wednesday that the county's Municipal Utilities Authority won a $2 million grant from the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust Fund to expand sewer capacity in Berlin Borough, Berlin Township, Chesilhurst, Pine Hill, Waterford Township and Winslow Township. The CCMUA was also approved for a $48,050,000 low-interest loan from the trust to complete the project.

“This grant approval is the culmination of years of hard work and coordination between the CCMUA, the municipalities and the state,” said Freeholder Jeffrey L. Nash, liaison to the CCMUA, in a prepared statement.  

The towns that will be served by the expansion have experienced limited economic growth potential due to a scarcity of available sewer capacity for new construction, accordig to the county. The grant will allow the CCMUA to construct 25 miles of new sewer lines through the six municipalities, allowing the towns to issue new sewer permits for the first time in several years. This will not only result in operational savings to the municipalities, it will generate additional revenue from sewer permit and connection fees, and additional customers linking into the sewer system, according to the county. 

“This expansion will provide these municipalities with the opportunity to attract new ratable to their communities,” said Freeholder Nash.  “It is extremely important for this project to provide the infrastructure that will allow these towns to experience future growth.”

In addition to the Gloucester Township plant, two other county wastewater-treatment plants–which county officials say are antiquated and no longer needed–will also be demolished. Both are in Winslow; one is on the grounds of Ancora Psychiatric Hospital. 

Dan Keashen, a county spokesman, said late Wednesday it will be up to the vocational school to decide what to do with the property that formerly housed the treatment plant on Cross Keys Road in Gloucester Township.