Feasibility of Wastewater Reuse in Southern New Jersey

Southern New Jersey is taking proactive steps to beneficially reuse wastewater. Due to salt intrusion in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy (PRM) aquifer, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) designated a Critical Water Area within certain counties in southern New Jersey wherein the volume of withdrawals is limited. This prompted counties to be engaged in land use planning through a number of different programs. An integral part of watershed management planning has been a new wastewater reuse initiative. During the drought period many wastewater treatment plants received authorization to reuse their treated effluent for various beneficial reuse applications. Several facilities have now built in effluent reuse as part of their NJPDES permit. Reclaimed wastewater is being considered now as a valuable resource by municipalities, industries, and county parks. To promote the reuse process, the operators of the New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) have considered lowering permitting fees for facilities that will implement reclaimed water for beneficial reuse (RWBR) program. This paper focuses on wastewater reuse efforts in the Southern New Jersey area.