A resident emailed NJ21st a set of documents tied to the failed sewer sale bid package. The resident inquired as to why these documents were no longer available after the bid fell through at a Town Council Meeting this year and was told they were pulled.  In his email the resident stated:

“All this information came from the bid package for the proposed sale of the facility.”

The file contained several documents (which we will get to in a set of articles) and included a letter from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (dated April, 2024) that highlighted several violations connected to reporting and environmental safety at the sewage plant.

The reporting issues went back as far as 2022 and included late reports, missing data and numbers that did not reflect lab reports. The errors connected to lab reporting made the situation look better than it was.

The document indicated that Ammonia, phosphorus, nitrates, and E. coli were all measured at or above permitted levels. One example involved ammonia being reported at 1.3 mg/L when the lab results actually showed nearly 9 mg/L.

According to the letter, partially treated sewage spilled out through a storm drain and into the Passaic River in December of 2023 and again in January of 2024. This was due to the plant’s primary clarifier being unable to handle the extra water.

The DEP required that the Town

• Correct Monitoring reports back to 2022
• Develop a corrective actions plan showing how future overflows will be stopped.
• Allow only fully treated water enters the Passaic.
• Provide Timely and accurate reports

Violations under state water law can bring penalties of up to $50,000 per day, per violation. DEP has already said some of Berkeley Heights’ violations qualify as mandatory fines.

The environmental citations should concern residents who experience flooding in their homes as the potential for contamination and long term issues like mold increases if sewage water is present.

Source Document

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