Washington Township Municipal Utility Authority Morris NJ

About the Washington Township Municipal Utilities Authoriy

WTMUA Mission Statement
The Washington Township Municipal Utilities Authority is dedicated to provide its customers with safe, clean, drinking water and the discharge of wastewater that meets or exceeds EPA quality standards while providing the highest standards of customer service.

The Washington Township Municipal Utilities Authority (WTMUA) is a State corporation and was created by an ordinance of Washington Township adopted on February 16, 1972. That Ordinance was adopted under the provisions of the State Municipal and County Utilities Authorities Law (the Act). The Authority was initially created to own and operate the Schooley's Mountain Wastewater Treatment Plant. In 1976 the WTMUA acquired two privately owned water companies - Schooley'sMountain and Hager - servicing portions of the Township. Both the serwerage and water systems have been greatly expanded over the years since its inception.

In its broader purpose under the Act, the Authority is authorized to:

  • Acquire, construct, maintain, improve and operate potable water and sewerage treatment facilities,
  • Find, supply and distribute potable water, and
  • Collect, treat, purify and dispose of sewage or other wastes.

The Authority has broad powers under the Act, including, among others:

  • To acquire property by any lawful means, including the exercise of the hold, operate and administer its property;
  • To issue its negotiable bonds and of holders thereof under a bond resolution;
  • To enter into contracts with municipalities, other authorities and corporations for the treatment and disposal of sewage;
  • To charge and collect service charges for the use of its facilities and to review such service charges which the Act requires be adequate at all times to allow the Authority to pay all operating and, maintenance expenses, including reserves, sinking funds, insurance, extensions and replacements, and to pay punctually the principal of and interest on any bonds and to maintain reserves and sinking funds therefor as may be required by the terms of any contract with its bondholders; and
  • To make and enforce Rules and Regulations for the management of its business and affairs.

An Overview of the WTMUA's System

Service Area

Excepting areas at the north western portions of Washington Township which are served by the Hackettstown MUA, the Authority's service area consists the boundaries of the Township. In the case of the sewerage system, the active service area within the Township is further defined by the current Wastewater Management Plan approved by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Water service also extends into a portion of Tewksbury Township.

Due to the topography within the overall service area, both the sewer and water services areas are divided into two separated systems. As the topography varies from a fertile Long Valley area and the hilly land at its south, to the top of Schooley's Mountain which is relatively flat, the systems are separated. The Authority's sewer system serves about 2.0 square miles on Schooley's Mountain and a separate area of 1.5 square miles in Long Valley, Capital Estates and Parker Acres. The water system covers the same area with additional portions to the north on Schooley's Mountain and south in the Long Valley area reaching into the adjoining Township of Tewksbury.

Water

The water system, which was originally built and operated by two private water companies (Schooley's and Hager), consists of thirty-three miles of distribution lines, five elevated storage tanks with a capacity of 1.85 million gallons and fourteen operating wells with a maximum deliverable capacity of 2.554 million gallons daily ("mgd"). The average daily use is 0.74 mgd.

Sewer

The sewer system currently consists of two separate systems which serve the Schooley's Mountain and Long Valley areas of the Township. The Schooley's Mountain system consists of five pumping stations, twenty-four miles of interceptors and a wastewater treatment plant (WTP), constructed in 1967 with modifications and additions in the years 1976, 1983, 1990 and 2003. The Schooley's Mountain WTP has a capacity of 500,000 gallons per day. The plant is located on top of Schooley's Mountain. Effluent from the WTP flows into the South Branch of the Raritan River. Sludge is held partially in drying beds which incorporate the reed "Phragmites Comminus". The remaining sludge is treated at the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners facility.

The Long Valley system consists of two pumping stations, twelve miles of interceptors and a WTP constructed in 1998. Effluent from the WWTP flows into the South Branch of the Raritan River. Sludge from the WWTP is treated at the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners facility. The WWTP is located on East Mill Road in the Long Valley area in Zones II and III.