OVERVIEW

From it’s inception in 1965, the Northeast Monmouth County Regional Sewerage Authority became a well-known, respected name. Because its service area borders the Naversink and Shrewsbury Rivers, the Authority, in November 2001, adopted the new name TWO RIVERS WATER RECLAMATION AUTHORITY. Though our name has changed, our commitment to serve remains the same.

As a leader, TRWRA continues to refine the water reclamation process by recently upgrading and constructing a newly expanded physical plant. This expansion gives capacity to handle all future wastewaterthat could originate from the six member towns: Fair Haven, Little Silver, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Shrewsbury, West Long Branch, and six customer towns: Red Bank, Eatontown, Rumson, Sea Bright, Shrewsbury Township and Tinton Falls, and two military bases that depend upon the Two Rivers Water Reclamation Authority.

The treatment plant and collection system started operations in 1971. The facilities include 200 miles of Sanitary Sewer Mains, 18 Pump Stations, and 9 Meter Chambers. There are 33 employees made up of plant, collections, maintenance, dewatering, laboratory, management and clerical staff.

The Authority’s recent plant expansion and upgrade was designed to handle average flows of 13.83 MGD. To create the most efficient water reclamation system, the upgrade and expansion included:

• Covers for aeration tanks
• 2 new rectangular aeration basins, with fine-bubble diffused air
• 2 new circular clarifiers
• New gravity belt thickeners to replace the old thickening tanks
• New sludge-thickening building
• 2 new biofilters-This process used successfully in Europe for decades, it is a natural biological process for odor control
• New building to house 2 new emergency generators
• Upgraded main pumping station with new pumps, new controls, and new safety devices
• Loading of biosolids into trucks is done inside a new building

At Two Rivers Water Reclamation Authority, we continue to take strides in our vision to be the best through our performance, leadership and social responsibilities.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER WASTEWATER DISPOSAL

Prior to the mid 20th century, communities did not concern themselves with the issues of recycling or polluting the environment. Septic tanks were used to collect wastewater and they were often emptied randomly, with little regard for the pollution of the land or the sea.

As our population grew, it became evident that a more appropriate sewerage system was needed. A greater regard for the our environment and the disposal of waste changed many things, including wastewater disposal.

TWO RIVERS WATER RECLAMATION AUTHORITY DEVELOPED TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY

In 1965, six municipalities – Monmouth Beach, West Long Branch, Oceanport, Fair Haven, Little Silver and Shrewsbury – joined to create a regional sewerage authority to service communities with their wastewater disposal and water reclamation. As a result, the Northeast Monmouth County Regional Sewerage Authority was formed.

The Authority’s plan was two-fold: to improve the current situation, and to plan for the future. TRWRA authorized the development of a complete wastewater disposal system, to be built in two phases. A network of underground pipe systems that efficiently conducted all the waste to a central processing point replaced old septic tanks containing raw sewage.

By 1971, construction of its sewage treatment plant was completed and the municipalities now had a system that could process 10 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater.

After thirty years of operation, the Authority began it’s second phase of development to meet the coverage area’s growing needs, and to improve efficiency. A multi-million dollar upgrade and plant expansion was constructed to produce a state-of-the-art water reclamation facility.

TODAY, TRWRA SERVES 90,000 PEOPLE

Two Rivers Water Reclamation Authority has grown to be one of the largest water reclamation facilities in the area. The Authority transports wastewater from each household in its six member communities through more than 200 miles of sewer mains to its water reclamation plant on Raccoon Island in Monmouth Beach.

TRWRA also treats sewage from six customer communities, as well as the Fort Monmouth area, which operate their own collection systems. 90,000 people are served, 39,000 households and over 11 million gallons per day/4 billion gallons per year of wastewater is treated by the Two Rivers Water Reclamation Authority.

The Authority’s advanced water reclamation plant operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At the Plant, the biosolids are treated and then transported off site for beneficial reuse as a soil amendment or to an incinerator. After complete cleaning, and disinfection, the clear water is discharged one-half mile off Monmouth Beach into the Atlantic Ocean.

LEADING THE WAY IN WATER RECLAMATION

As a leader in water reclamation, we’re proud of our work, our service to the community and our commitment to our customers. In 1995, in recognition of the Two Rivers Water Reclamation Authority plant’s outstanding performance, The United States Environmental Protection Agency named TRWRA the recipient of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Operation and Maintenance Excellence Award. The award acknowledged the cost-effective approach used to increase the plant capacity by more efficient solids removal and improved oxygen transfer to the aeration tanks.

OUR LABORATORY

The laboratory of TRWRA is certified by the State of New Jersey to conduct seventeen parameters for regulatory reporting, as well as process control purposes.

We are constantly testing and experimenting to develop new applications and improve operational efficiency. In addition, TRWRA utilizes a number of state of the art analytical techniques to monitor the influent received at the plant, all stages of the treatment process, and the effluent discharged into the Atlantic Ocean.

Greater than ninety percent of the sampling and testing required by our discharge permit is performed in-house.

TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS

From TRWRA’s inception, we have assembled a team of professionals that include engineers, licensed operators, mechanics, management administrators and supervisors. As an Authority, we are governed by a board of twelve commissioners who are appointed by each member community to represent their town and the Authority as a whole.

Two Rivers Water Reclamation Authority is always working to create more efficient systems and develop better ways to serve our communities. We work together and collaborate with the NJDEP (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection) to meet and exceed the state’s clean water standards.

TRWRA PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

The Authority’s recent facility expansion, required by the NJDEP, has been designed not simply to meet the State’s regulations for the new millennium, but to surpass the strictest standards that technology and plant economics permit.

The required Facility Improvement Plan increased the plant’s capacity to meet the current and future needs of its member and customer towns through the year 2015 and beyond. The expanded plant has an average flow of 13.83 million gallons per day.

At Two Rivers Water Reclamation Authority, we have always practiced a “Good Neighbor” policy at our plant. Included in the expansion, to better preserve the quality of the environment, was the upgrade of equipment. With this upgrade, the existing water reclamation facility added state-of-the-art process and odor control equipment.

In the future, as in the past, Two Rivers Water Reclamation Authority will continue to set the pace and exceed the standards for water reclamation.