CHERRY HILL, NJ, Feb. 17, 2010 -- New Jersey American Water will replace its 1920s-era Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant in Millburn Township, NJ and build a new, state-of-the-art facility on the same grounds. Groundbreaking is expected in early fall 2010 and the plant is scheduled to be completed by March 2012. The approximately $72 million project will create upwards of 200 construction jobs and when complete, the new water treatment facility will have the capacity to deliver 14 million gallons of water per day to customers in the New Jersey American Water's Short Hills service area.
"New Jersey American Water's first priority is to deliver high-quality water service to our customers," said John Bigelow, president of New Jersey American Water. "Our new Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant will enable us to continue providing that high level of quality, and operate more efficiently. And of course, this type of infrastructure investment has the additional economic benefits in terms of job creation."
CDM Constructors Inc. with offices in Edison, NJ, and Hatch Matt MacDonald of Millburn, NJ have been chosen for the design-build of the new water treatment plant. The new energy-efficient facility will allow New Jersey American Water to upgrade its water treatment processes, meet pending state and federal environmental standards that become effective in 2012, add improved security measures and data collection, and protect the plant from occasional flooding.
The Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant serves New Jersey American Water customers in portions of Essex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset and Union counties and sits on more than 500 acres of land where various species of wildlife nest, and includes two reservoirs.
New Jersey American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE:AWK) , is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.5 million people. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15 million people in 32 states and Ontario, Canada. For more information, visit www.newjerseyamwater.com.
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