Menendez, Booker, Pallone Announce $1.7M in Federal Financing to Advance Keyport Water Treatment Project

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, and Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (N.J.-06), today announced the awarding of an additional $1.7 million in federal financing from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development fund to complete Keyport’s water and waste disposal improvement project.  The Borough’s water treatment plant is over a century old, built in 1893, and lacks the capacity to handle its growing demand.

“Communities across New Jersey are increasingly challenged by water infrastructure that is old, out-lived its usefulness, and, in some cases, falling apart,” said Sen. Menendez.  “This important federal investment will help Keyport make the necessary upgrades to ensure its residents have clean water to drink and that the Borough’s wastewater is properly disposed of to protect the public’s health and environment.”

“Investing in New Jersey’s aging water infrastructure is critical to the health and safety of our communities and the strength of our local economy,” said Sen. Booker.  “This federal funding will bolster Keyport’s water infrastructure, protect the health of our families and our environment, and help lay the foundation for future economic growth.”

“Our water infrastructure has not been sufficiently funded for years, and we’ve seen the tragic results in Flint and in other communities around the nation, including New Jersey,” said Rep. Pallone.  “This federal funding is an important investment in Keyport’s drinking water and I will be working on the Energy and Commerce Committee to ensure similar investments are made throughout New Jersey.”

The $5,770,000 project has already received a $3,750,000 USDA loan and grant, and a $500,000 FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant.  The new financing will be in the form of a low-interest, 40-year loan.

Keyport is in the process of upgrading its water treatment plant, and the current filtration plant and treatment system (constructed in 1979, with minor upgrades in 2007), while allowing it to remain in operation.  It will expand the plant’s capacity of 700 gpm (gallons per minute) or 1.0 MGD (Million Gallons Per Day), which has failed to keep up with current demand, to a maximum treatment capacity of 1.44 MGD, exceeding the future, projected demand of 1.2 MGD.  Additionally, the project includes replacing the existing gravity filtration system with a pressure filtration system, eliminating the existing aeration and upflow clarifier units, constructing a new backwash holding tank, chemical feed upgrades, supply well rehabilitation, and upgrades and replacement of high service pumps.