Wastewater Management Planning

Wastewater Management Plan

In 2008, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) adopted major amendments to the State’s Water Quality Management Planning rules. The amended rules gave county boards of chosen freeholders (now county commissioners) the responsibility to prepare wastewater management plans, an obligation that had previously rested with municipalities or agencies responsible for the collection and treatment of wastewater. The Freeholders designated the Department of Resource Conservation as the county office charged with preparation of the wastewater management plan.

In essence, wastewater management plans delineate areas that are to be served by centralized wastewater treatment facilities (“sewer service areas”) and evaluate the capability of existing treatment facilities to handle future sewage flows from within those delineated areas. In addition, the 2008 rules also require that wastewater management plans include: 1) a delineation of those areas designated to be served by individual subsurface sewage disposal systems (septic systems); 2) an analysis of whether build-out at current zoning will negatively impact groundwater quality (dilution capacity will not sustain a nitrate level of 2 parts per million); and 3) a plan to ensure the proper management of septic systems.

Future Sewer Service Map

On July 11, 2012 by Resolution No. 2012-00369, the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders approved a Future Wastewater Service Area map as the first phase of development of the county-wide wastewater management. Following public review and comment, DEP adopted the Future Wastewater Service Area map as an amendment to the Tri-County Water Quality Management Plan on May 7, 2013.

County Wastewater Management Plan

On May 24, 2017 by Resolution No. 2017-00240, the Freeholders authorized submission of the Burlington County Wastewater Management Plan to DEP for adoption into the Tri-County Water Quality Management Plan. Please note that the submission did not include the required septic management component of the plan. This will be submitted by the regulatory imposed deadline of April 2018. DEP will conduct its review and formally release the plan for public comment. Written comments will be accepted by the Department of Resource Conservation in advance of the DEP public review process. Please address comments to the Department at PO Box 6000, Mt. Holly, NJ 08069; ATTN: Mary Pat Robbie.