Facility Overview

The origin of Rockaway Valley Regional Sewerage Authority (RVRSA) and wastewater treatment in this area dates back over a century. In approximately 1900, the city of Jersey City acquired the Rockaway River water supply system, including the Boonton Reservoir, from private development interests. It wasn’t until pollution problems began to arise within the Rockaway River water supply system that Jersey City constructed a sewage treatment plant and interceptor sewer (in the early 1920’s).

Residential and industrial development in the Rockaway River watershed exploded during the 1940’s and 1950’s, and by the mid-1960’s, the Jersey City treatment plant could not treat the wastes properly – allowing the pollution of the Rockaway River due to untreated sewage. In 1968 the Superior Court of New Jersey ordered Jersey City to construct a new facility due to the contamination and pollution of the Rockaway River. Due to this lawsuit brought against Jersey City, Rockaway Valley Regional Sewerage Authority was formed, in 1972. Rockaway Valley Regional Sewerage Authority services nine (9) towns (Town of Boonton, Township of Boonton, Township of Denville, Borough of Rockaway, Township of Rockaway, Town of Dover, Township of Randolph, Victory Gardens and Borough of Wharton), one customer (Mine Hill) and one federal facility (Picatinny Arsenal).

Rockaway Valley Regional Sewerage Authority’s next major change was in the late 1970’s/early 1980’s. At this time, RVRSA received federal grant money to upgrade the facility to a 12 million gallon a day (MGD) plant, at an initial cost of $32 million. The new 12 MGD plant went on-line in September 1985 and today is the current operating facility.

THE TREATMENT PROCESS

Rockaway Valley Regional Sewerage Authority treats a variety of wastes from households, to business and industrial facilities, to commercial establishments.  These wastes are considered sanitary wastes. Storm water runoff from streets, land and roofs of buildings are collected separately in storm sewers. RVRSA does not except this form of waste water and storm water runoff is sent directly into the rivers and streams.

The sanitary wastewater flows through a series of sewer lines, chambers and pumping stations, which is called the “collection system”. Each member town of RVRSA maintains their own collection system. These sewer lines then flow into the RVRSA main “trunk”, which then flows, via gravity, to the RVRSA treatment plant.

RVRSA’s level of treatment is “secondary” and is designed to treat 12 million gallons per day of wastewater. Currently RVRSA successfully treats an average of 10 – 11 million gallons per day.

The influent flow enters the RVRSA treatment plant and on to the Preliminary Treatment building where screening, grit removal and pre-aeration occur. Next the pretreated wastes are diverted to two large oxidation channels (2.75 mgd – each channel; 330’ (long) X 100’ (wide) X 12’ (side) water depth) where secondary treatment occurs. At this location, microorganisms (certain bacteria) break down organic matter found and then the wastewater is sent to the final clarifiers. Here sludge is settled out to the bottom of the clarifiers via gravity. Sludge is then pumped back to either the oxidation channels (return activated sludge – RAS) or is sent to the sludge dewatering facility (waste activated sludge – WAS). Sludge at RVRSA is then processed (de-watered) and sent via tank truck to Two Bridges Sewerage Authority for incineration.  

The final step in the RVRSA treatment process is disinfection (or chlorination) and de-chlorination. RVRSA’s chlorination and de-chlorination is by chemical addition (chlorination – sodium hypochlorite; de-chlorination – sodium bi-sulfate).  The “de-chlorinated” and “treated” wastewater (effluent) then flows into the Rockaway River.

The final effluent from the RVRSA facility is sampled and tested daily to insure RVRSA is meeting and complying with its New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) permit.

back to top