JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP — Jefferson Township has received authorization from the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to move forward with financing for a permanent PFAS filtration system at the Moosepac Wells.
The project is intended to ensure the continued delivery of safe and reliable drinking water to residents served by the Oak Ridge Water System while preparing the township to meet increasingly stringent state and federal water-quality requirements.
The township began testing for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, in January 2022 after New Jersey implemented new monitoring requirements. The first sample measured .0021 parts per trillion, exceeding the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s maximum contaminant level of .0014 parts per trillion.
All tests conducted after January 2022 were below the state standard in effect at the time. However, NJDEP determines compliance through a running annual average rather than an individual sample. The elevated initial result caused the annual average to remain above the permitted level, requiring the township to begin issuing Tier 2 public notices in 2022.
The exceedance affected only one of the two Moosepac Wells located off Chamberlain Road. Jefferson Township operates several additional wells throughout the Milton section.
Township officials said every test performed at the affected well following the January 2022 sample has met the applicable NJDEP standard. Public notices must continue until the required treatment system is installed and operational.
Since the original exceedance, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has adopted more stringent federal PFAS drinking-water standards. Public water systems and private well owners throughout New Jersey and across the country may require advanced filtration systems to comply with the new requirements.
Jefferson Township retained H2M Engineering to design a permanent PFAS treatment system for the Moosepac Wells. On June 10, the Township Council awarded DeMaio Electrical Company, Inc. a $3.04 million contract to construct the filtration system.
Authorization from the NJ I-Bank allows the township to execute the contract and advance the project. A pre-construction meeting was anticipated for the final week of July, with construction expected to begin in fall 2026.
Substantial completion of the filtration system is anticipated by December 31, 2027.
The township has also received $356,758.28 in PFAS settlement funding, which will be applied toward the project. Officials said the township will continue pursuing available funding opportunities to reduce the financial impact on Oak Ridge Water System customers.
The project will be financed through the Municipal Utility Budget rather than the township’s municipal operating budget. Water utility infrastructure improvements are funded through utility revenues and not through municipal property taxes.
