Projects

NJ I-Bank Water Infrastructure News (WIN): the City of Newark borrows $3,772,074 in Water Bank Loans, saving ratepayers approximately $3,772,074 in principal forgiveness.

The City of Newark recently completed CSO improvements that are being financed with approximately $3.7 million in loans from the NJ Water Bank, a low-rate funding program jointly administered by the DEP and the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank (“I-Bank”). Because this project addresses CSO issues and meets the affordability criteria, it qualified for 100% principal forgiveness. As a result, the city is expected to save the full cost of the project compared to financing it independently. Additionally, the project is estimated to have generated 44 direct construction job-years.

The project involves the planning, design, and construction of a floatables control netting facility at the Peddie Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) site, replacing the existing floating pontoon structure originally installed as part of a U.S. EPA demonstration project. This upgrade is necessary to prevent solids and floatables from bypassing the Peddie CSO. The new, more robust facility will offer improved durability, easier maintenance, and a longer service life.

According to Ras Baraka, Mayor of the City of Newark, “This investment at the Peddie CSO site is a critical step toward protecting our local waterways and ensuring the reliability of our infrastructure. We’re not only preventing harmful debris from entering our rivers but also creating a system that’s built to last. This project reflects our commitment to environmental stewardship and to maintaining clean, healthy communities for generations to come. I’d like to recognize our Department of Water and Sewer Utilities for identifying the potential for savings and capitalizing on it. I thank the NJDEP, and the I-Bank for their partnership and support in helping us deliver lasting value to our community.”

This project was designed by in-house staff at the Newark Department of Water and Sewer Utilities, and Arcadis US Inc. and constructed by Coppola Services, Inc.