CAPE MAY — Cape May is moving forward with a major water treatment plant improvement project to help ensure a reliable supply of clean, safe drinking water for residents, businesses, neighboring communities and the thousands of visitors who come to the area each year.
According to a news release from the city, Cape May mark the important infrastructure investment with a groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 19 at the future water treatment plant site, located at 830 Canning House Lane.
Originally constructed in 1998, Cape May’s existing plant serves not only the residents and businesses of Cape May, but also Cape May Point, West Cape May and the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center.
The facility supports the region’s water needs, including those of more than 50,000 visitors annually, by supplying more than 237 million gallons of clean, potable water each year, according to the release.
The comprehensive improvement project was designed by Artheon Inc., formerly CME Associates, with a total estimated project cost of $37.8 million. It represents a significant investment in the city’s water infrastructure and its continued ability to meet the needs of the communities it serves, the release stated.
The first phase of the project has been awarded to Coppola Services in the amount of $11.98 million.
To help offset the cost of this phase, the city has secured $3 million in grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and $3 million in principal forgiveness through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Infrastructure Bank, according to the release.
The first phase will include construction of the building, installation of electrical and pumping systems, construction of treatment contact tanks and installation of the piping that connects the incoming wells to the treated water-distribution system.
These improvements are an important step in maintaining and modernizing the infrastructure that delivers clean drinking water throughout Cape May and the surrounding communities, according to the release.
The groundbreaking ceremony marked an important milestone in the advancement of the project and the city’s ongoing commitment to providing a dependable supply of high-quality drinking water for generations to come.
