$20K Granted to Mendham Twp. for Sewer Facility Upgrade

The Mendham Township-operated Mendham East Sewer Treatment Facility is dated and in need of upgrades. 

Mendham Township is now in the position to have those upgrades handled, after Sustainable Jersey granted the municipality $20,000 recently. 

The township applied to the Sustainable Jersey program for the same amount with the hopes of using funding for a feasibility study and to prepare and design a bid package for a conversion to a newer, more environmentally friendly treatment operation, township administrator Steve Mountain said.

“It is hoped with the work that the grant will cover the Township will be in a position in the coming year to bid the project,” Mountain said. “The construction project funding will be determined by the feasibility study supported by the grant.”

The reason for the conversion, as outlined in the grant application, follows:

“Presently the Mendham East Facility treats wastewater utilizing a physical-chemical operating process. This process is heavily reliant on chemical treatment, is energy inefficient, and produces a quality of effluent for groundwater recharge which, while within permitted limits, could be much cleaner if treated with a more modern technology. The proposed project will provide the foundation for a chemical-free, more highly efficient wastewater treatment process that will benefit both local residents and the watershed as a whole.”

Sustainable Jersey announced 62 grants to towns across the state in the amount of $380,000, which was funded in part by Walmart. The grants were awarded in $20,000, $10,000, and $2,000 increments.

Just eight towns received $20,000 grants.

“Upgrading the Mendham East Sewer Treatment Facility to an energy efficient, environmentally friendlier operation is one of Mendham Township’s top priorities for the coming year,” said Mayor Richard Merkt to Sustainable Jersey. “The grant funding provided by the Sustainable Jersey program will provide the seed money necessary to properly evaluate the best approach for upgrading the treatment facility and implementing a design for the project.  We are honored to receive the grant and thank the Sustainable Jersey program and their sponsor Walmart for their generous funding.”