The basics:
- Veolia replaces 55-year-old Middlesex County wastewater plant with $58M facility
- Plainsboro plant serves about 11,000 residents and businesses
- Facility reuses 32M gallons of reclaimed water annually
- Veolia invests more than $150M annually in New Jersey water initiatives
Veolia this week marked the completion of a $58 million project that replaced a 55-year-old wastewater treatment facility in Middlesex County with a more modern, resilient plant.
The newly built Princeton Meadows Wastewater Treatment Facility in Plainsboro boasts a range of systems designed to enhance treatment performance, withstand extreme weather and meet increasingly stringent environmental requirements, according to Veolia.
That includes climate-resilient infrastructure, advanced ultraviolent disinfection technology, high-efficiency biological treatment and energy efficient equipment, the environmental services company said.
The project also builds on Veolia’s longstanding history of water reuse at the location. Since 1971, the site has supplied Middlesex County with 1.4 billion gallons of reclaimed water for irrigation at a county golf course to conserve local water resources, Veolia said.
Keeping current
Veolia serves about 11,000 residents and businesses in the area. The new plant has the capacity to treat 475 million gallons of wastewater and reuses 32 million gallons of reclaimed water annually, the company said.
It’s also situated on higher ground outside the original floodplain to help protect critical infrastructure from flooding, according to Veolia.
Veolia North America Director of Communications & Community Relations Debra Vial told NJBIZ that the old plant was slowly decommissioned in the past year as the new facility came online.
“The original Princeton Meadows facility served the community well for more than five decades, but it was aging and located in a vulnerable floodplain,” said Alan Weland, regional president of Veolia. “Rather than simply upgrade the existing plant, we reimagined it. This facility is designed to meet today’s needs, anticipate future environmental requirements and preserve our commitment to water reuse.”
Rather than simply upgrade the existing plant, we reimagined it.
– Alan Weland, regional president, Veolia
Kendra Morris, CEO of Veolia Regulated Water, added, “This project is about more than replacing an aging facility. It is about making a long-term investment in the community …”
Veolia noted the Princeton Meadows project is part of a broader investment in New Jersey via the company’s GreenUp program.
On an annual basis, Veolia puts more than $150 million into initiatives focused on supporting water quality, reliability and long-term environmental sustainability for 1.1 million customers it serves statewide.
Watershed moment
Local, county and state officials, as well as project partners, joined Veolia during an Oct. 7 ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site.
Festivities included a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., as well as a joint resolution celebrating Veolia’s milestone from the state Legislature.
Nadege Petit, CEO of Veolia in North America, said the next-gen facility is a great example of the company’s “commitment to environmental security, public health and sustainable infrastructure.”
“It combines significant capital investment, advanced treatment technology and climate-resilient design to provide reliable service to the community for decades to come, while continuing our longstanding commitment to water reuse,” she went on.
The company also announced a $10,000 contribution to the Plainsboro Recreation Department’s Water Science & Sustainability Education Program to support environmental education for local students.
“We are proud to support Plainsboro Township’s environmental education program and help give students the opportunity to experience the Millstone River and learn firsthand about water, conservation and sustainability,” Morris said. “We hope these experiences inspire the next generation of great environmentalists — young people who will understand the value of our natural resources and feel empowered to protect them. Plainsboro is part of the fabric of our community, and we are honored to contribute to its continued success and to be there for its residents when they need us most.”
A subsidiary of Veolia group, Veolia North America is the the largest private water operator in the U.S. It’s also a leader in hazardous waste and pollution treatment, as well as a top water technology provider.
The company’s spectrum of water, waste and energy management services includes:
- Waste and wastewater treatment
- Commercial and hazardous waste collection and disposal
- Energy consulting
- Resource recovery
Within New Jersey, Veolia provides water and wastewater services to 1.1 million residents and businesses in nearly 90 municipalities statewide.
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