Group seeks answers,
remedy to sewage leak
BY JOLENE HART
Staff Writer

SOUTH RIVER — A sewage leak into a borough creek that may be ongoing could lead to an investigation by the state.

The Edison Wetlands Association (EWA), a local environmental advocacy group, is calling for an investigation from the state Department of Environmental Protection after its own tests revealed sewage levels of more than 5,000 times the legal limit in a creek near Browns Lane.

On May 14, the EWA was sent an anonymous letter by a resident of Browns Lane informing the organization of foul-smelling discharge in the creek.

A site visit was conducted by representatives of EWA and the NY-NJ Baykeeper, an environmental organization that monitors the Raritan Bay. It was determined that raw sewage is leaking into the area from a pipe at the borough’s Jackson Street sanitary pumping station, which is owned by the Middlesex County Utilities Authority (MCUA).

Borough officials in South River were informed of the break last week and held a meeting Monday to discuss the situation. The borough engineer is investigating the problem and is seeking a contract for repair to the damaged sanitary main.

The sewage line will be rerouted to another pumping station in the borough to allow for repairs at the Jackson Street station. Initial work on the improvements began late last week.

Members of the EWA suggest that the leakage has been an ongoing problem, as residents of the area claim that they have lived with the smell and stained soils for some time.

"We want to know why, if this was reported to authorities, it took us getting involved for steps to be taken," said Robert Spiegel, executive director of the EWA.

Spiegel visited the creek, south of Causeway Street near Browns Lane, with NY-NJ Baykeeper Conservation Associate Megan Callus on May 18.

Samples taken that day showed a concentration of 620,000 colony-forming units (CFU) per 100 milliliters near the east end of Browns Lane and 1.1 million CFUs per 100 milliliters on the west end of the road. The acceptable limit is 200 CFUs per 100 milliliters, said David Wheeler of the EWA.

The 5-foot-wide creek flows about 200 yards into the South River, a tributary of the Raritan Bay. It is bordered by tall vegetation and a line of about 12 homes to the north and an industrial facility to the south.

"The residents definitely know about [the contamination]," said Wheeler, explaining that the creek overflows into the street during high tide and leaves residue where children may play.

Wheeler said there is no way to tell how long the discharge has gone on.

"We want to get this resolved and are encouraging the DEP to investigate if this was a known discharge," he said.

According to Spiegel, the health risks that accompany such contamination are significant.

"We are talking about raw sewage," said Spiegel. "There are several hazards and exposure to E. coli is a possibility."

According to the EWA, the presence of fecal coliform bacteria also indicates additional pathogens — including typhoid fever and hepatitis A — that may accompany feces.

"This is going to require remediation of the creek or neutralization," Spiegel said, stressing that the problem requires immediate action. "We want to know why action was not taken sooner."