Franklin Township Sewerage Authority
The Franklin Township Sewerage Authority was formed in 1957. The Authority is responsible for the collection and conveyance of the wastewater generated within its franchise area. The Authority owns and operates eighteen (18) sewage pump stations throughout its franchise area. The collected sewage is conveyed to a Middlesex County Utilities Authority interceptor for transfer to its wastewater treatment plant in Sayreville, New Jersey.
As part of the Franklin Township's redevelopment plans to provide low income housing in the Route 27 – Somerset Street area, the Township requested that the Authority provide additional sewage capacity to accommodate the potential future needs in this area.
The Authority's gravity sanitary sewer running under Route 27 – Somerset Street was carrying flows near its hydraulic capacity, which resulted in surcharging during rain events.
To alleviate the downstream capacity issues and to create additional capacity for the future development and re-development along the Route 27 - Somerset Street corridor, the Authority has investigated means of diverting the flows away from the stressed portions of this gravity sewer main and decided to construct new gravity sewers and a pump station along Matilda / Pine Street to pump the collected flows to the School Avenue Pump Station.
The Pine Street Pump Station was built as a result of the consorted efforts between the Developer, the Franklin Township and the Sewerage Authority. It was agreed that the project cost will be shared among the ultimate users on a fair share basis.
CME Associates was authorized by the Authority to design and oversee the project.
Based on the existing flows that were to be diverted to the new pump station and the anticipated flows from the future developments, the pump station design capacity was calculated to be 241,600 gpd.
The CME Associates design provided two pumps each capable of transmitting a design peak flow of 700,640 gallons per day at a total dynamic head of 50 feet. The pump station includes ease of maintenance features, a building to protect sensitive equipment from inclement weather, a standby electric generator, and incorporates the latest New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection pump station design requirements.
The pump station was built on a small parcel of land bordering a local stream and related buffer zone on the one side and an established business on the other side. The size and location of the land created some challenges with the design and the construction of the pump station.
The Pine Street Pump Station is a submersible type pump station which conveys sewage via a 10-inch diameter force main to the School Avenue pumping station. The force main had to be constructed through a heavily developed residential area and cross under a busy street.