North End Pump Station – Questions from the Public
At what level will the new bulkhead at 6th Street be constructed?
At 7 feet (NAVD 1988 scale) or higher as per the city’s ordinance.
At what level will the transducer stilling tube be located?
The level of the transducer (a gauge that monitors tide levels and turns off the pumps when water is too high for the station to work effectively) will initially be set to turn off the pump station when tidal elevations reach a height of 4.00 NAVD 1988. This is an elevation that is above the tide height when the lowest bulkheads on the 300 block of Bay Avenue are overtopped. The transducer is adjustable and the city will continue to monitor it to determine the most efficient level. Tides during the late January 2016 winter storm reached 5.69 feet on the same scale, and the pumps would have been shut down, for instance, during those peak tides.
What current outfalls will be consolidated into the planned 6th Street outfall?
Existing outfall locations include 2nd Street, 3rd Street, 4th Street, 5th Street, 6th Street, 7th Street and Lincoln Place (Between 7th and 8th Streets). The city is currently working with an outside engineering company to assess alternative outfall locations besides 6th Street.
What will happen to the pilings that are located in the bay at 6th Street that are in front of the planned 6th Street outfall, with the increased flow of the consolidated outfalls?
There is no plan to remove the current pilings to the immediate north or south of the one proposed 6th Street proposed site location. There are no pilings directly in front of the proposed 6th Street outfall. (See explanation of flow rate in Question No. 5.)
Will water craft in the bay that dock near the planned 6th Street outfall be affected by the flow?
The water exiting the stormwater pipes will be more than 2.5 ft/second in order to keep the pipes free of siltation. The system will be designed to have a velocity that will be less than 5 ft/second. The velocity of the current of the Great Egg Harbor Bay along the docks in this area is around 6 ft/second. Thus the velocity of the water exiting the outfall pipes will be similar to the conditions that the water craft, docks, and pilings already experience. In addition, the flow of the stormwater will be periodic as the pump station will only run during and immediately after a stormwater event.
What are the expected VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds, or “contaminants”) at the discharge point of the planned 6th Street outfall?
The net amount of VOCs will not increase from what currently flows through existing outfalls across a five-block area.
For the project to move forward the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) would need to provide the CAFRA permit. The NJDEP’s core mission is to be the protection of the air, waters, land, and natural and historic resources of the State to ensure continued public benefit. To receive a CAFRA permit, the NJDEP takes into consideration the environment before a permit would be issued. The CAFRA law regulates certain development activities including residential, commercial, public or industrial development within the defined CAFRA area to protect the environment, and to determine what may or may not be built.
Why is the Bayside Center or 2nd Street Marina not utilized as the discharge point for this consolidated outfall?
Based on feedback from the recent presentation, the city is further assessing alternative discharge points, including the Bayside Center.
Will all the streets in the project area from 1st to 7th Streets be elevated with the construction of this project?
The streets in the project area will be resurfaced in accordance with the capital plan. Just like all City paving projects, the roads will be resurfaced with a complete streets philosophy that includes bicycle, pedestrian, stormwater drainage and tidal drainage improvements. The road surfaces will be elevated as much as the adjacent properties will permit but all designs must allow stormwater runoff to leave the adjacent properties and enter the street.
Will stormwater from Lincoln Place flow to this pump station?
Yes
Can the inlet stormwater grates be changed to be smaller to limit debris to the station?
The project will use eco-friendly bicycle safe grates with no curb pieces. This is the recommended stormwater best management practice of the NJDEP. Grates will be NJDOT Type ‘A’ or ‘E’ grates which are required by NJDEP. These grates have openings no larger than 7 square inches or no opening is greater than 0.5 inches across the smallest dimension. Approximately 30 Manufactured Treatment Devices (MTDs) will be used in the new stormwater drainage system that will connect to the pump station. The MTDs will help to catch and trap any solids in the water going through the drainage system. In addition, the pump station will have inch-and-a-half straightening vanes used to collect the debris and prevent objects larger than an 1 ½” in diameter from entering the pumps
How often will the pump station and the corresponding infrastructure be cleaned out to ensure the system does not clog?
The city is committed to clean out the project pump station and infrastructure as needed to ensure the pumping station operates as intended. The pump station will be inspected and cleaned after all rain events.
What assurances can be provided that the crabbing, fishing and swimming in that planned 6th Street outfall area will not be affected by this project?
For the project to move forward the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) would need to provide the CAFRA permit. The NJDEP’s core mission is to be the protection of the air, waters, land, and natural and historic resources of the State to ensure continued public benefit. To receive a CAFRA permit, the NJDEP takes into consideration the environment before a permit would be issued. The CAFRA law regulates certain development activities including residential, commercial, public or industrial development within the defined CAFRA area to protect the environment, and to determine what may or may not be built. All aspects of the proposed drainage operation will be studied to assure the public that it will not be harmful in any way to humans, fish, game or wildlife.
The City also recommends that all swimming activities be done in any of the guarded swimming areas within the City. This ensures that all swimmers are being watched should they become distressed while in the water.
How large is the current drainage area to the existing outfall at 6th St?
The 6th Street drainage area is 37 acres.
How large is the total drainage area to now be accommodated by the outfall proposed at 6th St?
37 acres
Why couldn’t there be multiple discharge points maintained to spread the flow out similar to existing conditions -- just pumped instead of gravity?
Based on feedback from the recent presentation, the city is further assessing alternative discharge points, including the Bayside Center.
Why 6th St? Why couldn’t 2nd St where a city-owned public access parking lot exists, be used instead?
Based on feedback from the recent presentation, the city is further assessing alternative discharge points, including the Bayside Center. The parking lot is owned by the county, not the city, and an earlier alternatives analysis cited the loss of parking, recreation area and the obstruction of bay views by a required generator building.
What is the total flow rate the pump system is anticipated to produce during a large storm?
162,500 gallons/minute, this would be with 5 pumps in operation at 32,500 gallons/minute.
How does the stilling basin slow flow down to less than 2ft/sec?
The water exiting the stormwater pipes will be more than 2.5 ft/second in order to keep the pipes free of siltation. The system will be designed to have a velocity that will be less than 5 ft/second. The velocity of the current of the Great Egg Harbor Bay along the docks in this area is around 6 ft/second. Thus the velocity of the water exiting the outfall pipes will be similar to the conditions that the water craft, docks, and pilings already experience. In addition, the flow of the stormwater will be periodic as the pump station will only run during and immediately after a stormwater event.
Will the flow rate leaving the end of 6th Street negatively impact the docked boats at the Bay Villa Marina?
The water exiting the stormwater pipes will be more than 2.5 ft/second in order to keep the pipes free of siltation. The system will be designed to have a velocity that will be less than 5 ft/second. The velocity of the current of the Great Egg Harbor Bay along the docks in this area is around 6 ft/second. Thus the velocity of the water exiting the outfall pipes will be similar to the conditions that the water craft, docks, and pilings already experience. In addition, the flow of the stormwater will be periodic as the pump station will only run during and immediately after a stormwater event.
Will the flow rate be dangerous for swimmers?
The flow rate is not anticipated to be any greater than the existing tidal flow, which can be substantial in that part of the bay. The city recommends that all swimming activities be done in any of the guarded swimming areas within the city. This ensures that all swimmers are being watched should they become distressed while in the water.
Will pumps run after a storm event? If so, for how long?
Yes, pumps will run after a storm event.
The run time of the pumps after a storm event will be dependent on the rain event itself. The more severe the storm, the longer the pumps will have to run. Any sort of range or estimate?
Why can’t multiple outfalls at multiple street ends be maintained to distribute the flow and pollutants at levels similar to existing conditions?
Based on feedback from the recent presentation, the city is further assessing alternative discharge points, including the Bayside Center.
How will sewer service be maintained to the Bay Villa Marina? Will minimum pipe slopes be maintained to ensure no clogs are created?
The use of bypass pumps will be used to ensure sewer service is maintained to the Bay Villa Marina during the construction process. Minimum pipe slopes or better will be maintained with the new sanitary sewer system to ensure that no clogs are created.
How long will the end of 6th Street be closed for this construction? How will it impact access to Bay Villa Marina for residents and emergency vehicles?
The city anticipates that construction will last for 18 months for this project. No roads are be planned to be closed during the period of Memorial Day to Labor Day in any year. Road closures will be temporary in nature. Emergency vehicles will have access to all structures during the time of construction. Access to all homes will be maintained throughout the construction process but temporary daily closures may occur to allow for the installation of drainage pipes and asphalt.
