Camden, N.J. – Camden’s combined sewer system released raw sewage and polluted stormwater an average of 76 days a year into local waterways from 2016 to 2024, according to a recent report released by Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group. The report includes an interactive map showing the frequency of sewer overflows at each combined sewer outfall.
A combined sewer system carries wastewater and stormwater in the same pipes. After even moderate rainfall, the system typically becomes overwhelmed and dumps directly into our waterways, sometimes backing up into homes and streets.
“All too often, raw sewage is depriving our residents of the chance to enjoy the lower Delaware River and Cooper River,” said Luke Adams, Clean Water Associate at Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center. “Combined sewer overflows carry all kinds of nasty bacteria, parasites and viruses. Our ability to use our waterways shouldn’t be held hostage by the threat of pollution every time it rains.”
According to the newly released report, the lower Delaware River and Cooper River continue to receive frequent discharges from combined sewer outfalls.
“This new report highlights the impact of sewage overflows on area residents and underscores the need for regional collaboration and strategic funding to drive lasting solutions,” said Diane Schrauth, Policy Director of Water at New Jersey Future.
The impact of this sewage pollution is more pervasive than these numbers suggest. A warning that waters pose health threats for up to 72 hours after an overflow suggest even more days water is potentially too polluted for recreation. Public health experts estimate approximately 90 million cases of illness each year are caused by swimming, boating and fishing in polluted waters in the United States.
“Decisionmakers in Camden have a responsibility to safeguard public health and protect our shared waterways. Recreational use of the Delaware River in Camden is already a reality for many residents, and we cannot continue to pollute the very waters our communities rely on. While some progress has been made, it falls short,” said Lucia Osbourn, Program Director at the American Littoral Society.
While Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority (CCMUA) and local governments have made significant efforts to reduce their sewage pollution over the past decade plus, the new report shows that the volume and frequency of overflows remain high.
“If Camden residents are going to use the waterways for recreational purposes, more must be done to alleviate the health and environmental problem,” said Kevin Barfield, the Executive Director for Camden for Clean Air. “Every parent in Camden County and the broader region should be able to take their kids out on the water without worrying about raw sewage levels in the water.”
Over the next five years, local authorities are required to reduce these sewage overflows by 480 million gallons, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Long-Term Control Plan (LTCP) permit. Even if that requirement is met, local waters would still receive 340 million gallons of CSOs each year.
“This report provides valuable granular data that local leaders and community members can utilize in their advocacy efforts to achieve equitable CSO solutions for the shared waters across the Philadelphia-Camden region,” said Andrea Sapal, the Program Manager of Sewage Free Streets and Rivers.
To ensure that residents can consistently enjoy local waterways free of sewage pollution, the report recommends that all levels of government in Camden County take the following actions:
- Track and disclose the duration, volume and frequency of every combined sewer overflow.
- Transfer the LTCP for sewage from the municipalities to CCMUA, to allow for streamlined action and more coherent resource usage at a regional level.
- Dramatically increase funding to CCMUA from a variety of sources to implement the Long Term Control Plan including:
- Explore a “Century Bond,” which would allow CCMUA to bond over a longer period to lessen annual payments, reflecting the long useful lifespan of wastewater infrastructure.
- Adopt a “stormwater fee” for properties served by CCMUA that is based on the amount of generated storm water runoff.
In addition, the report calls on federal officials to dramatically increase funding for upgrading wastewater infrastructure and preventing runoff pollution.
“Raw sewage flowing into the Cooper and Delaware River and Newton Creek is not just a burden on Camden City residents. Millions of people get their drinking water from the Delaware, visit the New Jersey State Aquarium and go to concerts and have dinner on the Camden and Philadelphia waterfronts. When we fix the CSO problem, we improve all of our lives,” said Fred Stine, Community Action Coordinator, Delaware Riverkeeper Network.