Silt, not sewage, in Barnegat Bay, says NJDOT

Let's be clear - it's mud.

Not sewage, nor any kind of pollution, at the root of Barnegat Bay's big brown blotch off Seaside Park, said New Jersey Transportation Commissioner Jamie Fox in a release issued this morning.

The plume drew concerns among environmental activists led by Save Barnegat Bay, which brought it to the attention of state lawmakers who met in Lavallette Monday.

"I need to be crystal clear on this, the water coming from the pump on 8th Avenue was most certainly not sewage," Fox said. "The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Ocean County both tested the water and found it safe. The public's health and safety is always our first concern."

NJDOT workers traced it to a buildup of silt residue from Route 35 reconstruction, combined with silt from the bay floor roiled up by the force of water spewing from the outfall conduit. Testing yielded no elevated bacteria levels, offiicals said.

Pump stations and drainage mechanisms will keep operating while manholes are cleaned and the system is leakproofed. NJDOT also plans to line the bay floor with a matting of broken stone and concrete. .

"The new underground storm water drainage system is a tremendous enhancement over what existed prior to this project," Fox said.

"This system is designed to handle 25-year storms, while the previous drainage could only handle 2-year storms. It is important for everyone to remember that we are still working on the system. As we continue to work on the system there is a possibility more silt is turned up, but we can ensure that there is no impact to the Bay or the public, and that this is not dangerous."

To reduce runoff pollution to Barnegat Bay, the new drainage system includes 76 manufactured treatment devices, or MTDs, that separate trash, oils, and sediment out of the water before it flows to the bay. Officials said it's the first time that bay-bound runoff will be filtered.