Case Study:
Water and Wastewater Utilities
Planning for Climate Change
CAMDEN COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITIES AUTHORITY
Background
Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority (CCMUA) provides 80 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater services
to approximately 500,000 people in 37 municipalities in Camden County, New Jersey. Historically, CCMUA has
experienced combined sewer overflow (CSO) flooding during intense rain events due to the age of their combined sewer
system and a lack of available funding for infrastructure replacement.
Climate Threats
The primary climate-related threat for CCMUA is flooding from the projected increased magnitude and frequency of
intense precipitation events, as well as a projected 18 inch rise of nearby river levels. CCMUA is also responding to higher
energy costs, climate change and population growth by examining and improving system efficiency through a number of
initiatives.
Planning Process
To ensure the long-term viability of their operations, CCMUA has set four goals: (1) optimize water quality, (2) improve air
quality, (3) minimize costs and (4) reduce energy and carbon consumption. As part of their long-term planning, CCMUA
also conducted a climate risk assessment using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Climate Resilience
Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT). The CREAT assessment brought together individuals from EPA and various
departments within CCMUA to think critically about potential climate impacts, prioritize assets and consider possible
adaptation options.
Adaptation Measures
To reduce infiltration and inflow (l&l) and CSOs, CCMUA founded a partnership group called the Camden Stormwater
Management and Resource Training (SMART) initiative in 2011 that integrates efforts related to water conservation and
green infrastructure. Camden SMART considered the potential consequences of extreme flooding events on drinking
water and wastewater utility infrastructure and operations, and implemented solutions to help achieve the group's goals.
See the table below for the adaptive measures that were taken to achieve long-term viability goals.
Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority Case Study — Page 1
SEPA

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Case Study: Water and Wastewater Utilities Planning for Climate Change
GOAL
ADAPTIVE MEASURES

Capturing excess stormwater using planted trees and rain gardens through the Camden
SMART initiative
Improve water
"Daylighting" streams that had previously been paved over using a low interest loan from the
New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust
quality / Reduce
CSOs
Converting an abandoned building into a riverside park
Cleaning inlets to optimize the sewer system's performance through changes in operations
and maintenance

Replacing netting systems to optimize the sewer system's performance through changes in
operations and maintenance


Improve air quality
Installing catalytic converters to reduce emissions


Reducing l&l to minimize energy use and cost throughout the CCMUA system

Using gravity connections as a replacement to municipal pumping stations
Minimize costs
Implementing electric peak shaving

Using heating loops and energy-efficient equipment to increase total energy efficiency

Installing a 1.8 megawatt solar panel array through a purchase agreement at no cost to
CCMUA, and buying power from the contractor at a discounted rate

Implementing a sewage-to-heat facility through a grant from the New Jersey Board of Public
Utilities which converts latent heat in sewage into heat at the plant
Reduce energy
Building a digester facility to produce enough biogas to meet about 50 to 60% of the utility's
power needs

Installing a 1.8 megawatt solar panel array to provide 10% of energy needs at the wastewater
treatment plant
Contact Information
For more information regarding CCMUA's climate adaptation planning, contact Andy Kricun at andv@ccmua.org.
Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority Case Study — Page 2
&EPA
Office of Water (4608T)
EPA 800-Q-15-002
December 2015

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