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Upper Township Mayor Curtis Corson sees potential in connecting some portion of the township’s homes to sewer lines, to be treated at a plant in Ocean City. That could include development proposed for the former BL England power plant, seen here from Tennessee Avenue in Ocean City. Both the incumbent mayor and his challenger in Ocean City said no.

UPPER TOWNSHIP — Mayor Curtis Corson sees big potential in connecting to municipal sewer lines.

Property owners throughout Upper Township rely on septic systems, which can be an expensive proposition.

In a recent interview, Corson said a study is underway that would allow properties in the Marmora and Beesleys Point sections of the township to connect with the Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority system, to be processed at the wastewater treatment facility in Ocean City, set back from the road at 45th Street.

The closest neighbor to the facility is the Ocean City Dog Park. On hot summer days, when the wind is right, from that dog park there is little doubt of the purpose of the facility behind the tall chain-link fence for anyone with a sense of smell. From nearby West Avenue, the smell is typically undetectable.

It’s one of four treatment plants operated by the county authority, treating millions of gallons of day since it opened in 1982.

According to Corson, a study is underway to explore the possibility of bringing Upper Township waste to the plant. The other plants in the system process material from multiple towns. Corson was not sure when there would be an answer.

“It’s going to take a while. It’s a very comprehensive study,” Corson said.

He said the study would look at the potential construction in the area over 10 years. If there is capacity at the Ocean City plant, he sees potential environmental benefits to better treating sewage as well as economic benefits. It could include the site of the former B.L. England power plant, which is under consideration for development as a hotel, marina and other projects.

Large scale businesses, such as restaurants or grocery stores rely on on-site wastewater treatment systems as well. Corson believes it is worth finding out if there are other options, including combining with Ocean City.

“If there’s capacity there, there’s capacity there. It would be beneficial to both communities,” Corson said.

The beachfront township section of Strathmere also relies on septic systems. That is the most densely developed section of the township. Corson thought it would be unlikely that area could be connected, because the pipes would have to cross the channel at Corson’s Inlet.

For now, the study has not begun. When it will is not certain.

In October, the Cape May County MUA entered an agreement with Upper Township to begin a comprehensive wastewater study, to find out if it would be feasible to take in Upper Township sewage, either at an existing plant or to construct a new one, according to Joseph Rizzuto, the MUA’s executive director.

He said Upper Township would pick up the bill for the study.

The full, lengthy title of the agreement reads: “Authorizing and Establishing Certain Terms and Conditions for the Preparation of a Comprehensive Wastewater Study to Determine the Operational Feasibility and Potential Capital Costs Associated with Providing Capacity by the CMCMUA for Existing Facilities or Facilities to be Constructed for Collecting, Treating, and Disposing of Wastewater Originating from or within the Township of Upper at the CMCMUA’s Ocean City Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility.

In January, the MUA issued a request for proposals for an engineer to look a the impact of increasing the flow to the Ocean City plant. The proposals were opened on Feb. 17, but the study was not awarded. Rizzuto did not say why it wasn’t.

“A contract for the RFP has not been awarded; therefore, there are no results as a Study has not commenced,” Rizzuto wrote in an emailed response to questions.

Asked if the study would go forward, and the timing of that kind of project, he only said “to be determined.”

Upper Township’s plans have not been a secret. A detailed report on the potential for sewer connections is posted to the township website. Within that report, it states that meetings with other communities about the possibility began a decade ago, including with Ocean City.

The proposal has been brought up as an issue in the Ocean City mayoral race. Both challenger Keith Hartzell and incumbent Mayor Jay Gillian have said they would not allow the project to move forward.

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Upper Township Mayor Curtis Corson sees potential in connecting some portion of the township’s homes to sewer lines, to be treated at a plant in Ocean City. That could include development proposed for the former BL England power plant, seen here from Tennessee Avenue in Ocean City. Both the incumbent mayor and his challenger in Ocean City said no.

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