The Readington-Lebanon Sewerage Authority, also known as RLSA was formed in July of 1976 by a joint ordinance between Readington Township and Lebanon Borough. The Authority is a result of conclusions generated by the Rockaway Creek Sewerage Study Group. The purpose of the study was to determine current as well as future wastewater management needs.
The Authority then began a three step process to seek funding from the Environmental Protection Agency and the State of New Jersey through the provisions of the Federal Clean Water Act. A Step II design grant was obtained in March of 1980. A Step III construction grant followed in September of 1981. Subsequently the .8 mgd treatment plant was constructed in Whitehouse at the confluence of the South and North branches of the Rockaway Creek. In addition a pump station in Lebanon Borough was constructed along with an interceptor and force main that serves both Lebanon Borough and Round Valley Recreational Area.
In 1992 the construction of the Route 523 pump station, sewer and force main was completed to service Merck & Co.’s corporate headquarters and other future development in that drainage area.
In 1993 a dewatering facility utilizing a belt filter was designed to accommodate the ever increasing solids that were being generated as a result of increased flow. The sludge cake currently being produced is incinerated at the Stony Brook Regional Sewerage Authority in Princeton.
As increased flows were making it a challenge for the original plant to be effective it was decided by the RLSA and the member municipalities that an expansion of the facility with upgrades to 1.2 mgd was necessary. Construction began in 1998 and was completed in 2000. The current wastewater flow allocations are: