The long-planned efforts to improve the water quality of Delaware River Estuary may finally be nearing realization, writes Meg McGuire for the Delaware Currents.
The work has been ongoing since 2017, when Delaware River Basin Commission started a multi-year study covering monitoring, research, technical studies, modeling, and engineering analyses.
Eight years later, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has committed to signing updated water-quality standards for portions of the Delaware River Estuary by June 30, 2025.
The primary water quality issue affecting native fish, including endangered Atlantic Sturgeon, is oxygen depletion, particularly in summer months. This is caused by discharges from wastewater treatment plants along the river. Although these plants comply with discharge regulations, they do not address nitrogen levels, the main contributor to dissolved oxygen.
The plants highlighted that improving discharge water quality would cost millions, slowing progress. Due to delays, the Delaware Riverkeeper and nonprofits petitioned the EPA, which took over in 2023. A year later, with no results, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network sued the EPA. In the consent decree used to settle the lawsuit, the EPA has agreed to finalize the rules by June 30.
Read more about the Delaware River Estuary in the Delaware Currents.
