Jul 10, 2025
The Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA) celebrated the $5.3 million revitalization of its Downbeach Pump Station with a ribbon cutting and informational tour of the station on Thursday, July 10.
The Downbeach Pump Station, located at 598 N. Lafayette Avenue in Ventnor City, operates 24/7 to transport nearly 3 million gallons of wastewater each day from Longport, Margate, Ventnor, and Seaview Harbor to ACUA's wastewater treatment plant in Atlantic City.
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The station, originally designed and constructed in the early 1970s, received a complete overhaul to its structural, electrical, and operational components to improve efficiency and increase its resiliency during major flooding events. The project was designed in-house by ACUA’s Engineering Department.
Key upgrades included:
- Wet well system expansion – the system acts as a holding tank for incoming sewage during high flow or storm events.
- Installation of a permanent bypass system – this ensures sewage can bypass the station during maintenance or emergencies.
- Protective coatings to all pipes.
- The electric transformer amperage was increased, and the station’s automatic transfer switch, main distribution switchboard, and incoming power feed were replaced.
- New roofing, cedar shakes, paving and fencing.
- New HVAC system.
The event invited the community as well as local officials to see the improvements first-hand and gain an understanding of this often out-of-sight but essential infrastructure.
