Veolia Celebrates the Centennial of the Oradell Dam

New Jersey Officials Offer Praise as the System that Provides Superior Drinking Water to Northern New Jersey Turns 100

Haworth, NJ (September 20, 2023) – Veolia North America today commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Oradell Reservoir Dam, which captured the Hackensack River to quench the thirst of a rapidly expanding region.

Constructed in 1923 to serve a growing population, the dam continues to ensure Northern New Jersey thrives. More than 885,000 residents and businesses depend on the 35 billion gallons of drinking water drawn from the reservoir every year. 

“Today we celebrate the Oradell Dam as an engineering feat that has withstood the test of a century, and we also recognize the people at our company and in our communities who had the foresight to build it,” said Alan Weland, Vice President and General Manager of Veolia’s operations in New Jersey. “Without a reliable source of drinking water, North Jersey would not exist as we know it today.”

Weland was joined by Bergen County Executive James Tedesco, Oradell Mayor Dianne Didio and other state and local officials, who spoke about the importance of the dam to the region. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, Rep. Bill Pascrell, Hudson County Executive Thomas DeGise and numerous other elected officials honored the company with proclamations commemorating the dam's 100 years of service.

For a century, the Oradell Reservoir has been the source of clean drinking water for residents and businesses in Bergen and Hudson counties, with the capacity to hold 3.5 billion gallons of water,” Tedesco said. “I thank  Veolia for their stewardship and operation of this crucial facility, and for their dedication to guaranteeing equitable and secure access to clean drinking water for all Bergen County residents."

The reservoir that would become essential to the state's water infrastructure and supply had humble beginnings. In 1892, the Hackensack Water Company, now known as Veolia, was serving 100,000 people, a population that would quadruple over the next two decades. To meet the increasing demand, the company purchased Veldran’s Mill in Oradell along with $1 million of farmland and woodlots and, in 1901, began work on a 250-million-gallon reservoir that would contain the Hackensack River. Clearing and excavating was monumental work because of the dense growth of timber and brush.

The wooden dam would be expanded in 1911, but demand for clean water continued to increase. In 1921, anticipating a postwar boom, work began to replace the timber dam with a modern and considerably larger concrete structure. The massive undertaking required steam shovels and scores of laborers. By the time the dam was completed in 1923, the structure was 402 feet long and 23 feet high. The enlarged reservoir extended four miles back to Harrington Park and Closter and had the capacity to hold 3.5 billion gallons. 

The Oradell is the linchpin of a four-reservoir system that stretches into New York state. Woodcliff Lake, Lake Tappan and Lake DeForest all feed into the Oradell. The Oradell also receives water from an interconnection with the Wanaque Reservoir 17 miles away. 

On average 98 million gallons a day are drawn from the Oradell and treated at Veolia’s Haworth Water Treatment Plant to meet the needs of North Jersey.

One hundred years after it was constructed, Veolia’s engineering and operations teams continue to work every day to maintain the dam and the ability of the reservoir to provide water to an ever-expanding region. Because superior-quality water begins with a clean environment, the company’s watershed team is championing biodiversity projects and pioneering water management methods to protect Veolia’s 4,162 acres of watershed at its reservoirs in New Jersey. Meanwhile the company’s lab ensures the water pulled from the Oradell and treated at the Haworth Plant meets or surpasses all water quality measures. A trusted water provider in New Jersey for 154 years, Veolia continues to make substantial improvements on behalf of residents and businesses.

“This reservoir and the Haworth plant are literally pumping life into North Jersey,” Weland said. “This structure was built to withstand all conditions while meeting an ever-increasing demand. It’s an honor to be here today to commemorate the dam.”