The Oradell Dam Celebrates Its 100th Birthday

The Oradell Dam recently marked its 100th year of providing water to residents of both Bergen and Hudson counties.

To commemorate the occasion, a celebration was held on the dam, attended by Veolia, the company responsible for maintaining it. State and local officials were also in attendance, many of whom spoke about the dam’s importance.

Left to Right: Tracy Silna Zur, Bergen County Commissioner, James J. Tedesco, Bergen County Executive, Alan Weland, V.P. and G.M. Veolia Operations for New Jersey, Mary J. Amoroso, Bergen County Commissioner and Rodolphe Bouichou, President, Veolia Municipal Water – Regulated.

The Oradell Reservoir Dam was completed in 1923 to satisfy the needs of the economic boom post World War I. Since then, it has continued to provide water for nearly 1 million residents of Bergen and Hudson County, with an average of 35 billion gallons of water being drawn from the reservoir every year.

Veolia staff left to right: Matt Cerami, Watershed Manager, Chris Retty, Senior Asset Manager, Alan Weland, V.P. and G.M. Veolia Operations for New Jersey, Rodolphe Bouichou, President, Veolia Municipal Water – Regulated, Josh Engelking, Manager of Production, Jack McNaughton, Manager, System Maintenance and Antonio Vincente, Manager, Networks Engineering & New Business Engineering.

The environmental impact of the Oradell Reservoir was also commemorated, through the presentation of a financial gift from Veolia to the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center of Englewood, NJ, The reservoir itself is home to 12 species of fish and has proven itself a haven for other forms of wildlife.

“The growth and development of this water company over 150 years made possible the growth and development of Bergen County,” said Bergen County Commissioner Mary Amoroso. “I congratulate Veolia on the 100th anniversary of the wonderful dam.”

Left to Right: Rodolphe Bouichou, President, Veolia Municipal Water – Regulated, Sonja Clark, Manager of Community Relations for New Jersey, Kate Duggan, Executive Director, Family Promise of Bergen County and Alan Weland, V.P. and G.M. Veolia Operations for New Jersey.

“We’ve now given access to a body of water that no one ever had access to,” stated Bergen County Executive James Tedesco. “And now people get to see the beauty of this section of the river that no one was able to.”

An additional gift was also given to Family Promise of Bergen County as part of the Housing Stabilization Project, commemorating the dam’s role in the continued growth of Bergen County and surrounding areas.

“Without a reliable source of drinking water,” said Alan Weland, Vice President and General Manager of Veolia’s operations in New Jersey, “North Jersey would not exist as we know it today.”