Middlesex Water Company Subsidiary Receives County Zoning Approval to Construct Regional Treatment Facilities in DE

Middlesex Water Company (NASDAQ: MSEX) has announced that its DE subsidiary, Tidewater, has received key County zoning approvals in its plans to move forward with construction of two regional wastewater treatment and disposal facilities in Sussex County, DE.

Tidewater has received County approval to construct the Trussum Regional Water and Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Facilities east of Laurel and also the Wandendale Regional Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Facility on Route 24 near Angola, both in Sussex County, DE.

The Trussum facility will utilize sequencing batch reactor treatment technology and rapid infiltration basin disposal to recharge treated wastewater to the underground aquifer. It will have the ability to serve existing residences, approved subdivisions and future subdivisions anticipated in the area. The Wandendale facility will utilize membrane bio-reactor treatment technology and will also utilize rapid infiltration basins, in addition to land-based spray irrigation, to recharge the aquifer. The project will be constructed in phases to maximize the operational efficiency of the facility in relation to the incremental increases in flow rates as homes are constructed. At build-out, both facilities will be designed to serve over 5,000 homes and businesses.

"We appreciate the confidence Sussex County, DE is placing in our company as we continue to execute our strategy to expand the regional approach to providing water and wastewater services. We believe this approach to constructing utility infrastructure effectively maximizes the opportunity for local governments to establish growth where it is desired, while simultaneously maximizing the opportunity for developers to achieve the density that is necessary to market their homes. In addition, we are in a position to provide the opportunity for failing on-site systems to be connected," said Dennis W. Doll, President and CEO of Middlesex Water. Tidewater President Gerard L. Esposito added, "In addition to enhancing quality of life in their respective areas, these facilities have significant environmental benefits which will help protect the Nanticoke River basin as well as our Inland Bays from excessive amounts of nutrients."

"We are pleased to be a part of the future environmental protection of Delaware's Inland Bays where our family has lived and farmed for seven generations," said Russell Marsh, owner of Wandendale Farms, the site of the farm where the Wandendale facility will be located. "Partnering with Tidewater assured the future generation of the Marsh family that our legacy farm will maintain its agricultural tradition, while helping protect the environment for future generations," added Marsh.

About Middlesex Water Company

Middlesex Water Company, organized in 1897, provides regulated and unregulated water and wastewater utility services in New Jersey and Delaware. Middlesex Water is the parent company of Tidewater Utilities which serves more than 41,000 businesses and homes in Delaware. For additional information regarding Middlesex Water Company, visit the Company's Web site at www.middlesexwater.com or call (732) 634-1500. For information about Tidewater Utilities, visit www.tuiwater.com

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, among others, our long-term strategy and expectations, the status of our acquisition program, the impact of our acquisitions, the impact of current and projected rate requests and the impact of our capital program on our environmental compliance. There are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including: general economic business conditions, unfavorable weather conditions, the success of certain cost containment initiatives, changes in regulations or regulatory treatment, availability and the cost of capital, the success of growth initiatives and other factors discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.