The Jersey Water Works Collaborative
Our Shared Goals
Jersey Water Works has brought together many stakeholders to affect change and outlines a consensus-based “action agenda” with these four shared goals, which were first defined in the report Our Water Transformed: An Action Agenda for New Jersey’s Water Infrastructure.
Effective and Financially Sustainable Systems
Communities maintain and improve drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure systems to deliver quality water services that meet community needs. Operating budgets and capital investment are adequate and affordable, resulting in systems that operate efficiently and in a state of good repair.
Utilities and departments maintain drinking water, wastewater and stormwater pipes and other water infrastructure assets to efficiently and effectively reduce leakage, emergency repairs and other impacts.
State requirements, metrics, and incentives, along with utility policies, ensure that utilities and departments implement water infrastructure asset management programs fully, with sufficient operating budgets and capital investments to deliver required and desired levels of service while minimizing life-cycle costs.
Utilities and local governments raise the funds required to make appropriate capital investments and ensure proper operation and maintenance in a cost-effective, equitable manner that treats ratepayers fairly. Programs are authorized and established to ensure affordability. Stormwater utilities and stormwater fees are authorized statewide and widely implemented.
Funding for existing federal water infrastructure financing programs is maintained or increased. New state funding for water infrastructure programs advances Jersey Water Works’ goals.
Empowered Stakeholders
Together, well-informed decision makers, community partners, residents and ratepayers participate actively and influence the planning and management of their water infrastructure. They fully understand the importance of taking care of water infrastructure, including the costs of inaction.
Stakeholders are educated on problems and are fluent in challenges and solutions.
Stakeholders actively engage in a meaningful process to influence decision-making in order to ensure sound drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure.
Municipal master plans, neighborhood plans, ordinances, policies, programs and projects will reflect stakeholder priorities for water resources and water infrastructure while addressing regulatory requirements, maximize short- and long-term community benefits, and be integrated into local asset management programs.
Utilities provide, and state agencies publish, simple metrics of system condition and utility finances that aid in public understanding of utility management and status.
Successful and Beneficial Green Infrastructure
Communities employ green infrastructure in a way that maximizes community benefits including reduced flooding and improved water quality, local economies, community health and long-term resiliency.
The public and private sectors integrate green stormwater infrastructure into new projects, redevelopment projects, and existing facilities.
Utilities and government departments employ green infrastructure to reduce flooding caused by inadequate wastewater and stormwater systems.
Utilities and local governments employ various solutions, including green infrastructure, to build resilience before, during, and after flood events to protect infrastructure, public health, and livelihoods.
Smart Combined Sewer Overflow Control Plans
Municipalities and utilities adopt innovative CSO Long Term Control Plans (LTCPs) with cost-effective solutions that meet or exceed permit requirements and provide multiple community benefits.
LTCPs incorporate and commit to an optimized balance of green and gray infrastructure to achieve the goals of the Clean Water Act.
LTCPs prioritize proven approaches that reduce combined sewer system flows, such as inflow and infiltration (I & I) reduction, green stormwater infrastructure and water conservation.
Implementation of the LTCPs reflects early input of community stakeholders and delivers significant additional community benefits including improved public health, green space, economic revitalization, and local jobs.
CSO LTCPs help ensure affordability for all ratepayers by using cost-effective overflow-reduction strategies, state and federal funding assistance, equitable rate structures, innovative financing mechanisms, appropriate implementation schedules and leveraging of other public and private investments.