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On March 2 the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) announced the launch of the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program, which provides emergency relief to address arrears that residential water and sewer customers have accrued during the pandemic. The state received $24 million in federal funds for this program last year. “This marks a major milestone—the first-ever statewide program to help low-income New Jerseyans afford ...

“Resiliency is not a luxury anymore—it’s a necessity.” This statement by Oleg Kostin, Director of Operations at New Jersey American Water, was echoed throughout the Resilient Water Systems in the Face of a Changing Climate workshop at the 2021 Jersey Water Works conference. In September 2021, the remnants of Hurricane Ida barreled through New Jersey, serving as a brutal reminder that climate change is already here and the consequences will only ...

In accordance with groundbreaking state legislation designed to reduce lead in drinking water and improve public health, public community water utilities in New Jersey have taken the first steps to identify and replace the state’s lead-containing service lines, which deliver water to individual dwellings. Within the next few weeks, they will send certified letters to all customers who have a known lead-containing service line informing them of ...

A new state law enacted in July 2021 requires New Jersey water systems to replace lead service lines (LSLs) within 10 to 15 years. Due to the age of its housing stock, New Jersey is estimated to have 350,000 LSLs, the fifth highest of all states, and at an average cost of $6,700, the total price tag is projected to be approximately $2.3 billion. To discuss this challenge, as well as best practices that could ensure a timely, cost-efficient ...

Incoming Jersey Water Works co-chairs Andy Kricun, from Moonshot Missions & US Water Alliance, and Nicole Miller, from Newark DIG share their thoughts on this ‘once-in-a-generation’ opportunity to fix leaking pipes and drains.

The City of Newark has completed its innovative lead service line replacement program, replacing more than 23,000 lead lines. The program, as revised in 2019, serves as a model for lead service line replacement programs in communities across the state.   Jersey Water Works (JWW) congratulates the City of Newark on this historic success. Starting in 2019, JWW brought many partners together to come up with effective solutions to lead in ...

In most cities, the task of replacing lead service lines (LSLs) has stretched over 20 to 25 years. The City of Newark, New Jersey, however, set an unprecedented pace, removing all of its LSLs in just over two years. This accomplishment, which transformed a crisis into a positive story, reflects recommendations made by a Lead in Drinking Water Task Force organized by Jersey Water Works, a nonprofit collaborative that produced the nation’s first ...

New Jersey’s water is at a turning point, and on the first day of the 2021 Jersey Water Works (JWW) conference, speakers weren’t afraid to shy away from a strong message: As new federal funding for water infrastructure arrives, New Jersey can—and needs to—do better. Legacy water issues have plagued many communities for generations in New Jersey. According to keynote speaker Colette Pichon Battle, Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy, federal ...

Everyone has a role to play when it comes to water. Water is a precious life-giving resource that must not only be honored and respected, but also managed, treated, and made safe for drinking. While some may think that drinking water and wastewater utility companies are the only ones responsible for this—or perhaps that government officials and decision-makers carry the brunt of the weight (which they do)—community members have important roles ...

In July, 2021, Governor Murphy signed a new law (P.L.2021, c.183; https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2020/Bills/AL21/183_.HTM) requiring the state’s water utilities to replace lead service lines (LSLs) within ten years. Implementation will be challenging. The few cities in other states that have successfully tackled this problem typically required 20 to 25 years to complete the job. To accelerate the effort, Jersey Water Works’ Lead in Drinking Water ...