Asset Management and Finance Committee

1. Co-hosted three educational webinars on debt, shared services, collaboration, climate resilience, and State Revolving Funds (SRF) funding, reaching over 120 participants with New Jersey Future’s Funding Navigator program, the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center, and other partners.
2. Reviewed and submitted comments on the FFY 2025/SFY 2026 Intended Use Plans.

Stormwater Utilities (SWU) Subcommittee

1. Promoted stormwater utilities and resources to municipalities. This year, New Jersey established its fourth stormwater utility. 
2. Hosted a meeting to learn about two state-funded stormwater utility projects with WSP.
3. With ANJEC, organized a webinar featuring the Maplewood mayor and Stormwater Utility Manager to showcase the town’s Stormwater Utility implementation, with 63 attendees.
4. Created a scorecard to review SWU progress. 

Water Affordability Subcommittee

1. Secured funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation to work on water affordability.
2. Helped advance water affordability goals by convening partners from Trenton, Newark, Paterson, Atlantic City, and Camden, and working closely with NRDC and New Jersey Future.

1. Submitted comments on Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Year SRFY 25 Intended Use Plans, Water Quality Accountability Act Proposed rules amendments, and repeals to the Safe Drinking Water Act Rules (N.J.A.C. 7:10) and Water Supply Allocation Permit Rules (N.J.A.C. 7:19).
2. Sent letters to legislative staff educating about congressionally directed funding (CDF).
3. Developed and published a funding tracking list for water infrastructure projects.
4. Stormwater Utility Subcommittee: 
   1. Encouraged municipalities to consider stormwater utilities and regional approaches. 
   2. Met regularly to share updates on feasibility studies and explore different tactics.
   3. Updated the 2021 paper “Stormwater Utilities Can Incentivize Green Infrastructure.”
   4. Organized a JWW conference session, Unlocking the Potential of Stormwater Utilities: Perspectives and Progress in New Jersey.

1. Expanded information about available funding via a technical assistance (TA) webinar, blog, social media, and newsletters.
2. Encouraged municipalities to consider creating stormwater utilities by hosting five town-hall style Stormwater Utility Information Forums, attended by over 70 participants. 
3. Raised awareness about water affordability and assistance programs via presentation at the NJ Water Environment Association (NJWEA) conference and by creating social media content, publishing a blog, and sharing information via newsletter on the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). 

1. Submitted comments on Proposed Clean Water SRF and Drinking Water SRF Intended Use Plans for SFY23.
2. Published blog, Affordability of Residential Drinking Water and Sewer Utility Services blog.
3. Hosted a Low Income Household Water Assistance Program webinar in partnership with NJ Department of Community Affairs, Natural Resources Defense Council, and NJ Board of Public Authorities with a follow up discussion scheduled for December 8, 2022. 
4. Compiled and shared example Requests for Proposals for Stormwater Utility Feasibility Studies for municipal use.
5. Developed and shared sample Stormwater Utility outreach digital toolkit for municipal use.

1. Sent a letter to the Governor’s Office, Department of Community Affairs, Board of Public Utilities, and Department of Environmental Protection identifying opportunities for the State of New Jersey that can help to ensure affordable water services. Read Letter
2. Published Affordability Report (phase 2) that showcases a new methodology to estimate affordability of water and sewer utility costs in New Jersey.
3. Created a list of resources to help with recent lead service line legislation for replacement and implementation (to be published in late December 2021).
4. Expanded committee diversity through outreach to work toward closing gaps and expanding committee racial, gender, and sector makeup.

1. Submitted recommendations in response to the COVID-19 outbreak to the Governor’s office, which address the impacts on low-income customers and water and wastewater utilities.
2. Released a draft consensus methodology for measuring water affordability and identified at-risk communities.
3. Met with NJDEP to recommend ways to focus CSO investments in environmental justice communities as a joint exploration with the CSO Committee.
4. Identified gaps in committee membership to inform the adoption of diversity goals.

1. Published a white paper on policy options for improving water and wastewater affordability for low-income customers.
2. Conducted a study of capital investment by drinking water utilities statewide.
3. Sent recommendations to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for Water Quality Accountability Act reporting, in partnership with the American Water Works Association.

1. Worked with industry partners to recommend metrics to NJDEP on the status of drinking water systems, asset management programs and capital investment.
2. Recommended legal and policy options for improving water and wastewater affordability for low-income customers.
3. Hosted a peer review of New Jersey Water Bank’s green infrastructure financing program, identifying ways to improve applicant success.

1. Published in-depth case studies assessing the fiscal implications of asset management for drinking water and wastewater utilities.
2. Published a national survey of state-level initiatives to fund water infrastructure. 

1. Launched research on two case studies, in partnership with the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust, into the fiscal implications of wastewater utility asset management programs.
2. Initiated the evaluation of the state’s financing programs for green infrastructure.