Are we making progress? Jersey WaterCheck Data Points to Progress and Opportunities
Are we making progress? Jersey WaterCheck Data Points to Progress and Opportunities
How do we know if New Jersey is making progress in transforming water infrastructure? Since 2013, Jersey Water Works has been convening multiple stakeholders across the water sector with the common purpose of transforming and upgrading the water infrastructure. To track progress and enable continuous learning, Jersey WaterCheck (JWC), the data dashboard Jersey Water Works, was created to highlight New Jersey’s water infrastructure needs and promote investment in related priorities.
Jersey WaterCheck is a statewide data dashboard that provides information on water infrastructure issues. It allows residents and officials to easily access, analyze, and monitor the status of over 500 water systems across the state. It provides public metrics on the condition and financial health of New Jersey’s water and wastewater systems. Jersey WaterCheck data can be used by anyone willing to serve as a champion for water infrastructure investments and as accountability partners for equitable practices. The metrics available through Jersey WaterCheck are organized according to the four Jersey Water Works shared goals: Effective and Financially Sustainable Systems; Empowered Stakeholders; Successful and Beneficial Green Infrastructure; and Smart Combined Sewer Overflow Control Plans. To illustrate how Jersey WaterCheck supports these goals, below is a snapshot of what JWC data tells us about JWW’s goal, “Effective and Financially Sustainable Systems.”
Understanding this goal begins with recognizing the critical role water infrastructure plays in our daily lives. People rarely think about the pipes under their feet, but healthy communities need water systems that work—and stay affordable. To achieve affordable, effective, and financially sustainable systems, all water utilities must have an asset management plan that includes investments and up-to-date maintenance strategies, such as:
- Fix it before it breaks: Water leaks and costly emergency repairs are avoided by regular pipe inspections.
- Spend wisely: Making strategic infrastructure investments by using long-term planning.
- Keep it fair: Making sure water costs are shared fairly and that there are programs to help everyone afford their bills.
- Get support: Obtaining state and federal funding to help pay for big upgrades and major repairs so residents don’t bear the entire cost.
Building on these strategies, within the goal of Effective and Financially Sustainable Systems, JWC data allows us to see how water and wastewater utilities are performing in the following areas:
Maintaining Systems: Sound planning and asset maintenance and management keep costs more affordable than reacting to emergencies, which can lead to sudden expenses. Progress here can be measured by tracking how well utilities comply with the regulatory standards that drinking water and wastewater systems must meet.
The vast majority of drinking water and wastewater utilities in NJ are meeting regulatory standards that reflect the 24/7 work required to maintain water infrastructure assets and to efficiently and effectively reduce leakage, emergency repairs, and other impacts. JWC data across the years show:
- An increase in drinking water systems from 96 percent of water utilities in 2015 to 98-100 percent in 2024 in meeting regulatory standards on drinking water, as measured by two JWC metrics: Met drinking water standards that protect against harmful bacteria, and Met primary drinking water standards.
- An increase in wastewater utilities from 90 percent in 2017 to 97 percent in 2024 in meeting regulatory standards in wastewater effluent via JWC metric: Met NJ effluent discharge quality requirements.
Recently released data reports on JWC’s lead resources page showcase both aggregate-level progress and granular contextual case studies that reflect the complexity of the work being undertaken to meet NJ’s Lead Service Line Replacement Law.
Wise Management and Spending: Pipes and treatment plants, and the 24/7 work in maintaining systems requires people, expertise, and money, often called managerial, technical, and financial infrastructure. State regulatory requirements and incentives, along with utility policies, ensure that utilities and departments fully implement water infrastructure asset management programs, with sufficient operating budgets and capital investments to deliver required and desired levels of service while minimizing life-cycle costs.
In JWC, the metric “Estimated cost of planned capital projects over 3 years” shows the capital investment needs reported by drinking water utilities under the Water Quality Accountability Act, in dollar amounts. This figure has substantially increased from $4,712,166,552.00 in 2021 to $5,320,052,356.00 in 2024. Planned capital projects are the pipes and treatment plants undergoing scheduled upgrades, maintenance, and resiliency measures so that utilities can continue delivering high-quality water to all residents! See this past blog post on the importance of this metric. Adequate staffing via JWC metric “Full-time equivalent per 1000 service connections,” and financial health via JWC metric “Operating ratio” provide granular utility level information for drinking water systems based on WQAA reported data.
Adequate and Fair Revenue: Revenue is the financial lifeblood of water and wastewater utilities. 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. Utility level assistance and affordability programs support ratepayers who need help paying their bills.
Several JWC metrics in this category offer detailed insights into annual costs and pricing at various water-use levels for drinking water systems. Metrics such as “Net debt as percentage of revenue” and “Percentage of billed water billed to residential customers on a yearly basis” provide utility-level context on financial health and water loss, supporting effective revenue management. Additional metrics, including the service area’s poverty rate, estimated 20th percentile income, and the percentage of households that may struggle to pay water and sewer bills, help utilities and residents understand the economic challenges within the service area. Together, these data points inform both residents and utilities.
Robust Government Funding Initiatives: Congress holds substantial, direct power over water infrastructure funding in the United States, acting as the primary authorizer and funding source for major water projects, including wastewater, drinking water, and flood control systems. JWC metrics enable us to track if funding for existing federal water infrastructure financing programs is maintained or increased at the state level.
The annual federal funding received for NJ drinking water and wastewater utilities has increased in recent years, largely due to one-time infusions from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. However, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is set to end after FFY 26 (SFY 27). Without further Congressional action, the water sector faces a significant funding shortfall, commonly known as a funding cliff. The American Water Association’s latest report urges Congress to maintain long-term support to address the growing financial challenges in water infrastructure. Congress also uses earmarks to provide direct grant funding for water projects. While beneficial to recipients, these awards reduce resources available for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, which offer more favorable financing than the bond market. Since these revolving funds are intended to be self-sustaining, excessive earmarks may undermine their effectiveness.
The JWC data provides a comprehensive view of progress and ongoing challenges in ensuring the effective, financially sustainable operation of water and wastewater systems in New Jersey. Utilities across the state work diligently to maintain regulatory compliance, manage assets, and invest in infrastructure, as evidenced by JWC metrics and increased planned capital expenditures. At the same time, robust data on revenue, affordability, and funding sources highlight the complexities of maintaining fair and resilient systems. While recent federal initiatives have delivered significant funding, the looming expiration of key programs underscores the need for continued legislative support to bridge future gaps. Because water infrastructure is often out of sight and overlooked, the JWC’s data-driven approach equips stakeholders with the insights needed to strengthen it and maintain progress.
