Plans and Commitments

1. Launch a new committee to help articulate an action agenda for how New Jersey should address PFAS and Emerging Contaminants. 
2. Gather input and work draft a white paper that includes policy recommendations and planned actions and commitments from key stakeholders.

Asset Management & Finance Committee 

1. Pursue funding and conduct research to assess the feasibility of a wastewater accountability framework (similar to the Water Quality Accountability Act (WQAA)) and develop informed recommendations.
2. Leverage newly available water audit data captured under the WQAA to identify and promote best practices. Host a webinar to showcase high-performing utilities and their strategies.
3. Explore research on shared services and regionalization, and identify potential funding sources and support opportunities.
4. Host a meeting in July with the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to review the State Fiscal Year (SFY)26 project pipeline, discuss projects deferred to SFY27, assess remaining funds and oversubscription, and identify opportunities to advance projects awaiting funding.
5. Review and comment on the SFY27 Clean Water and Drinking Water Intended Use Plans and other public comment opportunities aligned with committee goals. 
6. Water Affordability: Continue collaborating with state partners to expand water affordability solutions and promote a coordinated statewide approach.
7. Stormwater Utilities: Encourage municipalities to consider creating stormwater utilities (facilitated by the Stormwater Utility Subcommittee)
   • Revise and distribute the Stormwater Utility presentation for members to use in local presentations.
   • Engage with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)-funded communities to assess progress following feasibility study funding. Identify barriers and offer targeted support to advance SWU adoption in at least one more community.
   • Update the SWU resource center website to feature New Jersey case studies and promote them as best and promising practices for others to learn from.

1. Foster collaborative discussions to address 2026 Green Infrastructure challenges and opportunities. 
2. Identify and share funding opportunities for green infrastructure projects. 
3. Promote green infrastructure implementation best and promising strategies, as towns advance MS4 permits and related projects. 

Note: The Watershed Institute is providing backbone support for the GI committee.

1. Assess the potential of creative financing options, such as a bond initiative or stormwater fee, and develop recommendations and resources to encourage municipalities and utilities to address generational equity. 
2. Work with the Asset Management and Finance committee to articulate the long-term economic and societal benefits of major cost-effective projects, where cost-effectiveness is measured by costs relative to reduced CSOs and Combined Sewer System (CSS) backflows.
3. Support CSO municipalities and utilities in increasing visibility through education and social media campaigns. Emphasize the importance of upstream and downstream communities within the sewer system working together to address CSO flow issues.

1. Strengthen NJ’s Lead and Copper Rule by engaging in the open comment period.
2. Promote effective implementation and oversight of the lead disclosure law. 
3. Recommend effective distribution of Securing our Children’s Future Bond Act Funds.
4. Promote filter-first policies in NJ Schools and childcare facilities.
5. Promote lead service line efficiency measures for water systems that must replace lead service lines by 2031. 
6. ⁠Convene the Lead Service Line Implementation Workgroup: Facilitating guidance and best practices for New Jersey water systems.
7. Support Local Policy Work: Collaborate with Lead-Free NJ Community Hubs to inform and advance statewide implementation of lead service lines replacements.
8. ⁠Partner with the New Jersey Water Association to offer LSL workshop credits.
9. Pursue proactive filter distribution for the medicaid population through the 1115 Waiver.

1. Release the seventh version of the dashboard, including updating the lead resources pages, refining CSO metrics, adding a granular utility funding metric for systems where relevant, and providing easy access to information on 590 drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems.
2. Design and create a CSO resource page within JWC that provides easy access to track the progress of CSO permittees in New Jersey.

Advance workforce initiatives with New Jersey Future, Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA), and Atlantic County Municipal Utilities Authority (ACMUA), via the Funder’s Network Partner for Place program, focusing on upskilling the existing workforce.