This bill requires public water systems in New Jersey to notify customers within 30 days if PFAS levels exceed state limits, including specific details about health effects and directing them to a new DEP educational program. Landlords must distribute these notices to tenants within 3 business days of receiving them from water systems, and post them prominently in rental properties. The notice must cover vulnerable groups like schools, hospitals, and facilities serving children, and include updates on contamination mitigation efforts. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) must create an online educational program about PFAS health risks and water safety. These requirements apply until PFAS levels return to acceptable limits.
This bill requires water utilities (called "water purveyors") to conduct annual water loss audits and submit validated reports to New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). It defines "water loss" as the difference between water entering a distribution system and water measured at customer meters, including leaks, breaks, and unauthorized use. Utilities must follow American Water Works Association standards for data quality and validation when preparing these reports. The requirement directly affects all public water systems serving 25+ people daily, aiming to improve water conservation and infrastructure management.
This bill directs New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to create two grant programs using federal infrastructure funds. It specifically targets small public water systems (under 500 service connections) to fund operational improvements like leak detection, asset mapping, and infrastructure upgrades, and to establish data-sharing systems for water quality and cybersecurity information. Grant recipients must use funds for concrete projects such as developing asset inventories, deploying leak detection technology, or building data hubs for sharing water system data. The DCA must publish application rules within six months and submit annual reports detailing all funded projects to the Governor and Legislature within three years.
SCR 28 is a concurrent resolution urging the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to adopt drinking water standards for 14 contaminants recommended by the New Jersey Drinking Water Quality Institute (DWQI). It specifically references contaminants like perchlorate (used in explosives), radon-222 (a radioactive carcinogen), and formaldehyde (used in embalming), which the DWQI has recommended since 2005-2009 but the DEP has not adopted. The resolution highlights that the DEP has not acted on these recommendations despite the 1983 Safe Drinking Water Act requiring it to establish standards for such contaminants. This resolution has no legal force but formally requests the DEP consider these science-based standards to protect public health.
This bill requires New Jersey public community water systems to create and submit a plan within 120 days identifying an alternative water source to use immediately if perfluoralkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels exceed state-established maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). It directly affects municipal water providers serving residents, mandating they switch to the pre-identified backup source upon detecting PFAS exceedances in their supply. The key mechanism is the mandatory pre-planning and immediate action requirement when PFAS limits are breached, bypassing standard Safe Drinking Water Act procedures during such events. This applies to all public community water systems in the state, with the goal of ensuring continuous safe water access during contamination events.
S 608, the Water Resources Protection Trust Fund Act, requires public water systems and large commercial/industrial users to pay a fee based on their water consumption or diversion (e.g., taking water from rivers or aquifers not returned to the source). Revenue from this fee will fund projects to improve water quality, supply reliability, and aging infrastructure, such as repairing broken pipes, reducing leaks, and addressing lead contamination in drinking water systems. The bill directly affects entities operating public water systems (serving 15+ connections) and businesses with significant water use. It creates a dedicated funding stream to address New Jersey's deteriorating water resources and infrastructure, replacing reliance on insufficient existing funding.
This bill creates the "Drinking Water Emergency Response Fund" within New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), appropriating $1 million from the General Fund to establish this nonlapsing (renewable) fund. The fund directly affects the DEP and publicly owned drinking water systems by providing resources for emergency responses to unexpected contamination events, such as chemical spills, water contamination incidents, or harmful algal blooms. Key provisions allow the fund to cover both DEP-led emergency efforts and direct financial support to public water systems for similar emergencies. The bill also includes additional FY2024 supplemental appropriations totaling $5.85 million for specific DEP divisions, including $2 million for water supply operations and $1.45 million for park management, to support new staff salaries.
This bill requires landlords of properties used for child care services (such as daycares, after-school programs, or preschools caring for six or more children under 13) to install and maintain NSF/ANSI-certified water filters at all drinking, food prep, and baby formula fixtures if they refuse access to replace lead service lines. Landlords must annually certify filter installation to the Department of Environmental Protection and face $500 daily penalties for noncompliance. Tenants can notify landlords of violations, triggering a 30-day correction period, after which they may seek court-ordered rent escrow to fund required filter installation. The requirement applies only if lead service lines remain connected and active.
This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to identify and designate municipalities with "critical headwaters" (water sources supplying drinking water to at least 1 million residents, per census data) as "headwater guardians." These municipalities must implement specific environmental protections like enhanced stormwater management, groundwater recharge standards, and riparian buffers to safeguard water quality and supply. The DEP must develop this process within one year, publish designated municipalities online, and hold public comment periods before finalizing protections. Annual reports will track outcomes like pollutant reductions and preserved buffers, aligning with existing water quality laws.
This bill requires all New Jersey institutions of higher education to test every drinking water outlet (like fountains and faucets) for lead annually, beginning 90 days after the law takes effect. Institutions must report results to state education and environmental officials, post findings online, and notify students/faculty within 30 days of testing. If lead levels exceed EPA or state standards, schools must immediately close affected outlets, provide alternative water, and install certified lead-removing filters or treatment devices in all buildings containing lead pipes or fixtures. The law mandates these filters be maintained per manufacturer guidelines to ensure ongoing safety.
