March 2016 Newsletter
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
Students in Newark’s public schools go on bottled water since news broke earlier this month that students may have been exposed to lead since at least 2012. Photos courtesy of Community Foodbank of New Jersey.
SHORT-TERM SOLUTION FOR A LONG-TERM PROBLEM 

Students in Newark’s public schools go on bottled water since news broke earlier this month that students may have been exposed to lead since at least 2012. Photos courtesy of Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

BUILD IT GREEN COMPETITION
CALLING ALL CSO COMMUNITIES!

The Build it Green Competition (BIG) is a new opportunity for municipalities and utilities to receive technical assistance and engineering support services to design innovative, financeable projects that reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) while also making neighborhoods and downtowns better places to live, work and invest.

If you are a CSO city or utility,  we hope you’ll apply! You may view application guidelines here. For more information visit NJFuture.org/BIG.  Applications are due April 15, 2016.

LATEST FROM THE JERSEY WATER WORKS BLOG
Forum Roundup: Cities, Redevelopers Join Forces to Tackle Floodproofing, Sewer Upgrades  R epresentatives from Hackensack, Hoboken and Gloucester City detailed how they are engaging redevelopers in a number of ways to meet the challenge of flooding, aging infrastructure and climate change.    
From River to Tap: How Your Water Is Cleaned and Delivered When you turn on the water to take a shower, do you ever think about where your water comes from? Each community in New Jersey has a unique tale as to where its water comes from, how it is delivered, and its quality.
HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS

 2016 Camden SMART Forum 

On April 20,the Camden SMART Forum  will cover successful integration of green across sectors. Panels include: 1.  Art, Design and Community Engagement to Stabilize and Rebuild Neighborhoods, 2. Building a Workforce for Green.


On April 1, four Jersey Water Works members will speak about how well New Jersey is positioned to provide safe and affordable water to residents. 
  • Dennis W. Doll of Middlesex Water Company; 
  • Peggy Gallos of Association of Environmental Authorities of New Jersey;
  • Dan Kennedy of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection;
  • Daniel Van Abs of Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

COMMITTEE PROGRESS 

Jersey Water Works committees all met in March and have begun working on collaborative actions! Stay tuned for the release of the collaborative’s work plan next week on jerseywaterworks.org.

Ready to join? The Jersey Water Works collaborative  is a great opportunity to influence (and accomplish!) our collaborative goals. To join, email Max Brekke.  
WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE NEWS

Now is Time to Act on Water Infrastructure in New Jersey (PotlickerNJ). Assemblyman John McKeon (D-27) calls for robust action to ensure safe drinking water in New Jersey. He notes that the Drinking Water Task Force will focus on understanding what actions the state needs to take.

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop Lead Update (Jersey City). Mayor Fulop announces proactive steps to prevent lead contamination in its water supply, including testing and hiring independent contractors to test water quality.

Fact Sheet: Working Together to Build a Sustainable Water Future (The White House). The White House shines a spotlight on the importance of cross-cutting, creative solutions to solving the water problems of today by announcing new efforts and commitments to enhance the sustainability of water in the United States.

After Flint, New York and New Jersey Lawmakers Hope To Prevent A Water Crisis At Home (Huffington Post). Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have introduced companion bills in the House and the Senate to fund lead testing.

Turning Stormwater Runoff Into Everyone's Business (CityLab). Prudential invested $1.7 million in the recently founded District Stormwater LLC. This company, affiliated with The Nature Conservancy, will work with property owners to install green improvements for free in exchange for stormwater retention credits.

UPCOMING EVENTS


Princeton Environmental Film Festival, April 2-10, 2016. On  April 6 at 7 pm, Jersey Water Works members Hon. James J. Florio from Florio, Perrucci, Steinhardt & Fader, LLC, Chris Sturm from New Jersey Future, and Jonathan C. Kaledin from Natural System Utilities will address key issues about the health of our water systems from global to local. Water films to be shown include Sonic Sea April 6; Treaty Talks April 7; After the Spill April 8; The Hudson: A River at Risk April 9; A Watershed Moment: The Delaware River Bain (festival premiere) April 10.

NJPDES Municipal Stormwater Permit Renewal, April 12, 2016. The New Jersey Clean Water Council seeks public testimony on the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protections's Preliminary Draft Renewal of the stormwater permits issued to municipalities authorizing the discharge of stormwater from municipal stormwater systems.

Raritan River Week, April 16-30, 2016. During this week New Jersey organizations will be hosting various events to promote clean and safe waterways throughout the state. Find an event near you.

Complying with Stormwater Regulations Workshop, May 13, 2016. This outreach and technical assistance program will provide guidance and direction on the benefits and opportunities of implementing green infrastructure practices.

The New Jersey Water Environment Association 101st John J. Lagrosa Conference & Exposition, May 16-20, 2016. Don’t miss Jersey Water Works speakers, including Andy Kricun of Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority on improving operational performance and reducing costs and Chris Sturm of New Jersey Future and Jennifer Gonzalez of Louis Berger on NJAIMS .

2016 New Jersey Sustainability Summit, June 15, 2016. This year’s summit will dig deeper into the energy and waste dimensions of sustainability and explore what communities can do in these areas.

2016 Mid-Atlantic Conference of the American Water Resources Association, Sept. 15-16, 2016. The conference program will include a wide range of water resources topics directed to interested practitioners, researchers and students from a variety of disciplines. Abstracts due May 2, 2016

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 
RESOURCES

New EPA Study Supports The Long-term Benefits of Green Infrastructure and Low-Impact Development. Commissioned by the EPA to estimate the flood loss avoidance benefits from application of small stormwater-retention practices for new development and redevelopment nationwide. The results show that, over time, the use of green infrastructure in new development and redevelopment can save hundreds of millions of dollars in flood losses. If retrofitting of existing development were to occur, the avoided losses would be even more significant.

America’s Water: Developing a Road Map for the Future of Our Nation’s Infrastructure. This report by the Columbia Water Center envisions a collaborative process to identify opportunities, set performance standards, and develop and test implementation mechanisms for a transformation in the water sector.

Jersey Water Works is a collaborative effort working to transform New Jersey's inadequate water infrastructure through sustainable, cost-effective solutions that provide communities with clean water and waterways; healthier, safer neighborhoods; local jobs; flood and climate resilience; and economic growth.

Jersey Water Works welcomes individuals and organizations committed to working towards transforming New Jersey’s inadequate water infrastructure through sustainable, cost-effective solutions that provide communities multiple benefits.