September 2017
Photo of the Month: Introducing a New Series: "The Cost of Inaction"

CAROL RAFFERTY FOR NORTH JERSEY MEDIA GROUP

Photo: Municipal Authority workers opening up a sewer main in Pompton Lakes to allow the flooded water from a water main break to drain away.

The Cost of Inaction 
Often overlooked, our water infrastructure isn't noticed until something goes wrong. The JWW Newsletter will now feature a section "The Cost of Inaction" to highlight the everyday consequences felt by the residents of New Jersey of not investing in our water systems. 

Member Highlights

The City of Newark visited the City of Philadelphia to study and learn from the Water Department's considerable experience managing stormwater, focusing on implementing green infrastructure at scale .  

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection  awards over $9M in grants for 12 water projects ( Star-Ledger). Member recipients include City of Perth Amboy, New Jersey Water Supply Authority, Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, The Trust for Public Land, New York/New Jersey Baykeeper, Hackensack Riverkeeper 

Dennis Palmer of the Landis Sewerage Authority discussed the  community benefits stemming from a recent partnership  between the authority, Cumberland County Office of Emergency Management, and the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist at Rutgers.

Dennis Hart executive director of the Chemistry Council of New Jersey spoke about the importance of water efficiency and sustainability at a conference in Camden.

Lead in School Drinking Water in New Jersey: A preliminary analysis of reported test results . New Jersey Future has released the first compilation done at the statewide level of the results of school districts' tests for lead in their facilities' drinking water.

Downtown Newark will pilot city's rain barrel program (BrickCityLive). Newark Downtown District is currently running a pilot program to distribute rain barrels to interested property owners, and renters with owners' permission, within the boundaries of downtown Newark.

The City of Hoboken celebrates the opening of Southwest Park , New Jersey's first resiliency park. It features passive recreational space, green infrastructure (rain gardens, shade tree pits, porous pavers, a cistern for rainwater harvesting and reuse) and an underground detention system to reduce stormwater runoff and localized flooding.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection , U.S. Army Corps of Engineers break ground on project to daylight portion of Assunpink Creek in Trenton .

"The Water Quality Accountability Act will shake up a lot of utilities, especially smaller ones, that have too often assumed that they will act when something breaks, but have not engaged in pro-active asset management," - Dr. Daniel Van Abs, Associate Professor of Practice, Rutgers University Department of Human Ecology

Sustainable Urban Water Systems: A View from the Tap . (Opinion piece by  Anisha Anantapadmanabhan, CERES ). Civil engineers and city planners in Houston have the opportunity to incorporate stronger sustainability stewardship in the public water sector in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. A host of programs and projects implemented by cities across the U.S. can serve as examples.


Call to Action: Let's hear NJ Gov. Candidates on Water Infrastructure

Organizations are gathering questions to submit to the gubernatorial candidates. Submit your questions about water infrastructure  from now until Oct. 3 via:

 Jersey Water Works Updates

Can You Imagine a Day Without Beer? Neither Can We...

The Value of Water Campaign's Imagine a Day Without Water campaign will take place on Oct. 12. This year, Jersey Water Works, in partnership with the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild, will be highlighting the value of water by celebrating all of the great craft beers in the state produced with water from New Jersey.

Join Us: On Oct. 12 join representatives from Jersey City, Hoboken, Jersey Water Works, and New Jersey Brewers Association at the Departed Soles Brewing Company in Jersey City to celebrate the Imagine a Day Without Beer campaign.

Get involved: Encourage your local craft brewery to participate! And on Oct. 12, post a photo to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using 
#NoWaterNoBeer
Join us on Friday Dec. 1 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark to amplify the importance of addressing New Jersey's water infrastructure, explore innovative solutions and celebrate the Jersey Water Works collaborative as an effective, comprehensive approach to achieving statewide impact. Sessions include: 
  • A Call for Transformational Change to Secure New Jersey's Water Future
  • Morning Panel: What New Jersey Can Learn From New York State's $2.5 Billion Water Infrastructure Investment
  • Recognizing Our Progress: Jersey Water Works Accomplishments and Commitments for 2018
  • Afternoon Panel: Water Policy Priorities for New Jersey's New Administration
Interested in sponsoring? You'll reach more than 300 professionals involved in upgrading New Jersey's water infrastructure. 
Please visit the conference website for more information .


LAST CHANCE TO APPLY: New Jersey One Water Awards!  
The inaugural  New Jersey One Water Awards program
is accepting nominations through midnight Sept. 30, 2017. For selection criteria and other information visit the Submission Guidelines and Eligibility page . 
 
New Resources 

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's new webpage provides information on the recently legislated Water Quality Accountability Act. 

Let's Talk About Water: A Guide to Developing Discussion Materials to Get Your Community Deliberating (North American Association for Environmental Education). Let's Talk About Water is designed to help you create a framework and simple materials to guide discussions on water issues and assist people in engaging deeply and productively with each other.

Community Service Programs for Water and Wastewater Utilities  (National Association of Clean Water Agencies). This recorded webinar compiles and describes 14 case studies of water utilities contributing to environmental justice and community service.
Job Announcements

Program Manager  (New Jersey Future)
New Jersey Future is looking for a skilled, highly organized, motivated individual to manage the day-to-day operations of  Jersey Water Works . This is an opportunity to join a movement of a diverse statewide network of people working to shift the culture and thinking around one of the one of the state's leading policy issues. Please share with your networks!
Funding Opportunities

The New Jersey Section of the American Water Resources Association is sponsoring a contest for undergraduate students in New Jersey who are pursuing studies related to water resources.

PSEG is accepting unsolicited grant requests for up to $10,000 through its Neighborhood Partners funding program .

The Nature Conservancy is awarding grants of $2,000 to 60 public or charter schools through its Nature Works Everywhere grant program .

The National Institutes of Health's Research to Action: Assessing and Addressing Community Exposures to Environmental Contaminants program is offering research project grants.

The National Science Foundation is offering grants through its Environmental Sustainability Program.
Upcoming Events

Oct. 12: Asset Management Workshop at Jackson Township MUA. RSVP via email to Karen .
Oct. 16: Introducing Green Infrastructure for Coastal Resilience . Join this workshop sponsored by the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership .
Oct. 17: The Shore of the Future . Register here for this event hosted by New Jersey Future .
Nov. 14-15: Generational Dynamics and Your Water Utility presented by the
Public Hearings

Oct. 19: Distribution System Improvement Charge ("DSIC") for Sewer Utilities. Stakeholder meeting hosted by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Location: Trenton
Oct. 19: Moving Stormwater Pollution Improvements to the Next Level. Stakeholder meeting hosted by the New Jersey Clean Water Council. Location: Trenton

Water Infrastructure in the News

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. 

Like, Follow and Share Jersey Water Works! 
Staff Contacts: 

Managing Director, Policy  and Water
New Jersey Future
609-393-0008 x114
Jane Rosenblatt
Program Manager
New Jersey Future 
609-393-0008 x110 
Program Coordinator
New Jersey Future 
609-393-0008 x106
 
Planning and Policy Associate
New Jersey Future
609-393-0008 x108
Community Outreach Coordinator
New Jersey Future