Water Infrastructure for Thriving Communities
Every resident and business in New Jersey deserves safe drinking water, a healthy home, clean rivers, and flood-free neighborhoods.
New Jersey Future’s growing water and health team is working to transform the state’s systems for drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and lead remediation from the inside out. We are changing state policy, assisting practitioners, facilitating collaboratives, and enlisting community voices in advocacy. To connect with us, please contact New Jersey Future Policy Director Diane Schrauth (dschrauth
njfuture
org) or any of the program staff noted below.
Jersey Water Works
- Members of JWW committees work across sectors to advance innovative solutions like the New Jersey Water Risk and Equity Map. Shared resources highlight best practices and the latest news to ensure that decision-makers, experts, and water consumers are up-to-date on current initiatives. Each year, hundreds of members and friends gather for a summer membership meeting and the Jersey Water Works annual conference. New Jersey Future provides backbone staff support to the collaborative and serves on its Steering Committee. Contact Program Manager Paula Figueroa-Vega (pfigueroanjfutureorg) or Program Coordinator Andrea Sapal (asapalnjfutureorg) and click here to join the collaborative!
- JWW’s Lead in Drinking Water Task Force is working to virtually eliminate lead in drinking water in 10 years to protect children’s health. In October 2019, the task force issued a report, Lead in Drinking Water: A Permanent Solution for New Jersey, that outlined 19 actions New Jersey could take. During 2021, several key pieces of state legislation were enacted, including the nation’s most aggressive requirements for lead service line replacement. In November 2021, the task force issued 10 solutions for child care facilities. In 2022, the task force is working to implement its recommendations by convening a new peer-sharing group, crafting practical policy and implementation solutions, and providing policy support to Lead-Free NJ. Contact Senior Policy Advisor Gary Brune (gbrunenjfutureorg) for more information.
- JWW launched Jersey WaterCheck in March 2021, a user-friendly dashboard that features data about the state’s drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems. The dashboard has information on approximately 542 drinking water and wastewater systems along with metrics for New Jersey’s 563 municipalities. It connects New Jerseyans to New Jersey water systems and provides the knowledge we need to improve New Jersey’s water infrastructure for individuals, communities, utilities, and our state’s leaders. Contact Program Manager Jyoti Venketraman (jvenketramannjfutureorg) for more information.
Mainstreaming Green Infrastructure
- Green Infrastructure Municipal Toolkit is an online resource to help municipalities plan, implement, and sustain green infrastructure and understand the state’s Stormwater Rules.
- Developer’s Green Infrastructure Guide is a detailed resource, produced in collaboration with the New Jersey Builders Association, to facilitate the inclusion of green infrastructure in private-sector developments.
- The Trenton Green Team is a community-based initiative that coordinates environmental advocacy, green infrastructure demonstration projects, and other efforts in Trenton.
Contact Program Manager Lindsey Sigmund (lsigmundnjfutureorg) for more information.
Sewage-Free Streets and Rivers
njfutureorg) .Lead-Free NJ
The collaborative focuses on legacy lead hazards in low-income communities and/or communities of color, while also creating the conditions for children to be free from lead poisoning statewide. Contact Program Manager Heather Sorge (hsorgenjfutureorg) for more information.
Stormwater Utilities
For more information or to join the NJ Stormwater Utilities Learning Exchange, please contact Program Manager Lindsey Sigmund (lsigmundnjfutureorg) for more information.
Recent Reports:
New Jersey Future Blog
April 1, 2025 by New Jersey Future staffNew Jersey Future’s Funding Navigator team has developed expertise in supporting water systems and municipal leaders in navigating the complexities of lead service line replacement (LSLR) funding, outreach, and communication. Meanwhile, the Jersey Water Works Lead Service Line Implementation Work Group and Lead-Free New Jersey address the technical and logistical aspects of LSLR. Effective communication and community outreach are critical aspects of a successful LSLR program. In this blog, we’ll highlight key strategies and best practices for communication and outreach that can improve participation rates and build customer trust.
March 14, 2025 by Jessika ShermanThe New Jersey Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF) are critical financial resources that can provide a variety of funding and financing options, including principal forgiveness and low-interest loans, to support water infrastructure improvements across the state.
February 18, 2025 by Jessika ShermanMunicipalities face a tricky balancing act when it comes to infrastructure improvements: they need to address large, costly projects but have limited resources to fund them. Historically, issuing debt has been the primary means that municipalities are left with to finance critical improvements. However, municipal leaders are reluctant to be the ones responsible for issuing debt, while utilities and public systems are often hesitant to raise rates to cover project costs.
December 2, 2024 by Jessika ShermanOver the next 20 years, the United States must spend $625 billion to fix, maintain, and improve water infrastructure. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, New Jersey alone will need to spend at least $12,252,800,000 on drinking water infrastructure and $19,352,000,000 on clean water infrastructure over the next 20 years to make all necessary improvements and repairs.
June 24, 2024 by New Jersey Future staff“We collectively work towards a future where every resident in New Jersey has access to clean, safe, and lead-free drinking water by fostering collaboration and sharing knowledge through innovation,” declared Richard Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water, as he opened the lead service line replacement session at the 2024 Planning and Redevelopment Conference.
Articles and Stories
This report and related case studies summarize the state of urban water infrastructure in New Jersey and how it affects residents and businesses. May 2014.
A one-hour webinar focused on consumer-facing communications strategies for water and sewer utilities. Thursday, May 14, 2015.
2015 Smart Growth Awards: Reactivation of a neglected landmark park in downtown Newark as a thriving public space.
2015 Smart Growth Awards: Plan for re-engineering 16 blocks of Washington Street in Hoboken to improve safety and comfort for cyclists and pedestrians
2015 Smart Growth Awards: Partnership of community organizations working to construct green and grey infrastructure to alleviate flooding in the city of Camden.
New Jersey Future’s Funding Navigator team has developed expertise in supporting water systems and municipal leaders in navigating the complexities of lead service line replacement (LSLR) funding, outreach, and communication. Meanwhile, the Jersey Water Works Lead Service Line Implementation Work Group and Lead-Free New Jersey address the technical and logistical aspects of LSLR. Effective communication and community outreach are critical aspects of a successful LSLR program. In this blog, we’ll highlight key strategies and best practices for communication and outreach that can improve participation rates and build customer trust.
The New Jersey Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF) are critical financial resources that can provide a variety of funding and financing options, including principal forgiveness and low-interest loans, to support water infrastructure improvements across the state.
Municipalities face a tricky balancing act when it comes to infrastructure improvements: they need to address large, costly projects but have limited resources to fund them. Historically, issuing debt has been the primary means that municipalities are left with to finance critical improvements. However, municipal leaders are reluctant to be the ones responsible for issuing debt, while utilities and public systems are often hesitant to raise rates to cover project costs.
Over the next 20 years, the United States must spend $625 billion to fix, maintain, and improve water infrastructure. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, New Jersey alone will need to spend at least $12,252,800,000 on drinking water infrastructure and $19,352,000,000 on clean water infrastructure over the next 20 years to make all necessary improvements and repairs.
“We collectively work towards a future where every resident in New Jersey has access to clean, safe, and lead-free drinking water by fostering collaboration and sharing knowledge through innovation,” declared Richard Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water, as he opened the lead service line replacement session at the 2024 Planning and Redevelopment Conference.
This report and related case studies summarize the state of urban water infrastructure in New Jersey and how it affects residents and businesses. May 2014.
A one-hour webinar focused on consumer-facing communications strategies for water and sewer utilities. Thursday, May 14, 2015.
2015 Smart Growth Awards: Reactivation of a neglected landmark park in downtown Newark as a thriving public space.
2015 Smart Growth Awards: Plan for re-engineering 16 blocks of Washington Street in Hoboken to improve safety and comfort for cyclists and pedestrians
2015 Smart Growth Awards: Partnership of community organizations working to construct green and grey infrastructure to alleviate flooding in the city of Camden.
See all New Jersey Future Blog posts and articles in this category »
Reports, Presentations and Testimony
- 11/14/2019: Testimony on Lead Bills S3990, S4110, S4177
- 04/17/2019: Comments on Proposed New C1 Stream Designations
- 02/14/2019: Testimony on A2697-S1783
- 06/14/2018: Testimony on Lead in Drinking Water
- 05/10/2018: New Jersey Future Testimony on S1073
- 01/02/2018: Letter on A5339
- 11/29/2017: Year One Clean Water Agenda for the Murphy Administration
- 07/13/2017: Testimony on Drinking Water: A Crisis in Every State
- 06/08/2017: Recommendation on Water Quality Accountability Act
- Jersey Water Works Water Infrastructre Funding Report 06-2017 (Intern Report)
- 05/15/2017: Testimony on S2834 - Water Quality Accountability Act
- Lead in School Drinking Water
- 2013 Facing Our Future Report - Infrastructure Investments Necessary for Economic Success - Links to Water Infrastructure Resources
- Final Jersey City to Proacitvely Test Water Supply Press Release %282%29
- 2013 Facing Our Future Report - Infrastructure Investments Necessary for Economic Success
- Can We Depend on Our Water Infrastructure?
- Federal Urban Waters NGO News Release_12 3 2014
- New Jersey Future Stormwater Utilities Report 9-14 (Intern Report)
- Jeff Hughes: Financing Urban Water Infrastructure
- Agenda for Change
- Case Study: Paterson
- Case Study: Jersey City
- Case Study: Hoboken
- Case Study: Camden
- Ripple Effects
- Van Abs: Water Infrastructure in New Jersey's CSO Cities
