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Plans and Commitments

The urgency of the water infrastructure problems in New Jersey’s communities affects us every day. Transforming New Jersey’s inadequate water infrastructure takes collective actions and that is the work that Jersey Water Works committees and individual members are committed to do. Take a look at our past work plans and member’s current commitments.

WORK PLANS

Through their annual Work Plans, each Jersey Water Works committee implements projects that help achieve the collaborative’s goals.

Any member of the collaborative may join one or more committees.

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2024
Asset Management and Finance Committee

Asset Management and Finance Committee (AM&F)

2024 Work Plans

  1. Review and develop comments on the proposed State Revolving Fund Year 2023 (SRFY 25) Water Infrastructure Investment Plan, which supports the goal of “Effective and Financially Sustainable Systems”. This aims to ensure that operating budgets and capital investment are adequate and affordable, resulting in systems that operate efficiently and in a state of good repair (completed).
  2. Educate legislative staff and decision makers about congressionally directed funding (CDF), formerly known as earmarks, by sharing information via letter, newsletters, and social media. 
  3. Launch a research/study on the long-term benefits of investing in water infrastructure.
  4. Host a webinar highlighting strategies to create equitable rate structures that address low-income affordability issues while providing financial benefits to the utility, recruit at least one utility, and include community voices. 
  5. Encourage municipalities to consider creating stormwater utilities (facilitated by the Stormwater Utility Subcommittee)
    1. Improve communications around Stormwater Utilities (SWUs).
      1. Issue a 2-4 minute Informational Video.
      2. Update the 2021 paper entitled “Stormwater Utilities Can Incentivize Green Infrastructure”.
      3. Explore existing or create new SWU resources for combined sewer overflow (CSO) communities.
      4. Promote the SWU Resource Center. 
    2. Support the exploration of a regional approach to operationalizing Stormwater Utilities in New Jersey. 

 

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Green Infrastructure Committee (GI)

2024 Work Plans

  1. Connect communities to funding: Guide communities toward funding available for green infrastructure projects, and work with state and federal agencies to gather information on funding opportunities.
  2. Increase access to GI resources: Explore how to offer green infrastructure resources in different languages. Work with JWW member organizations and identify advocacy groups to help elevate resources beyond JWW. 
  3. Connect with communities through projects: Identify hands-on activities or in-person events to be present during and share resources. Host at least one in-person committee meeting with an educational component.
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Combined Sewer Overflow Committee (CSO)

2024 Work Plans

  1. Work with NJDEP to ensure that the Jersey Water Works (JWW) “Smart CSO Control Plan” goals are reflected in the last two draft CSO permits, which include reviewing and developing comments for each regional permit. 
  2. Share information with CSO decision makers about all available funding to lower total ratepayer costs and accelerate implementations.
  3. Promote community engagement opportunities within CSO communities (i.e. CSO supplemental teams), uplifting NJDEP community engagement guidance, and continuous education about the CSO process. Work closely with Sewage-Free Streets and Rivers in their efforts.
  4. Research and share promising practices in CSO management, including regional authority approaches (partnership role, shared services, affordability analysis with new funding). 
  5. Encourage NJDEP to require a CSO affordability analysis with and without typical SRF funding and stormwater fees with the goal of reducing timelines and increasing environmental and public health benefits.
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Lead in Drinking Water Task Force

2024 Work Plans

  1. Convene Lead Service Line (LSL) Implementation Workgroup to identify and share best practices and provide recommendations to the Lead Free-NJ Water Advocacy Committee.
  2. Partner with Jersey WaterCheck in updating the lead resource page to publish annual report on the progress of LSL replacements in NJ.
  3. Partner with the New Jersey Water Association to offer credits for LSL workshops. Distribute printed copies of Primer for Mayors to business administrators and other local officials. Explore and educate stakeholders about implementation efficiency measures for equitable cost effectiveness on coordinating replacement programs, including resources for replacement of customer-owned LSLs. 
  4. Revise and update recommendations and strategies to advance educational outreach, financial, and legislative initiatives described in the task force’s 2019 and 2021 reports. 
  5. Support Lead-Free NJ’s Advocacy Committee in enacting key legislative initiatives, such as disclosure of lead in drinking water at rental properties and lead-certified filters for Child Care Facilities (CCFs). 
  6. Create an LSLR regulatory lead communications toolkit for New Jersey’s water systems for regulatory lead communication.
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Jersey WaterCheck

2024 Work Plans

  1. Release the fifth update of JWC metrics, including relevant data updates as needed.
  2. Launch and release short-form videos that educate the importance of water infrastructure, the costs involved, and success stories in infrastructure upgrades using JWC data in collaboration with JWW committees and other stakeholders.
Climate Resilience

2024 - Climate Resilience Committee (CRC)

2024 Work Plans

  1. Curate information about resources and promising practices to promote via JWW newsletters, website, and committee meetings. This will include promoting the EPA’s Creating Resilient Water Utilities Tool (CRWU) and regular “show and tell” committee agenda items. 
  2. Review and develop comments on the Resilient Environments and Landscapes (REAL) portion of the New Jersey Protecting Against Climate Threat (NJ PACT) rules. 
  3. Create or find a visual roadmap showing the continuum of least to most climate-resilient water utilities. Utilize that information to host a session for local government decision-makers focused on building climate resilience, linking to operational and capital needs, and showing a path toward funding for implementation. Potential avenues for the session include the JWW Membership Meeting or Annual Conference, the League of Municipalities Conference, the ANJEC Environmental Congress, and/or RPA’s annual conference.  
  4. Explore the interest for existing programs (like GI champions, Green Teams, and Environmental Commissioners) to create climate resilience champions. Create guidance to establish climate resilience champions.
Water Workforce Task Force

2024 - Water Workforce Task Force

2024 Work Plans

  1. Recruit a diverse group of participants and facilitate a second cohort for the Water Workforce Development Program at Hudson County Community College (leveraging funds by Bank of America and PACE grant). 
  2. Recommend ways to increase or enhance entry level opportunities, such as internships, in the water sector by sharing resources and offering one educational webinar or workshop.
  3. Update the 2021 workforce program inventory to be published by April 2024. 
  4. Create a new inventory that highlights at least ten K-12 curriculums/programs that support conversations around water, climate resilience, and green infrastructure with students. 
  5. Create a campaign to increase awareness about careers in the water sector and connect those to national water awareness days.
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