New Jersey Gets $169 Million For Drinking Water Projects

By Christian Wade | The Center Square contributor, The Center Square New Jersey

December 5, 2022

(The Center Square) – New Jersey is getting $169 million from the federal government to help upgrade the state's drinking water and sewage systems and clean up pollution.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it has awarded the state more than $95 million from its Drinking Water State Revolving Funds program, and another $73 million through its Clean Water program.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said the additional federal funding will help the state continue its work aimed at "fortifying" its drinking and wastewater systems against the impact of climate change and other challenges.

"Now more than ever, we recognize the crucial importance of high-quality drinking water and wastewater systems, especially in our environmental justice communities," Murphy said.
The funds will be distributed as grants to help the state and local governments pay for drinking water improvement projects, identify and replace lead service lines, and test for and remediate harmful toxins such as PFAS chemicals from water supplies.

The money comes in addition to $48 million in federal funds the state already received for water and wastewater projects during the fiscal year.

"Overall, the infrastructure law will divert more than $50 billion to the EPA for upgrading water infrastructure across the country," according to the Biden administration.

EPA Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia said the law will provide "historical amounts of funding" over the next five years for water infrastructure projects with a focus on "underserved" communities.

Members of New Jersey's congressional delegation praise the Biden administration for releasing the fund from the $1 trillion law approved by Congress, which will pump $550 billion in new money into transportation, broadband and utilities.

U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, a Democrat who represents New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District, said the money will pay for infrastructure projects in the state that will "change peoples' lives" and "give them faith that the water coming into their house to drink, shower, brush their teeth, and wash their dishes would be clean and safe."

"This also brings investments in good paying New Jersey jobs, pollution cleanup, more resources for desperately needed flood mitigation in both Burlington and Ocean counties, and ecosystem restoration to help create healthy animal and marine habitats from the Delaware River to the Jersey Shore," he said.

The lawmakers point out that New Hampshire has a long legacy of environmental pollution that needs to be resolved.

"We know that disadvantaged communities disproportionately bear the impact of contaminants in water, from PFAS to lead exposure," Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said in a statement. "Over the next five years, this historic infusion of federal funds will allow New Jersey to provide an unprecedented amount of funding to projects that will replace lead pipes, improve drinking water, and update wastewater infrastructure across the state."

The focus of the work of The Center Square New Jersey is state and local-level government and economic reporting that approaches stories with a taxpayer sensibility.