Belleville Nets $300K Grant, But Questions Linger On Federal Freeze

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Belleville has been awarded $300,000 in federal grants to help it replace lead service pipes on two local streets – boosting local residents’ protection against water contamination. But will the town see any of more of these grants in the future? That may be a question for President Donald Trump.

Last week, Essex County officials announced the 2025 recipients of the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), including Belleville.

The federal program – which is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered by local government bodies – pays for programs such as affordable housing, poverty relief and infrastructure development.

Essex County announced the latest round of CDBG funding last week. Belleville is among the 12 municipalities and 36 community organizations to receive a total of about $5.7 million. See related: Nutley, Other NJ Towns Awarded Grants

In Belleville, $300,000 will be earmarked to replace the water main and lead service lines on Charles and Center streets, according to a statement from the township.

“We are grateful for this federal funding that will help ensure that Belleville residents continue to enjoy safe, clean, drinkable water,” Mayor Michael Melham said.

The announcement comes as a struggle over federal grant funding continues to take place across the nation (read more below).

WHY REPLACE PIPES?

New Jersey passed a landmark state law in 2021, which aims to protect its drinking water supply from lead contamination. Under the law, hundreds of community water systems in New Jersey were given 10 years to replace all of their lead service lines. The pipes – which connect local homes and businesses to the local water supply – can potentially leach contamination as water passes through them. A portion of the pipes may be privately owned, complicating efforts to replace them.

• See Related: New Jersey Is Replacing Its Lead Water Pipes – All Of Them
• See Related: Race To Replace Lead Pipes Is On Pace, NJ's Largest Water Company Says

Belleville has lagged behind progress benchmarks in the past.

In 2021, an advisory from the township stated that the Belleville Water Department had not yet replaced the minimum required – 7 percent – of lead service lines within one year of a lead action level exceedance, thereby violating a drinking water requirement.

“Even though this is not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened, what you should do, and what we are doing to correct the situation,” the advisory said.

• See Related: Belleville Didn't Meet Lead Pipe Replacement Quota
• See Related: Belleville Will Start Lead Pipe Replacement Soon, Official Says

Belleville has previously seen federal funding boosts to help get the project across the finish line. Last year, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill announced that Belleville would receive $959,752 to put towards the first phase of its town-wide replacement project. Read More: Belleville Lead Water Pipe Project Gets $1M Shot In Arm From Feds

Where does Belleville get its water supply? According to the town’s 2024 water quality report:

“Belleville Township purchases treated surface water from the Newark Water Department through four interconnections located on Passaic Avenue, Hilton Street, Joralemon Street, and Belleville Avenue. Newark withdraws water from the Pequannock Watershed in West Milford, New Jersey and treats it at the Pequannock Water Treatment Plant. Water quality monitoring stations are operated by the U.S. Geological Survey upstream of the Pequannock WTP intake at the Charlotteburg Reservoir and Oak Ridge Reservoir. These monitoring stations provide continuous data for important water quality parameters, and, help provide advanced warning of adverse changes in water quality. Emergency connections with another purveyor, Nutley, exist within the system.”

FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE

Trump has made trimming “woke” ideology from the federal budget one of his priorities since his inauguration.

The White House has announced plans to put a blanket pause on federal grants and loans, including those that have already been approved. Officials said the freeze is needed to ensure that funding complies with Trump’s recent executive orders, including declarations involving transgender rights, environmental justice, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

“The use of federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve,” Matthew Vaeth, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote in a memo.

A deadline for the funding freeze was set to take place on Jan. 28, but the order has sparked multiple legal challenges, including a lawsuit from a coalition of state attorneys general.

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin is among those who are blasting Trump for trying to “withhold nearly $3 trillion in federal assistance funding allocated to the states that support critical programs and services that benefit the American people.”

Two federal judges recently ordered temporary blocks on the freeze. Meanwhile, some nonprofits report that their funding has remained frozen, forcing them to lay off staff and cut back on services.

“We will continue to fight these illegal actions until all funds New Jersey is entitled to are restored,” Platkin said Friday.

• See Related: Here’s Who Would Suffer From Trump Funding Freeze In NJ, Advocates Say

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. was among a cadre of Democratic elected officials who attended a press conference on the proposed freeze last week.

According to DiVincenzo, the county receives tens of millions of dollars each year from the federal government to “modernize its infrastructure” and provide social services for its most vulnerable residents.

“Not being able to access funds previously awarded will create significant financial pressure on our budget and severely limit our ability to enhance our residents’ quality of life,” DiVincenzo said.

DiVincenzo told NorthJersey.com that he was optimistic the funds that power the CBDG grants will eventually make their way to Essex County, however.

“It goes back to Congress and they wheel and deal,” DiVincenzo said. “We go through this every year.”

• See Related: NJ Dems Rally Against Trump Funding Freeze In Essex County

The White House has rescinded the original memo from the Office of Management and Budget. However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt recently posted on social media that it was “simply a recession of the memo” – not a rollback of the federal funding freeze.

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