NJ Asks Water Providers To Keep It Flowing In Coronavirus Crisis

NEW JERSEY - The Murphy Administration is asking that water providers abstain from shutting off service during the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, outbreak.

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Critical for both health and personal hygiene, consistent access to safe water is especially vital to New Jersey’s response to the unprecedented public health emergency created by the spread by COVID-19, officials said.

Frequent and vigorous handwashing is critical in limiting the spread of COVID-19 and all New Jerseyans should have confidence that water will be available when they open the tap to wash their hands, officials said. Access to clean water is also an important part of many other health and hygiene functions as we all work to protect public health. At a time where many services that we may take for granted are temporarily unavailable, New Jerseyans deserve the comfort and continuity of uninterrupted water service.

It is incumbent upon each of us in government and industry to keep water flowing into every home and business during this crisis, officials said.

The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Department of Environmental Protection and Board of Public Utilities are asking that every water system, private or public, including those operated by municipal governments, commit to a suspension of any water shut offs for reasons of non-payment until the outbreak of COVID-19 has subsided. Officials ask that every water system send the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) its commitment, via email, to KeepWaterOn@dep.nj.gov.

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