Budget is a big win for clean water, but there is more to do

We applaud the inclusion of $300 million for water infrastructure in the state budget.  The increased funding for water infrastructure is a win for the health of New Jersey’s families, our state’s economy and affordability.  While this investment puts us one step closer to bridging New Jersey’s clean water funding gap, there is still work to be done.

Governor Murphy and the New Jersey State Legislature have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make a transformative impact on the lives of all New Jerseyans by committing a total of $1 billion over the next year to clean water.

An additional $700 million from New Jersey’s remaining share of American Rescue Plan dollars, combined with the $300 million investment outlined in the state budget, and existing funding from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will cover the 25% of the 10-year cost of lead service line removal, signific antly jumpstart work to eliminate harmful “forever chemicals” from our drinking water, provide over a quarter of the funding needed to fix combined sewer systems and a down payment of $80 million to improve stormwater management and reduce flooding.

What’s more is, allocating $1 billion of American Rescue Plan funds will create over 13,000 well-paying jobs and will spur an additional $2.9 billion in economic benefit, while helping to limit burdensome increases in water and sewer bills for New Jersey families.

 We have today $300 million more in funding for water infrastructure than we did yesterday and that is a good thing for all New Jerseyans.  We thank the Governor and the Legislature for their recognition of the foundational importance of clean water and hope to see continued commitment to making urgently needed additional investments to secure a healthier, more affordable future for New Jersey.

https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/clean-water-healthy-families-good-jobs-campaign-releases-statement-on-budget/