Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman LINDA S. CARTER
District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)
Assemblyman WILLIAM F. MOEN, JR.
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblywoman SHAVONDA E. SUMTER
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Karabinchak
SYNOPSIS
Requires DEP to make certain information regarding water purveyors available on its Internet website.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning public access to information concerning water purveyors and supplementing P.L.2017, c.133 (C.58:31-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The department shall publish on its Internet website, in an easily accessible format, and update as appropriate:
(1) each mitigation plan submitted by a water purveyor pursuant to section 5 of P.L.2017, c.133 (C.58:31-5), if applicable;
(2) each certification submitted by a water purveyor pursuant to section 6 of P.L.2017, c.133 (C.58:31-6); and
(3) each report submitted by a water purveyor based on its asset management plan pursuant to subsection b. of section 7 of P.L.2017, c.133 (C.58:31-7).
b. The department shall publish the documents required pursuant to subsection a. of this section no later than 30 days after receipt of the documents from a water purveyor.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to make certain information regarding water purveyors available on its Internet website.
Under the “Water Quality Accountability Act” (WQAA), P.L.2017, c.133 (C.58:31-1 et seq.), whenever a water purveyor is issued three notices of violation for any reason, or two notices of violation related to an exceedance of a maximum contaminant level, the water purveyor is required to submit a mitigation plan for the violations. Additionally, a water purveyor is required to certify in writing each year that the water purveyor complies with all federal and State drinking water regulations. Finally, the WQAA requires each water purveyor to submit to the DEP a report based on its asset management plan. Under the bill, the DEP would be required to make available on its Internet website, and update as appropriate, each mitigation plan, annual WQAA certification, and asset management plan report submitted by a water purveyor.