ASSEMBLY SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

 

STATEMENT TO

 

ASSEMBLY, No. 5017

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED:  JANUARY 27, 2021

 

      The Assembly Special Committee on Infrastructure and Natural Resources reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5017.

      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.