OFFICIAL SITE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY
OUR WATER'S WORTH IT
Investing in New Jersey’s water leads to economic prosperity, improved public health and sanitation, and a higher quality of life for all.
What is DEP Doing?
Reduce Lead Exposure
To reduce the potential risks from lead in drinking water, New Jersey enacted a law in July 2021 that requires drinking water systems to inventory service lines, notify residents of the potential presence of lead in their service lines, and plan for the replacement of all lead service lines within 10 years.
Water Supply Plan
The Water Supply Plan identifies actions to ensure that New Jerseyans continue to have an ample, reliable, and safe quantity and quality of water now and in the future.
Monitor for Drought
Water supply conditions within the state based on the different water supply regions. Drought status and conditions are updated weekly.
What Can Residents Do?
Conserve Water
Did you know the average American uses 100 gallons of water per day? In the summer, outdoor water use can more than double. We can reduce our water use by as much as 30% by taking a few simple steps, both inside and outside your home. While water conservation is important all the time, it is especially important during times of drought.
Test Your Well
By law, when a property with a well is sold or leased, the well water must be tested for specific contaminants. The buyer and seller or the lessee all review the results. Even without a property sale, homeowners with private wells are encouraged to routinely test their wells.
Reduce Lead Exposure in Your Home
Identify if your home may have lead pipes and take steps to reduce your exposure to lead in drinking water. Lead presents health concerns for people of all ages, but particularly pregnant people, infants, and young children.
Stormwater
To help reduce the negative impacts that stormwater runoff can have on drinking water, residents should be familiar with and follow your town’s community-wide stormwater ordinances. You can also participate in community outreach sessions, such as litter clean-ups, volunteering for local watershed ambassador projects, and joining your local watershed group.
What Can Local Water Managers (e.g. Local Officials/Purveyors) Do?
Water Infrastructure Investment Plan
Optimize the use of limited federal and state resources to address high priority water infrastructure needs
Promote Water Conservation
During a Drought or periods of dry and hot conditions, it is important to spread public awareness and appreciation of the stress upon water supply sources and encourage water conservation measures.
Enact a Water Conservation Ordinance
This model ordinance is intended to help municipalities curtail unnecessary water waste associated with seasonal outdoor water usage, which can lead to an unnecessary reduction in reservoir storage, ground water levels, and stream flows.
Manage Stormwater
Municipality, public complex, and highway agency permittees can implement best management practices that reduce or eliminate the discharge of pollutants associated with stormwater to surface and ground water and protect drinking water. They can also educate the public on reducing their stormwater-related pollution, and how to properly maintain the components of their stormwater system.
More Important Water Information
Learn about PFAS (forever chemicals)
PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” are a large family of thousands of manmade chemicals that have been used in industrial and commercial applications for over 70 years. Since human health effects are associated with even low-level exposures to PFAS, it is especially important to minimize exposure from drinking water.
Does PFAS Affect Me?
Search a list of public water systems with PFAS “forever chemical” violations.