NJ Spotlight published the following article on 6/13/2014. To read the full article, click here.

NJ’s Archaic Water System: the $40B Problem In Search of a Solution

Tom Johnson | June 13, 2014

Where the projected $40 billion needed to fix New Jersey’s aging water infrastructure is going to come from is a dilemma long recognized by the state’s policymakers and legislators. But no one has yet to offer any viable solutions.

The Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee took up the issue yesterday at a hearing in Trenton, and while there was no disagreement about the problem, little was said on how to resolve what virtually everyone agreed is a long-term issue that must eventually be addressed — sooner than later.

“This is a long-term issue,’’ David Glass, deputy chief of staff at the state Department of Environmental Protection told the committee. “The challenges are in balancing the cost to ratepayers.’’

Hurricane Sandy magnified many of the problems. Wastewater treatment plants, left without power, dumped billions of gallons of raw sewage into New Jersey’s waterways. Facilities providing drinking water also lost electricity, leading to more than three dozen boil-water advisories for their customers.

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