New Jersey

Comprehensive Overview of Water Quality in New Jersey

The Garden State is New Jersey and is blessed with abundant resources of water that include the Delaware River, Raritan Bay, Lake Hopatcong, and the Atlantic coastline. These waters serve drinking water supplies, recreation, industry, agriculture, and aquatic ecosystems. The water quality in New Jersey is parched. Although considerable efforts have been made in some regions to clean up the polluted rivers and lakes, most of the water bodies are still at risk due to urban stormwater runoff, industrial discharges, agricultural pollution, and legacy contamination. Besides this, old pipes and the recent discoveries of PFAS chemicals in groundwater and drinking water systems have caused clean water to become a primary concern among citizens and legislators alike. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) takes the leading role in monitoring, assessing, and restoring statewide water quality by carrying out programs, including but not limited to the Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report, Watershed Management Area plans, and the Water Quality Accountability Act.

New Jersey Water Quality Challenges

1. Stormwater Runoff and Urban Pollution

Aquatic issues in New Jersey include one of the most urgent water problems, which is the nonpoint source pollution caused by urban runoff. In developed cities, e.g., Newark, Jersey City, Trenton, and Camden, the flow of stormwater runs off impervious areas and sweeps concentrated oil, grease, heavy metals, bacteria, and debris, ultimately draining into rivers and bays. The stormwater discharges have been observed to result in extensive impairment of the water quality of the waterways like the Passaic River, Raritan River, and Barnegat Bay, and most of the time the stormwater discharges may cause excess nutrients, turbidity, and pathogen contamination.

2. Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs)

In some New Jersey cities, combined sewer systems are still in use where stormwater and sewage flow through the same pipes. During heavy rains, these systems back up, releasing raw sewage into the local waterways. The Passaic, Hackensack, and Hudson Rivers and the Newark Bay have pretty much borne the brunt of these overflows. With CSO long-term control plans (LTCPs) being continually developed in the communities where they are an issue, their effect cannot be thoroughly reduced without billions of dollars of investment and a long-term infrastructure plan.

3. Agricultural and Fertilizer Runoff

Nutrient loading of the local water bodies comprises the agricultural activities within the rural and semi-rural settlements such as the Salem, Cumberland, and Hunterdon Counties. They can cause harmful algal blooms (HABs), particularly in lakes and reservoirs, e.g., Lake Hopatcong and Spruce Run, because fertilizers and animal waste contain deposits of nitrogen and phosphorus in streams and groundwater. Such HABs may lead to recreational closures, fish kills, and toxin release, which endangers the health of both the humans and the aquatic organisms.

4. PFAS and Emerging Contaminants

New Jersey is on the front line in dealing with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination. The so-called forever chemicals have been found in the city water supplies, individual wells, and groundwater, especially near military bases, airports, and manufacturing facilities. The state has created one of the strongest Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) in the nation concerning PFOA, PFOS and PFNA, in addition to testing and cleaning up active pollution sites.

5. Aging Water Infrastructure

A good number of the water and sewer lines in New Jersey are over 100 years old. Pipes that leak, corrode distribution systems and outdated treatment facilities are some of the causes of contamination, service interruptions and also lead in the drinking water. Aging infrastructure has led to an outcry against Newark and other cities because of high levels of lead in tap water.

State and Local Efforts to Improve Water Quality

Nevertheless, policy, funding, and collaboration have helped New Jersey to undertake an extensive set of measures to enhance water quality throughout the state.

1. Stormwater Utility Programs

New Jersey was one of the first Northeast states to enable stormwater utilities by law in 2019. Since this year it is possible to impose levies on impermeable surface areas, the towns can spend the money to improve their stormwater management infrastructure, including permeable pavement, rain gardens, bioswales, and green roofs. These techniques assist towns to be in compliance with stormwater discharge permits, decrease runoff, and screen pollutants.

2. Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control Plans

Other cities like Paterson, Elizabeth, Bayonne, and Newark are addressing the Long-Term Control Plans (LTCPs) in order to improve the sewer systems, minimize overflows, and enhance the treatment of wastewater. To assist the municipalities to fund such large scale infrastructure projects, NJDEP has been offering grants and low-interest loans. Elements of green infrastructure, such as detention basins and constructed wetlands, are also being added in order to reduce volumes of stormwater at its source.

3. Barnegat Bay Restoration and Monitoring

An area that has received a lot of focus as far as restoration is concerned is Barnegat Bay, which happens to be one of the most ecologically significant estuaries in the State of New Jersey. The Barnegat Bay Restoration Strategy by NJDEP incorporates the reduction of fertilizer applications, marshland restoration, stormwater retrofits, and outreach to the general population.

4. Harmful Algal Bloom Response Program

New Jersey established an extensive HAB surveillance and management program after significant festivities in Lake Hopatcong and other lakes. This comprises of rapid testing, community warnings and financial aid to assist communities ease nutrient loading and better manage the lakes.

5. PFAS Regulation and Cleanup

The state has requires public water systems to be tested PFAS compounds, and is enforcement of cleanups at known contamination sites. NJDEP also is suing manufacturers and polluters that caused extensive PFAS contamination in communities, including Paulsboro and West Deptford.

Impact of Climate Change on Water Quality

Climate change is intensifying the current water issues faced by New Jersey and creating additional threats, especially because of coastal geography and high urbanization.

1. Increased Flooding and Stormwater Overload

New Jersey is also experiencing more and more severe rainfall events, which overwhelm the stormwater systems and lead to more pollution entering local waterways. Flash flooding increases the volume and rate of runoff, which often exceeds antiquated infrastructure and causes CSOs. This is not only aggravating the quality of water but also destructing the ecosystem and increasing the maintenance costs of local governments.

2. Rising Temperatures and Algal Blooms

The rise in temperature gives favorable conditions to harmful algal bloom in lakes and reservoirs. The climate change, however, along with nutrient pollution is expected to extend the length of the bloom periods and the occurrence of the blooms, particularly in the lakes that are also recreation lakes like Lake Hopatcong, Manasquan Reservoir and Deal Lake.

3. Sea-Level Rise and Saltwater Intrusion

As the sea level rises, the coastal aquifers in areas like the Cape May County and Atlantic County are getting vulnerable to saltwater intrusion. This can render fresh water wells unusable besides threatening drinking water sources in coastal cities.

4. Drought and Water Supply Stress

Although New Jersey is frequently faced with surplus of water during storms, droughts have equally increased in frequency and intensity. Low river flows and reservoir levels may cause pollutant concentrations and put water supply systems to the test, particularly when demand is high in summer.