Senator Jim Holzapfel

June 12, 2008   

Contact: Brad Schnure / (609) 847-3600
Senator Jim Holzapfel

Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman James Holzapfel and Assemblyman David Wolfe that would make water suppliers and licensed operators more accountable for the state’s water supplies and water quality was approved by the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee today.

The bill, A-904, requires that water suppliers and licensed operators file quarterly and annual reports with the municipalities they service regarding the adequacy and water quality of the water furnished to its users.

“When people turn on their faucets, they shouldn’t have to be concerned about the quality of the water they are drinking,” stated Holzapfel, R-Ocean and Monmouth. “They shouldn’t have to worry about high radiation levels and its possible consequences or if there’s adequate water pressure should there be a fire in their neighborhood. This legislation will hold water companies more accountable for the product and services they provide to our communities and its residents.”

Specifically, the quarterly reports must include the following:

• the term of the allocation permit;
• the maximum allowable diversion, expressed in terms of a daily, monthly or annual diversion;
• the permitted allocation and the specific water sources utilized;
• whether the water supplier has exceeded the permitted allocation during any particular time period;
• whether the water supplier is seeking an increase in the water allocation due to planned development projects and updates of the status of any such projects or applications before the DEP.

The legislation is the result of a situation involving water supply and quality issues with United Water Toms River which services Toms River Township and two other Ocean County municipalities.

In recent years, United Water twice violated its monthly water allocation limit, was fined for its failure to report it had exceeded radiological contamination limitations within the statutorily prescribed timeframe, left customers with extremely low water pressure for several hours on Memorial Day in 2006, and in June 2006, two former company managers were indicted for manipulating tests to hide bad water quality at one of its plants in Ocean County.

“As elected officials, it’s our responsibility to make sure the state’s water suppliers comply with federal and state regulations regarding the safety of local water supplies,” said Wolfe, R-Ocean and Monmouth. “This bill will do that and hopefully prevent elsewhere the issues we encountered with United Water of Toms River.”

Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman James Holzapfel and Assemblyman David Wolfe that would make water suppliers and licensed operators more accountable for the state’s water supplies and water quality was approved by the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee today. The bill, A-904, requires that water [...]