EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $142 Million for Drinking Water Infrastructure Upgrades in New Jersey

Made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, new funding will help ensure communities have access to clean and safe drinking water

NEW YORK – (April 4, 2023) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $142,676,000 to New Jersey essential drinking water infrastructure upgrades across the nation through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).  Thanks to a $6 billion boost from Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is increasing the investments available to rebuild the nation’s water infrastructure.

“Every community deserves access to safe, clean drinking water,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s historic infrastructure investments in America, we have an unprecedented opportunity to revitalize America’s drinking water systems, support the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of removing 100% of lead pipes across our country, and protect communities from PFAS pollution.”

“EPA is putting the funding where the priorities are by working with our state partners to deliver clean water to communities, protect public health, and advance environmental justice across New Jersey and the nation.” said U.S. EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This funding is part of the once-in-a lifetime investments we are making to transform infrastructure under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”

“It should be a given that the water New Jersey families are drinking is safe and free of dangerous chemicals. These funds awarded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will modernize our aging drinking water infrastructure, and help ensure that it is free of lead, PFAS, and other contaminants,” said Senator Bob Menendez. “Not only will these funds improve access to safe drinking water, but also create good paying jobs to support the rebuilding of our vital water systems.” 

“Every American deserves access to safe, clean drinking water,” said Senator Cory Booker. “This significant federal investment will help communities across New Jersey—especially those disproportionately harmed by contaminants in water, from PFAS to lead—repair and upgrade aging drinking water systems. I will continue to fight for additional federal dollars that give states the ability to ensure everyone has access to clean drinking water.” 

“South Jersey has experienced firsthand the importance of maintaining and upgrading our drinking water infrastructure. This investment by the EPA will be vital to rebuilding New Jersey’s water infrastructure and ensuring that our communities have access to safe drinking water. The historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver for South Jersey, and I will continue to fight for common-sense legislation that strengthens our infrastructure, creates good-paying jobs, and invests in our communities,” Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-01) said. 

“Access to safe drinking water is essential. I am proud our bipartisan infrastructure law is delivering the funds necessary to address these critical needs in New Jersey’s water infrastructure,” said Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03). “I voted for this historic legislation because no person in our community should worry about accessing or affording safe and clean water. With this investment, the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund will help rebuild and upgrade our water systems and protect the well-being of everyone across the state.” 

“For years, I’ve been fighting for clean drinking water in our homes and schools by clawing more federal dollars back to Jersey from Washington. With these new investments — secured through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that I helped shape and pass — we’re helping get lead, forever chemicals, and dangerous PFAS out of New Jersey’s drinking water, while hardening our infrastructure against climate change,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-o5). “This significant investment to address water pollution and contaminants across Jersey will also support our local economies and help create good paying jobs. The more federal dollars that we get back to North Jersey, the less our towns have to charge in local taxes — and I’m all about lowering taxes.” 

“Everyone should be able to trust the water from the tap. Today's announcement builds on the progress we’re making to replace lead service lines across New Jersey,” Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ-06) said. “I'm glad to see that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is continuing to deliver on the promise to improve our state's water infrastructure, and I'll keep fighting to ensure that our communities have access to safe water.” 

“The $142.6 million coming to New Jersey from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund is an investment in the health and safety of our communities,” said Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08). “Residents of the Eighth District have had to deal with the consequences of outdated and prone-to-failure water infrastructure for far too long. These funds will allow communities to replace lead service lines, keep our water free and clear of PFAS and other contaminants, and make critical improvements to our water systems. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver for our cities and towns.” 

"This major federal investment will go a long way to replacing New Jersey’s crumbling water infrastructure and providing clean and safe drinking water for our communities,” said Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09). “I understand that the Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment has been updated to ensure lead service line replacement funding more accurately reflects the burden states like New Jersey face. We must not let old data dictate how important funds are being distributed. While I look forward to reviewing the details of this assessment to ensure we’re getting our fair share, these investments passed by the Democratic House shows our unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of New Jersey families and the important role the federal government has in rebuilding our infrastructure brick-by-brick and pipe-by-pipe.” 

“I was proud to help New Jersey secure more than $142 million to provide clean drinking water across our state,” said Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10).  “This issue is extremely important to me because Newark had a serious issue with lead contamination in drinking water a few years ago. Overall, I helped secure $169 million to improve New Jersey’s water infrastructure in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In addition, I’ve worked with state and local officials to provide other resources to remove lead-contaminated water pipes in New Jersey. We must make sure all New Jersey residents have access to clean drinking water.”    

“Families in every corner of NJ-11 deserve to be able to turn on the tap to get clean drinking water,” said Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11). “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which I am proud to have helped pass through Congress, will improve the quality of life of New Jersey families by ensuring our water systems are clean and dependable in our community and nationwide. I am pleased to see these federal dollars support local governments in New Jersey as they work to address water infrastructure challenges and improve public health, without raising taxes.” 

“Safe drinking water is a basic human right, and we must do more to protect it. While we occasionally hear about localized water emergencies like those in Flint, Michigan; Jackson, Mississippi; and Newark, New Jersey, the water crisis is bigger than a handful of isolated incidents. Water insecurity is a national issue that affects communities in every single state,” said Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12). “Black, brown, and low-income Americans disproportionately lack access to clean, safe drinking water. I’m proud that this EPA investment, which comes as part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help improve access to water for the communities that need it most.” 

“Through its continuing investments in water infrastructure nationwide, USEPA is delivering on the Biden-Harris Administration’s promise to deliver the clean, safe, and affordable drinking water that every American deserves,” said Shawn M. LaTourette, Infrastructure Chair for the Environmental Council of States and New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection. “The 2023 drinking water funding allotments reflect our shared state-federal commitment to getting harmful substances, like lead and synthetic chemicals, out of our water and away from our kids. With the added support from USEPA in this year’s allotment, New Jersey and other states can better accelerate their work to rid our communities of the scourge of lead service lines.”

In 2017, Newark, NJ collected drinking water samples at some new locations chosen after a state audit designed to make their drinking water program more robust. Testing revealed over 20% of 129 samples of Newark’s water exceeded the federal action level for lead. In late 2018, Newark developed the first version of its lead service line replacement program to replace all known lead service lines through a voluntary program. Newark started its lead service line replacement program authorizing the sale of $75 million in city bonds and a modest SRF loan. From the original voluntary version of a lead service line replacement program in 2018 to the program as it now stands, Newark has received a series of NJ State Revolving Fund loans from New Jersey’s I Bank, totaling almost $114 million out of which they will receive a total of $56 million in principal forgiveness. Through federal, state and city collaboration, in 2022 Newark celebrated the completion of replacing over 23,000 lead service lines throughout the city.

The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to strengthening the nation’s water infrastructure, while providing significant resources to address key challenges, including climate change, emerging contaminants like per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), lead pipes, and cybersecurity.

The DWSRF allotments to states are based on the results of EPA’s 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA). The survey, which is required by the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act, assesses the nation’s public water systems’ infrastructure needs every four years and the findings are used to allocate DWSRF grants to states. The drinking water utilities need $625 billion in infrastructure investments over the next 20 years to ensure the nation’s public health, security, and economic well-being.

At the direction of Congress, EPA’s 7th Drinking Water Assessment, for the first time included survey questions focused on lead service lines and is projecting a national total of 9.2 million lead service lines across the country. This best available national and state-level projections of service line counts will help advance a unique opportunity to employ a separate lead service line allotment formula for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement Funding that is based on need. Almost $3 billion of the funding announced today will be provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement, taking a key step toward the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of achieving 100% lead free water systems.

Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is investing over $50 billion in water and wastewater infrastructure improvements across the country between FY 2022 and FY 2026. In its second year of implementation, $6 billion of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will be available to states, Tribes, and territories through the DWSRF. Of that funding, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will invest $3 billion in lead service line identification and improvement, $800 million to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants, and $2.2 billion in other critical drinking water system improvements. Additionally, approximately $500 million will also be available through the DWSRF annual appropriations, established by the Safe Drinking Water Act.

EPA is committed to ensuring every community has access to this historic investment and has centralized increasing investment in disadvantaged communities within its implementation. The implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law calls for strong collaboration, and EPA continues to work in partnership with states, Tribes, and territories to ensure that communities see the full benefits of this investment. In addition, EPA is strengthening its water technical assistance programs to support communities in assessing their water needs and apply for their fair share of this historic investment.

President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is growing the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to creating a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good-paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, to building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

More information, including state-by-state allocation of 2023 funding and information on the DWINSA.

More information on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Background

The 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments mandated that EPA conduct an assessment of the nation’s public water systems’ infrastructure needs every four years and use the findings to allocate DWSRF capitalization grants to states.

The DWSRFs have been the foundation of water infrastructure investment for more than 25 years, providing low-cost financing for local projects across America.  Since its inception, states have provided almost $53 billion through DWSRF programs to water systems for approximately 18,000 projects. Each state receives an allocation percentage that is based directly on its proportional share of the total need for all 50 States and Puerto Rico. The percentage made available to any individual state ranges from 1% to almost 11%, with each state guaranteed a minimum of 1% of the total amount available to states. Due to any individual state’s share of the total state need, some states will see increases or decreases in the percentage of funding they receive.

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