Garden State Times

Legislation sponsored by Senator Holly Schepisi aimed at assisting municipally-owned water companies in complying with new DEP regulations while ensuring the provision of safe drinking water has been signed into law by Governor Murphy.

Schepisi expressed her satisfaction with the development, stating, "I'm proud that Governor Murphy signed this much needed legislation into law. Due to New Jersey's strict regulations concerning forever chemicals, water companies in the state are required by the DEP to engage in mitigation measures when any water well exceeds, or is expected to exceed, the maximum contaminant level for PFAS."

The bill, known as S-3444, enables municipal water systems to utilize lands designated for recreation and conservation for pre-existing water wells and related treatment equipment under specific circumstances. Additionally, it permits municipally-owned water utilities to utilize pre-existing wells for the supply of drinking water and associated treatment vessels on lands acquired for recreation or conservation purposes.

The introduction of this legislation addresses the financial challenges faced by small, municipally-owned water companies in meeting costly mitigation measures, ultimately safeguarding the communities they serve from water contamination risks associated with chemicals like perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

In 2018, New Jersey took a pioneering step by establishing a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for PFAS, setting a stringent guideline to protect public health by limiting exposure to harmful chemicals in drinking water.