Articles from New Jersey American Water

New Jersey American Water announced today it signed an agreement to acquire the water system in South Orange Village for $19.7 million. This announcement follows a referendum vote in November of 2024 in which 62% of South Orange voters approved the sale of the system. The South Orange water system serves approximately 5,000 customer connections.

Following the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP)’s issuance of a Drought Warning today, New Jersey American Water has issued a mandatory conservation notice for all customers across the state. The company requests that customers limit all nonessential water usage by pausing all outdoor watering until spring and conserving as much as possible indoors.

New Jersey American Water today completed its acquisition of the wastewater collection system of the Borough of Manville, N.J. for $6.5 million. This municipally owned system serves approximately 4,300 customers, most of whom already receive water service from New Jersey American Water. On September 24, 2024, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved the municipal consent allowing New Jersey American Water to provide wastewater service to Manville customers as of the closing of the transaction.

New Jersey American Water announced today that four New Jersey organizations — Boys and Girls Clubs of Union County, Hopeworks, Junior Achievement of New Jersey and Salem County Inter-Agency Council of Human Services — were each awarded a $25,000 American Water Charitable Foundation 2024 Workforce Readiness grant, focusing on general career readiness, financial and business literacy, positive youth development and life skills training.

New Jersey American Water announced today that it has successfully replaced approximately 10,000 customer-owned lead and galvanized steel water service lines to date as part of its ongoing Lead Service Line Replacement program. This achievement is a significant step forward, putting New Jersey American Water on pace to meet requirements of a New Jersey state law passed in 2021, which mandates all water providers to replace both utility-owned and customer-owned lead and galvanized service lines by 2031.

New Jersey American Water is seeking applications for its newly created Diverse Supplier Development Program, which provides diverse suppliers with the knowledge and skills to compete for business from a wide variety of companies, including New Jersey American Water. Applications for the program close on August 9, 2024.

New Jersey American Water today completed its acquisition of the water and wastewater systems of the City of Salem, N.J. for $18 million. These former municipally owned systems serve more than 2,300 water and 2,300 wastewater customers. On May 22, 2024, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJ BPU) approved the municipal consent allowing New Jersey American Water to provide service to Salem City customers as of the closing of the transaction.

New Jersey American Water today announced the distribution of $950,000 in Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) funding to two local New Jersey nonprofit organizations: Camden Lutheran Housing Inc. and Stand Up for Salem, which were announced in coordination with the N.J. Department of Community Affairs (DCA). These grants will be used to fund affordable housing development and maintenance; community outreach initiatives and organizing support; historic preservation; and business development and career trades training.

New Jersey American Water has received the J.D. Power award for ranking highest in customer satisfaction among large water utilities in the Northeast according to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study.

The American Water Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization established by American Water, the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S., recently awarded Water and Environment grants to seven organizations totaling $108,277, supporting communities served by New Jersey American Water.

New Jersey American Water announced today it has signed an agreement to acquire the wastewater collection system (commonly referred to as the sewer system) of the Borough of Manville, N.J. for $6.5 million. This municipally owned system serves approximately 3,700 customers, most of whom already receive water service from New Jersey American Water. The agreement follows a voter referendum that took place in November 2023, in which over 80 percent of the voters approved the sale of the system to New Jersey American Water.

Beginning this week and into the fall months, New Jersey American Water will perform the annual flushing of its water distribution system to continue to provide customers with high-quality, reliable water service.

New Jersey American Water recently announced its 2023 end-of-year investment total for system improvements. More than $507 million was invested to fund critical system upgrades and improvement projects across the company’s service areas throughout the year.

New Jersey American Water filed a petition today with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) requesting new rates, driven by more than $1.3 billion in capital investments through December 2024, to continue providing safe and reliable service. The company continues to make needed investments to replace aging infrastructure, meet water quality and environmental regulations, provide resiliency of operations, increase fire protection, and meet customers’ other water and wastewater service needs.

New Jersey American Water announced today it has signed an agreement to acquire the water and sewer system of the City of Salem, N.J. for $18 million. This municipally owned system serves more than 2,300 customers. The agreement follows a voter referendum that took place on November 7, 2023, which passed with over 60 percent of the voters approving the sale of the system to New Jersey American Water.

Today, New Jersey American Water hosted a graduation ceremony for the third annual Water Utility Pipeline (Water UP!) training program, a paid, 9-week workforce development program for adults in partnership with Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ). This year’s cohort of nine adults, mostly from Camden, received hands-on water utility industry and essential classroom-based business training necessary to join the water and wastewater utility industry upon graduation.

Voters in both Salem City and the Borough of Manville have decisively approved ballot referendums to transfer ownership of water and sewer operations to New Jersey American Water. Voters in Salem City approved the sale of the City’s water and sewer system with over 60% of the vote, which will add more than 2,300 water and 2,300 sewer customers to the company’s operations. Voters in Manville approved the sale of the Borough’s sewer system with more than 80% of the vote, which will add more than 3,700 sewer customers to the company’s operations. New Jersey American Water is the current water provider for Manville.

The Heart of Camden, together with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Camden City’s Mayor, Camden County Commissioner Jeff Nash, and funding partners Campbell Soup Company and New Jersey American Water today celebrated a $1 million investment in revitalization efforts for the Camden Waterfront South neighborhood.

New Jersey American Water today completed its acquisition of the wastewater collection system of the Borough of Somerville, N.J. for $7 million. This municipally owned system serves approximately 3,800 customers, most of whom already receive water service from New Jersey American Water. On September 27, 2023, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved the municipal consent allowing New Jersey American Water to provide sewer service to Somerville customers as of the closing of the transaction.

Joined by New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Commissioners Mary-Anna Holden and Marian Abdou, and Lawnside Mayor Mary Ann Wardlow, New Jersey American Water today cut the ribbon on its new Operations Center in Lawnside. Serving the company’s Southwest region, the Lawnside Operations Center brings 83 employees to Lawnside with the possibility of growing by upwards of 20 percent in the future. The company’s Southwest Operations region services approximately 400,000 people in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem counties.

New Jersey American Water is well on its way to meeting New Jersey’s 10-year lead service line replacement target — with more than 4,000 lead and galvanized steel water service lines replaced to date. Though, with more than 24,000 water service lines currently identified as needing replacement and many more yet to be identified, New Jersey American Water is calling on customers and stakeholders to help speed up progress.

New Jersey American Water today announced the distribution of $950,000 in Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) funding to three Camden-based nonprofit organizations: Parkside Business and Community in Partnership (PBCIP), Heart of Camden, and St. Joseph’s Carpenter Society. The grants, which were announced in coordination with the state’s Department of Community Affairs (DCA), will be used to fund several community and economic development initiatives; housing and homeownership programs; and varying environmental, quality of life, and youth social services.

New Jersey American Water announced today it has completed its acquisition of the water and wastewater systems of Egg Harbor City, N.J. for $21.8 million. The sale of these systems, which serve approximately 3,000 customer connections combined, follows the approval of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, and is the first in the state of New Jersey to be completed through the Water Infrastructure Protection Act (WIPA).

New Jersey American Water is launching an education campaign across the company’s service areas to encourage customers to self-identify and report the material of the service line that brings water into their home. The educational effort is part of the company's Lead Service Line Replacement Program aimed at replacing all lead and galvanized water service lines by 2031 as mandated by state law.

In recognition of Utility Assistance Week beginning Monday, April 17, New Jersey American Water is amplifying communication efforts surrounding several assistance and deferred payment programs available to qualifying customers across the state.

Beginning next week and into the fall months, New Jersey American Water will perform the annual flushing of its water distribution system to support the continued provision of high-quality, reliable water service to its customers.

New Jersey American Water is scheduled to begin implementing its first Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) Charge for all water and fire service customers statewide beginning February 13, 2023, under a new LSLR surcharge mechanism approved by the NJ Board of Public Utilities (NJ BPU) in 2022. The LSLR surcharge is to recover $7.3 million in costs associated with the replacement of customer-owned lead and galvanized service lines from July 1, 2020, through October 31, 2022. The implementation of this surcharge follows the filing of a petition, review by the NJ BPU and Rate Counsel, and a public hearing, notice and comment period. Proposed at the rate of $0.01643 per 100 gallons, the surcharge for a residential customer who uses the average amount of 5,520 gallons per month would be $0.91.

Today, New Jersey American Water hosted a graduation ceremony for its second cohort of Water Utility Pipeline (Water UP!) training program graduates in partnership with Apex Solutions Group. Over 11 weeks of field training and classroom-based curriculum, 13 adults, mostly from Plainfield, learned about the water utility industry, New Jersey American Water’s role, and essential business skills necessary to successfully pursue a career in the industry upon graduation.

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) today approved a settlement between New Jersey American Water and the N.J. Division of Rate Counsel, BPU Staff, and several intervenors for new water and wastewater rates for New Jersey American Water. The approved rates represent a total annualized revenue increase of approximately $45.5 million.

New Jersey American Water today completed its acquisition of the wastewater collection system of the Borough of Bound Brook, N.J. for $5 million. This municipally owned system serves approximately 2,900 customers, most of whom already receive water service from New Jersey American Water. On July 13, 2022, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved the municipal consent allowing New Jersey American Water to provide sewer service to the Bound Brook customers as of the closing of the transaction.

New Jersey American Water’s most recent Water Quality Reports are now available for all service areas on its website at www.newjerseyamwater.com/waterquality. The company is proud to report that once again, the drinking water provided to the 2.8 million New Jerseyans it serves meets or surpasses both state and federal water quality standards for all regulated substances, including lead.

In honor of Earth Day this week, New Jersey American Water announced today the recipients of its 2022 Environmental Grant Program. This year, the company awarded a total of $41,000 to five distinguished organizations and community groups within its service areas that are engaged in sustainability projects to improve water source protection or watershed protection.

On April 25, New Jersey American Water will resume using chloramines in water treatment at its Raritan-Millstone and Canal Road Water Treatment plants. These plants serve New Jersey American Water customers in the following counties: Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union.

New Jersey American Water recently announced its end-of-year investment total and system improvements for 2021. More than $432 million was invested on system upgrades and important improvement projects across the company’s service areas throughout the year.

New Jersey American Water has created a robust, interactive webpage and map that will allow customers to view the service line material of their property or any property in its service areas in the state. The map can be found at www.newjerseyamwater.com/LeadFacts or by navigating on newjerseyamwater.com, under Water Quality, select Lead and Drinking Water.

New Jersey American Water announced today it has signed an agreement to acquire the wastewater collection system of the Borough of Bound Brook, N.J. for $5 million. This municipally owned system serves approximately 2,900 customers, most of whom already receive water service from New Jersey American Water. The agreement follows a voter referendum that took place in November 2021, in which nearly two-thirds of Bound Brook voters approved the sale of the system to New Jersey American Water.

New Jersey American Water has filed a petition with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) for new rates based on the significant investment the company has made or will make into its water and wastewater infrastructure since its last rate case.

New Jersey American Water has completed its required lead and copper sampling for 2021 and all systems tested meet state water quality regulations. The company tested 24 water systems that are required to be tested between June and September, and all results show compliance with safe drinking water guidelines for lead and copper. The company’s other 8 water systems are tested every three years in accordance with DEP regulations and they are also in compliance.

In honor of Utility Assistance Week (October 18-22), New Jersey American Water wants to remind customers who need help with their water or wastewater bill to apply for the company’s H2O Help to Others Program™ and utilize other payment assistance programs.

In the aftermath of Topical Depression Ida, New Jersey American Water, the state’s largest water and wastewater utility company, reports that all its operating areas successfully withstood widespread flooding and drinking water quality was not impacted in any of its service areas. New Jersey American Water successfully implemented flood protection plans at all its treatment plants and other facilities, adjusted treatment processes as needed to continue to meet water quality standards despite challenging source water conditions, and maintained operations of all plants under regular or alternative power sources throughout the storm.

In the wake of Tropical Depression Ida, New Jersey American Water, the state’s largest water and wastewater utility company, wants to update customers that all its operating areas are withstanding widespread flooding and drinking water quality has not been impacted.

New Jersey American Water today announced the awarding of $950,000 in Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) funding to Parkside Business and Community in Partnership (PBCIP) of Camden. The funding, which was announced in coordination with the state’s Department of Community Affairs (DCA), will be used for projects aimed at improving housing and economic development opportunities in Camden’s Parkside neighborhood.

New Jersey American Water’s most recent Water Quality Reports are now available for all service areas on its website at www.newjerseyamwater.com/waterquality. The company is proud to report that once again, the drinking water provided to the 2.8 million New Jerseyans it serves meets or surpasses both state and federal water quality standards for all regulated substances.

New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water Company (NYSEAWK), has received the J.D. Power award for ranking highest in customer satisfaction among large water utilities in the Northeast according to the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study.

New Jersey American Water announced today its grant recipients through the company’s 2021 Environmental Grant Program. This year, the company has awarded a total of $38,241 to four distinguished organizations and community groups within its service area that are engaged in sustainability projects to improve water source protection or watershed protection.

New Jersey American Water was recognized by the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) as one of this year’s recipients of Commerce Magazine’s annual Environmental Awards. The awards were presented during a socially distanced breakfast ceremony, and the winners were profiled in the April issue of Commerce.

In honor of Earth Day, New Jersey American Water wants to remind customers about the value and finite supply of water, while empowering them with tips they can use every day to help protect water sources, reduce water usage and save money.

On April 19, New Jersey American Water will resume using chloramines in water treatment at its Raritan-Millstone and Canal Road Water Treatment plants. These plants serve New Jersey American Water customers in the following counties: Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union.