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NJDEP Unveils Interactive Dashboard to Track Water Infrastructure Investments
New Tool Aims to Increase Transparency and Raise Public Awareness of State's Funding Needs
MORRISTOWN, NJ - The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has launched an interactive dashboard, providing up-to-date information on funding for crucial drinking water and clean water infrastructure projects. The move is set to empower local governments and the public with real-time insights, underscoring the state's commitment to healthy and economically thriving communities.
"New Jersey’s water infrastructure needs are great," said Shawn M. LaTourette, Commissioner of Environmental Protection. "This dashboard is an important part of the DEP’s efforts to raise public awareness about the state’s water infrastructure funding needs."
The tool will track the progress of projects aimed at mitigating health threats, such as lead and PFAS in drinking water, flooding from outdated stormwater infrastructure, and polluted rivers and streams due to combined sewer overflows.
Dubbed the New Jersey Water Infrastructure Spending Dashboard, the platform serves as an interactive data visualization tool. It presents a detailed overview of the funding awarded for clean and drinking water projects for Fiscal Year 2023. Users can access both aggregate amounts and per-project award information, enabling a comprehensive understanding of the funds allocated to individual communities.
Andrew Kricun, a co-chair for Jersey Water Works, praised the development, stating, "The dashboard will be an outstanding tool to help communities identify and navigate the various federal and state funding opportunities for water infrastructure improvements. This is a great step forward to ensure that all communities have safe drinking water and clean waterways at an affordable rate."
The dashboard presents a breakdown of each project in terms of expected long-term funding sources, the projected New Jersey I-Bank share, and total short-term loan awards. It also includes an interactive map that provides snapshot information about funding for projects across New Jersey.
Commissioner LaTourette will be touring the state in the coming weeks, meeting with local officials and stakeholders to spotlight various projects addressing infrastructure needs. The tour will highlight communities constructing green infrastructure, projects aimed at reducing stormwater inputs to combined sewer systems, and initiatives addressing water quality and flooding impacts to lakes, streams, and rivers.
This development follows the Murphy Administration's launch of the state’s $1 billion Water Infrastructure Investment Plan (WIIP) in January 2022. WIIP aims to address the state’s water infrastructure challenges through short and long-term investments, while advancing the state’s environmental justice and climate resilience goals.
In March, the DEP introduced NJ-TAP (New Jersey Technical Assistance Program), a groundbreaking initiative providing enhanced technical assistance to disadvantaged communities for safe and reliable drinking water provision.
The interactive dashboard, which will undergo monthly updates, is part of the Murphy Administration's ongoing commitment to transparency, environmental justice, and the health of New Jersey's residents. The latest update took place on April 26, 2023. For more information, visit the NJDEP website.
