MARCH 2026

WATER PAGES eNEWSLETTER

Newark’s Fairmount and 16^th Avenues

Green Streets Project 

The intersection of Fairmount and 16^th Avenue in Newark’s Central Ward will soon have new improvements for stormwater management and the neighborhood alike. The project, funded by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection through a Water Quality Management grant, calls for the curb along the intersection to be extended, also called curb extensions or bump outs, adding room for seven stormwater planters to manage stormwater runoff in Newark.

Stormwater planters are a type of green stormwater infrastructure designed to manage stormwater runoff from the roadway’s impervious surface. They will reduce the amount of water that makes its way directly into the combined storm sewer system, providing both a benefit to the overburdened sewer system and to the quality of the receiving waterways. These planters will intercept stormwater runoff directly from the roadway through curb cuts, and the stormwater will slowly filter pollutants through layers of native plants, soil media, and gravel before draining fully between rain events. Stormwater planters mimic natural systems and are planted with a diverse selection of grasses, shrubs, and flowering native plant species that create habitat for pollinators and add aesthetic value to the landscape.

Newark DIG (Doing Infrastructure Green) is informing residents and local businesses and providing overall leadership in community engagement for the project. The project was approved by and is monitored by the City of Newark Department of Water and Sewer Utilities under RainReady Newark, the city’s green infrastructure program. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program provided the rain garden design plans and technical oversight of installation, while construction by Three Brothers Construction is being managed by United Energy Advisors, LLC. Construction is expected to resume in March and continue through June 2026. Please visit https://www.newarkdignj.org/fairmount to learn more!

Watershed Improvement Plan

for the MS4 Permit

Every municipality in New Jersey is required by their municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit to develop a Watershed Improvement Plan.  The plan must identify actions the municipality will take to:

(1) Improve water quality by reducing the contribution of pollutant parameters for all receiving waters within and bordering the town that have percent reductions listed for stormwater in the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

(2) Improve water quality by reducing the contribution of pollutant parameters for all receiving waters within and bordering the town that have water quality impairments as per the NJDEP’s Integrated Report

(3) Reduce and/or eliminate stormwater flooding in the municipality, prioritizing the areas of flooding for corrective actions based on threat to human health and safety, environmental impacts, and frequency of occurrence

The Watershed Improvement Plan is to be developed in three phases.  The first phase was the Watershed Inventory Report, which was due December 31, 2025.  The second phase is the Watershed Assessment Report which is due at the end of this year.  The final phase is the completed Watershed Improvement Plan which is due December 1, 2027.

The RCE Water Resources Program has funding from NJDEP to assist municipalities with developing the Watershed Inventory Report, Watershed Assessment Report, and the final Watershed Improvement Plan.  Our goal is to have a land use analysis, impervious cover analysis, septic system analysis, and point source analysis by HUC14 for each municipality by the end of April 2026.  We already have analyses for 325 (and counting) municipalities completed!  This information is a component of the Watershed Assessment Report.  All this information will be posted on our website.  Additionally, we have begun to identify tax exempt parcels in each municipality.  We often examine tax exempt parcels for stormwater management opportunities and identify watershed improvement projects on these lands. 

The RCE Water Resources Program is doing their best to help municipalities comply with their MS4 requirements.  Please reach out to us to discuss how we can further help you.

Contact Information:

• Northwest (Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, Warren)
• Benny Roe, benny.roe@rutgers.edu
• Northeast (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Union)
• Gillian Mulvoy, gillian.mulvoy@rutgers.edu
• Central (Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean)
• Alena Brayshaw, alena.brayshaw@rutgers.edu
• South (Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem)
• Matthew Leconey, matthew.leconey@rutgers.edu

APRIL 24, 2026