August 19, 2020

With less than two months until the submittal deadline for plans to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs), communities with combined sewer systems are entering another hurricane season resulting in flooding and sewage overflows. In August, power outages and flooding rocked CSO communities that continue to suffer from the impacts of COVID-19. The need for equitable plans to reduce CSOs that consider how infrastructure investments can meet regulatory requirements and benefit local communities is needed now more than ever.

Review of North Hudson Sewerage Authority Long Term Control Plans

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) extended the deadline to submit draft Long Term Control Plans (LTCPs) from June 1 to October 1, 2020. To date, two plans have been submitted before the October deadline, each representing one of North Hudson Sewerage Authority’s (NHSA) two treatment plants—Adams Street and River Road. Learn more here.

From the Ground Up: Designing a Green Infrastructure Program

Communities with combined sewer overflows (CSOs) need solutions that will prevent flooding and reduce waterway pollution. One such solution is to bolster traditional gray infrastructure with green infrastructure. Green infrastructure (GI) refers to methods of stormwater management that reduce stormwater volume by allowing it to be uptaken by vegetation, filtered by soils, or stored for reuse. Implementing GI programs (which includes trees, rain gardens, porous pavements, and green roofs) keeps polluted runoff out of municipal systems and out of waterways, rivers, and oceans. Learn more here.

Bolstering the Water Workforce with Innovative Programs

In the City of Camden, two programs were created to train residents of low-income communities and communities of color in green infrastructure maintenance and/or connect them to employment opportunities, including those in the water industry. This case study details how these workforce training programs are structured, providing an overview that communities can refer to if they wish to create their own program. It also features insight on factors for success and lessons learned as these programs have navigated their first few years of operation. Download the report here.

JWW members prioritize collaboration, communication, and engagement at Membership Meeting

The COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting existing water challenges. JWW members gathered virtually on July 20 to hear from water leaders on the importance of data and collaboration to find long-term, innovative solutions. Learn more here.

Climate Resilient and Equitable Water Systems (CREWS) in the News

The Sewage-Free Streets and Rivers Campaign is funded by a grant to New Jersey Future from the Kresge Foundation. New Jersey Future is one of 24 nonprofit grantees that are part of the Climate Resilient and Equitable Water Systems (CREWS) initiative, a program working to transform stormwater and wastewater systems with climate-resilient water management practices that emphasize equity. In future newsletters we will be highlighting the work of CREWS in a section we will call “CREWS in the News.” Learn more about this initiative here.

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Upcoming Events

Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission Regional Supplemental CSO Team Meeting Wednesday, September 2 from 5:00pm - 6:00pm

Second Paterson Adopt-a-Catch Basin Launch Saturday, September 12 from 10pm - Noon

Save the Date: Jersey City Virtual Public Meeting on Combined Sewer Overflows Tuesday, September 15 from 7:00pm - 8:30pm

About This Campaign

Sewage-Free Streets and Rivers is an action-oriented campaign that empowers community organizations to engage residents and small business owners to shape the solutions that will be adopted in July 2020 to reduce localized flooding and the raw sewage dumped into our waterways. It is organized by its partners and an advisory board, with the support of New Jersey Future.

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