OUR WATER'S WORTH IT AWARD TO RIDGEWOOD WATER

(24/P26) TRENTON - Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette today presented the first Our Water's Worth It trophy to Ridgewood Water for its efforts over the years to conserve water and to protect public health by addressing PFAS contamination. Ridgewood Water provides water service to approximately 61,000 consumers in four Bergen County municipalities.

The award, presented during a ceremony at one of Ridgewood Water's 12 PFAS Treatment Facilities currently under construction, is part of DEP's Our Water's Worth It campaign launched earlier this year to emphasize the importance of protecting our water supplies. The award program acknowledges water systems, both public and private, that set a good example by going above and beyond to protect water resources, and improve drinking water quality, service and reliability for the residents they serve.

"Thoughtful and proactive water supply management is key to economic prosperity, protection of public health and natural resources, and quality of life," Commissioner LaTourette said. "We must all do our part to be stewards of the state's water resources. My DEP colleagues and I congratulate Ridgewood Water for being a leader in protecting and conserving our precious water resources."

Using the Sustainable Jersey model ordinance as a guide, the Village of Ridgewood passed an ordinance in 2017 to limit wasteful outdoor watering through a two-day per week watering schedule. Within three years, the village saw a 20 percent decrease in annual water use.

By 2023, Ridgewood Water was working with the other towns it serves - Glen Rock, Midland Park and Wyckoff - to pass similar ordinances. In addition, Ridgewood Water implemented a social media campaign to educate the public about the importance of water conservation.

"This award is well deserved and is a model on many levels. Ridgewood Water modeled Sustainable Jersey's water conservation ordinance," said Randall Solomon, Executive Director of Sustainable Jersey. "That voluntary ordinance was developed and promoted in partnership with NJDEP and is a model of what we can accomplish with creative partnerships."

Ridgewood Water also worked proactively to educate the public about PFAS, an issue facing many water systems across the state, and has been implementing a comprehensive remediation strategy that, once completed, will allow it to ensure its customers are protected from PFAS in drinking water. These remediation efforts will improve the long-term operations of the utility.

"Water is life. We can't exist without it and yet, too often, we take it for granted. Clean, safe drinking water is the mission of Ridgewood Water. We work hard every day to ensure that our supply of this precious, limited resource is always there for our residents, who rely on us to provide it to them," said Paul Vagianos, Village of RidgewoodMayor. "Ridgewood Water is a national leader in maintaining the highest levels of safe drinking water, which is why we are spending $150 million to rid our water of PFAS chemicals at a time when few other communities have even begun to look at this critical water quality issue. We never forget that this is a precious limited resource that much of the Earth does not have nearly enough of."

"Drinking water is worth much more than the dollar amount on our water bills, and to waste it on excessive lawn watering is only going to drive the cost higher. Like many other NJDEP initiatives, the Our Waters Worth It campaign is groundbreaking," said Richard Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water. "I am thrilled to have Ridgewood Water recognized as the first recipient of this award and look forward to continuing our work with NJDEP to protect this vital resource by watering wisely."

"Our water's worth cannot be ignored. Water is the source of life, and part of our everyday existence," said Midland Park Mayor Harry Shortway Jr. "However, water is increasingly under threat from PFAS, lead, chemicals and overuse. We need to recognize the value of our water. It's our mission to protect and conserve for the next generation, because our water is worth it."

Our Water's Worth It Campaign

The DEP launched the Our Water's Worth It campaign earlier this year to raise public awareness about the fundamental importance of our water supplies, the threats they face, and the steps DEP is taking to ensure all New Jerseyans have access to clean drinking water and healthy waterways.

This year is also the 50th anniversary of the landmark federal Safe Drinking Water Act, the first piece of legislation of its kind to provide a comprehensive regulatory framework for protecting drinking water supplies across the nation through the setting of health-based standards and regulations for water.

New Jersey enacted its own Safe Drinking Water Act in 1977, which identified the DEP as the lead agency overseeing public water supply in the state. Subsequent amendments and the work of the DEP helped establish New Jersey as a national leader in drinking water protection and safety.

In the coming months, DEP will select additional awardees highlighting local contributions to protecting water supplies and public health, improving the health of waterways, and water conservation. Water systems are selected by the DEP based on the system's record of commitment to public health and the environment.

Safe and Reliable Water as an Administration Priority

Providing New Jersey residents with safe and reliable water supplies is a top priority of the Murphy Administration and Commissioner LaTourette. The DEP works hard every day on programs that reduce lead exposure in homes and businesses, protect the long-term viability of water supplies such as reservoirs and groundwater sources, monitor for drought conditions, educate the public about the importance of testing wells and reducing lead exposure, and manage stormwater to better protect surface water sources.

In 2022, the Administration launched the innovative Water Infrastructure Investment Plan (WIIP) to assess and address high priority water infrastructure needs throughout the state. Through WIIP, the state is spurring record investments in clean water and drinking water infrastructure that are creating good-paying jobs while providing safe and reliable drinking water, reducing flooding, and improving the quality of New Jersey's waterways.

"As we continue to oversee water utilities making improvements to the quality of their water, we also want to make sure that water gets used wisely," said Pat Gardner, Assistant Commissioner for Water Resource Management. "When utilities put in the investment to make sure the drinking water they serve meets our strict standards, we also want to make sure that it doesn't go to waste because our water is absolutely worth it."