{"id":8531,"date":"2024-07-18T14:38:27","date_gmt":"2024-07-18T18:38:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/?p=8531"},"modified":"2024-08-08T11:47:02","modified_gmt":"2024-08-08T15:47:02","slug":"24_0026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/24_0026\/","title":{"rendered":"DEP Presents Inaugural Our Water\u2019s Worth It Award to Ridgewood Water for Efforts to Conserve Water and Address PFAS (24\/P026)"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=””]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/strong>
\nJuly 18, 2024[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

Contact: <\/strong>
\nVincent Grassi (609) 984-1795
\nLawrence Hajna (609) 984-1795
\nCaryn Shinske (609) 984-1795<\/div>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

DEP PRESENTS INAUGURAL OUR WATER\u2019S WORTH IT AWARD TO RIDGEWOOD WATER FOR EFFORTS TO CONSERVE WATER AND ADDRESS PFAS <\/strong><\/h3>\n

(24\/P026) TRENTON<\/strong> \u2013 Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette today presented the first Our Water\u2019s Worth It<\/em><\/a> trophy to Ridgewood Water<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

The award, presented during a ceremony at one of Ridgewood Water’s 12 PFAS Treatment Facilities currently under construction, is part of DEP\u2019s Our <\/em>\"image\"Water\u2019s Worth It<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThoughtful and proactive water supply management is key to economic prosperity, protection of public health and natural resources, and quality of life,\u201d Commissioner LaTourette said<\/strong>. \u201cWe must all do our part to be stewards of the state\u2019s water resources. My DEP colleagues and I congratulate Ridgewood Water for being a leader in protecting and conserving our precious water resources.\u201d<\/p>\n

Using the Sustainable Jersey model ordinance<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

By 2023, Ridgewood Water was working with the other towns it serves \u2013 Glen Rock, Midland Park and Wyckoff \u2013 to pass similar ordinances. In addition, Ridgewood Water implemented a social media campaign to educate the public about the importance of water conservation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis award is well deserved and is a model on many levels. Ridgewood Water modeled Sustainable Jersey’s water conservation ordinance,\u201d said Randall Solomon, Executive Director of Sustainable Jersey.<\/strong> \u201cThat voluntary ordinance was developed and promoted in partnership with NJDEP and is a model of what we\u00a0can\u00a0accomplish\u00a0with creative partnerships.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cWater is life. We can\u2019t 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,\u201d said Paul Vagianos, Village of Ridgewood<\/strong> Mayor<\/strong>. \u201cRidgewood 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDrinking 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.\u00a0Like many other NJDEP initiatives, the Our Waters Worth It campaign is groundbreaking,\u201d said Richard Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water<\/strong>. \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur water\u2019s worth cannot be ignored. Water is the source of life, and part of our everyday existence,\u201d said Midland Park Mayor Harry Shortway Jr<\/strong>. \u201cHowever, water is increasingly under threat from PFAS, lead, chemicals and overuse. We need to recognize the value of our water. It\u2019s our mission to protect and conserve for the next generation, because our water is worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Our Water\u2019s Worth It Campaign<\/strong>
\nThe DEP launched the Our Water\u2019s Worth It<\/em> campaign earlier this year to raise public awareness about the fundamental importance of our water supplies, the \"Ourthreats they face, and the steps DEP is taking to ensure all New Jerseyans have access to clean drinking water and healthy waterways.
\nThis 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s record of commitment to public health and the environment.<\/p>\n

Safe and Reliable Water as an Administration Priority<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

In 2022, the Administration launched the innovative Water Infrastructure Investment Plan<\/a> (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\u2019s waterways.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs 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,\u201d said Pat Gardner, Assistant Commissioner for Water Resource Management<\/strong>. \u201cWhen 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\u2019t go to waste because our water is absolutely worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=””]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 18, 2024[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=””] Contact: Vincent Grassi (609) 984-1795 Lawrence Hajna (609) 984-1795 Caryn Shinske (609) 984-1795 [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] DEP PRESENTS INAUGURAL OUR WATER\u2019S WORTH IT AWARD TO RIDGEWOOD WATER FOR EFFORTS TO CONSERVE WATER AND ADDRESS PFAS (24\/P026) TRENTON \u2013 Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette today presented […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":8533,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"dep-single.php","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[179],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-179"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8531","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/112"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8531"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8531\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/newsrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}