New Jersey Water Association - Response to COVID-19

March 18, 2020

We at the New Jersey Water Association are proactively addressing the needs of New Jersey’s water and wastewater service providers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

We realize that the health and safety of the public relies to a great degree on the reliability of services provided by water and wastewater professionals.  Therefore, we are emphasizing assistance and communications that enhance the Continuity of Operations of New Jersey’s water and wastewater utilities. 

Following is some information about the New Jersey Water Association’s training programs, assistance, communications, and engagement with agencies:

Training:  Our in-person group training sessions are postponed through April 30, 2020.  We’ll adjust our training schedule as necessary.  Also, we are preparing to provide on-line training in order to reduce interpersonal contact.

Agency Involvement:  We are communicating regularly with the federal and state agencies that serve and regulate our industry.  We are especially involved with New Jersey’s Water and Wastewater Sector Security Working Group.  The WWSSWG was formed by the New Jersey Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force and is comprised of multiple water and wastewater utility representatives and multiple federal and state agencies relevant to Water and Wastewater security and continuity of operations.  We are teleconferencing regularly in order to receive agency and utility briefings, ask questions, share important information between utilities, and consult on utility guidance.

Covid-19 webpage:  We’re posting useful, up-to-date information related to Covid-19 on our new web page.  This page will be dedicated to guidance, policy and best practices relevant to NJ water and wastewater service providers.  Want to see the Governor’s latest executive order, or links to information that can be used to answer questions about Covid-19 and drinking water?

See: https://www.njwater.org/Resources/COVID-19.aspx

Assistance: We will assist smaller New Jersey water and wastewater utilities on-site as necessary.  If we’re on-site, we ask that you help us to maintain social distancing and all other protective measures as outlined by CDC, NJDOH and other authorities.  Emergency requests are prioritized.  We’ll always be able to provide remote assistance.

Please, never hesitate to reach out to us.

On behalf of our board and staff,

Rick Howlett

Executive Director

New Jersey Water Association