Clean Water News

As the new home of NJPIRG's environmental work, Environment New Jersey can be contacted regarding this news release. 

TRENTON—NJPIRG released a report today at the State House that directly links declining water quality scores in 14 watersheds in the state with acres of increased development and impervious surfaces. The report, Rivers in Dangers: The Impact of Development on Water Quality in New Jersey, surveyed state water quality scores from the early and late 1990s, and directly compared declining regions with areas with a high increase in acres developed and impervious surface.

"This report shows that there is a clear and undeniable relationship between development and declining water quality," said NJPIRG Clean Water Advocate Douglas O'Malley. "Intuitively, we all know that building close to a river is going to impact its water quality. This data paints a stark picture: rivers with increased development face some of the steepest declines in water quality. Without increased protections from encroaching development, these waterways face a future of increased pollution."

The data, from the Department of Environmental Protection, shows that water quality declined in 35 percent of the state's watersheds, most strikingly in once-rural areas with high-quality waterways that have seen rapid increases in development over the last decade. The affected waterways include the Musconetcong and Wallkill Rivers in the Upper Delaware Basin and Wallkill Basin, the Neshanic and Millstone Rivers in the Raritan River Basin, the Manasquan and Toms River along the Shore and the Rancocas Creek in the Lower Delaware Basin.

The report highlights some of the most threatened rivers in these regions that are facing run-off pollution from encroaching development and are in need of increased protection. The rivers were selected because of their high-quality nature, source of a drinking water supply or groundwater recharge, relatively low impervious cover, habitat for threatened and endangered species and threats from increased development. All of the rivers were nominated by the DEP last month as candidates for increased protection.

"We need increased protections for our vulnerable waterways throughout the state - and we need them now," said Senator Leonard Lance. " Governor McGreevey must deliver on his promise to increase protections for the 15 proposed waterways—especially the Sidney Brook—and stand up to developers."

Senator John Adler spoke on the need to deliver strong solutions to curb suburban sprawl: "This report shows an alarming trend that must be addressed at all levels of government. The quality of life for our families and our children's families depend on it," he said. "Not only does suburban sprawl cause traffic congestion, we are now seeing its impact on water quality."

Assemblyman John McKeon spoke about the need for strong protections for drinking water sources: "It is unconscionable that we do not afford the highest level of protection possible to the sources of our drinking water," he said. "For our sake and for our children's sake, we must act today to ensure ample, quality water for New Jersey's future."

The waterways highlighted in the report include the Wanaque, Ramapo, Pequannock, Musconetcong and Wallkill Rivers and the Farny Highlands in the Highlands, the Raritan River Basin in Central New Jersey, the Rancocas and Oldmans Creek along the lower Delaware River and the Manasquan, Upper Toms, Great Egg Harbor, Maurice and Cohansey along the Shore and Delaware Bay.

The report recommendations are for increased protections of some of the state's most vulnerable waterways under the Clean Water Act. Governor James McGreevey announced increased protections, called Category One, nearly a year ago last Earth Day, for 15 pristine reservoirs and rivers across the state.

The proposed upgrades, officially known as Category One, will ensure that there is no measurable increase in water pollution. The protections will ensure that there are buffer zones around pristine waterways that will limit new development and tighter standards on new or existing sewer lines and industrial pollution. NJPIRG will advocate for strong implementation of these new protections.

The report makes four direct policy recommendations:

1. Officially finalize Category One protections for the 15 waterways announced last Earth Day, including reservoirs that serve over 3.5 million residents and the Sidney Brook, an ecologically significant stream in Hunterdon County under threat of a new development near its banks.

2. Propose increased protections to a comprehensive list of waterways across the state, including the threatened rivers listed in the report, as well as pristine waterways nominated by the public.

3. Integrate increased protections for pristine waterways into all state water regulations. Currently, the DEP has proposed strong stormwater rules with a 300-foot buffer for Category One waters.

4. Strengthen and enforce existing regulations to ensure that protected waterways do not receive measurable levels of pollution from treated sewage discharge or urban run-off from development.

Additional Recommendations:

1. Adopt the BIG Map and its goals of limiting development in areas rich in natural resources, especially drinking water sources and water supply. The map provides increased protection for areas that have high-quality rivers and streams, such as Category One waterways, as well as incorporating new protections for water quality through the state's water regulations.

2. Pass strong bills in the Legislature to help towns and regions plan their growth so they can better protect vital natural resources, such as their drinking water sources. A proposed bill would amend the Municipal Land Use Law to allow towns, when analyzing a proposed development, to consider water quality impacts. There also is a transfer of development rights bill that would allow towns to establish development rights trading banks to encourage and discourage proper growth.

The public is in strong support for increased protections of its waterways and drinking water sources.

At hearings last December on the 15 proposed waterways, NJPIRG presented over 10,000 postcards from citizens across the state in support of the Governor's initiative. Over 75 mayors have signed onto the Save Our Waterways campaign, as well as over 60 local and statewide environmental groups.

"The writing on the wall is clear: the health of our rivers and our drinking water sources is directly tied to increased protections against encroaching development," O'Malley concluded. "We must promote sustainable growth that will not pollute our rivers and our drinking water sources."

The full report and executive summary are available at www.njpirg.org. Data from the report on water quality and land use comes from the DEP. Specifically, water quality changes were documented by testing in the early and late 90s by the DEP Amnient Biomonitoring Network [AMNET]. Land use changes and impervious surfaces were documented by the 1986-1995 Land Cover/Land Use GIS data set.