Vol. 7 No. 3 Winter 1999
A Newsletter About New Jersey's Water Quality Programs

How can municipalities incorporate water quality concerns into their local master plan, zoning ordinance and site plan review process? Find out by ordering "Planning for Clean Water: The Municipal Guide."

Through the municipal planning process, municipalities hold the key to improving water quality. During the 1991-1995 USDA Great Swamp Hydrologic Unit Area Project, municipal and county planners were asked what tools they could use to manage and reduce nonpoint source pollution in that watershed. The group's consensus called for a guide to show local planning board members how to incorporate nonpoint concerns into the local planning process. This publication is a direct result of the planners' response.

The guide, which is particularly useful for planning board and environmental commission members, shows how water quality concerns can be voluntarily incorporated into a master plan, zoning ordinance, and site plan review process. Rather than providing best management practices for every situation, the guide provides concepts and examples of other tools that can be used, as well as direction on where to get further help and information.

• The effects of development on water quality,

• Identification problems and opportunities,

• Determining your plan's objectives,

• Examples of various methods for resource analysis,

• Alternative strategies and tools for community development which consider water quality,

• Evaluating various strategies for water quality protection,

• Case studies of municipalities and counties where nonpoint source and watershed concepts have been used.

To order your copy of Planning for Clean Water: The Municipal Guide, please contact the NJDEP Division of Watershed Management at (609) 292-2113.