Get on Priority List for Sewer Project Grants Coming Soon! Grants for Sewer Projects!

Don't know how to financially address your water pollution control needs? A recent amendment to the Clean Water Act, which provides grants for qualifying projects, may be just what you're looking for.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001 (PL 106-554), enacted on December 21, 2000, includes provisions entitled "The Wet Weather Water Quality Act of 2000" which amends the Clean Water Act (CWA) to authorize grants to municipalities and authorities. These grants can be used for projects to intercept, transport, control, or treat, municipal combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs).

This legislation mandates that the funds available for making grants be allocated to the States in accordance with a formula based on need as identified in the Clean Water Needs Survey (CWNS). For the purpose of implementing this legislation, the "most recent CWNS" would be CWNS 2000 for which data collection is now in progress. It is not too late to let us know of your water pollution control needs or to get your project listed on our Project Priority List.

In accordance with the legislation, the allotment formula is to be established by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency "after providing notice and an opportunity for public comment." Documenting funding needs is the only way the State of New Jersey can be assured of receiving its fair share of the funds that will be available for addressing CSOs and SSOs.

The Year 2000 Clean Water Needs Survey forms were mailed on September 15, 2000 to municipalities, sewerage authorities or utilities, and waster pollution control consulting firms. If you have already responded and later have found new needs, please forward to us your new documented needs. If you have not completed the survey, we ask you not to miss this opportunity. Please submit your documented information by June 19, 2001 to the Division of Water Quality's Municipal Finance and Construction Element, P.O. Box 425, Trenton, NJ 08625-0425, Attn: David Shu, P.E., CWNS Coordinator.

A reminder letter has been sent to every public entity in charge of water pollution control needs to further detail the Year 2000 CWNS. For more information on the CWNS or to be sure your projects are included, please contact David Shu, P.E., or Chuck Parkell at (609) 633-1208.