Susan S. Brasefield, PE, PP, CME Department Manager of Water Wastewater Services

Are You Ready?

The recent enactment of the Water Quality Accountability Act (N.J.S.A. 58:31-1 et seq.) has established new requirements for purveyors of public water in New Jersey to improve the safety, reliability, and administrative oversight of water infrastructure. Municipalities that own and operate a potable water system with more than 500 service connections will be affected and there’s not much time to comply! Effective October 19, 2017, these new standards must be met by April 2019 (only 18 months)!

What You Need to Know

Based on ensuring the safety, reliability, and administrative oversight of water infrastructure, this act focuses on facilitating the development and implementation of an asset management plan for the inspection, maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of the infrastructure. However, there is also a component requiring the adoption of a cyber security program to be integrated with any internet connected control system. So, if you don’t have a GIS program in place now is the time to develop or upgrade an existing one to cover all components set forth in the Act.

The Act’s directives begin with program development for inspection and maintenance of all water supply and treatment facilities, detailed engineering analysis of asset condition, and estimated service lives of water mains and replacement program. Then it continues down the line to the location, inspection, identification of valves and hydrants, and program development for annual testing and flushing, and repair or replacement.

This is just a brief overview. Please use THIS LINK for more details about this program.

I would be happy to discuss this further with you. Please feel free to EMAIL or call me at 877-627-3772. Maser Consulting’s Water/Wastewater, GIS and Grant professionals work together to help identify funding options and navigate the red tape in developing a customized program that will work for your facility!