The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) is at various states of drafting policies that impact the state's water supplies for drinking, the ecology and the economy. The largest proposals include the: Water Supply Master Plan, water allocation permit process, State Energy Master Plan in the context of climate change, Water Quality Management Plans, designation of additional "category 1" waters, and renewing the federal revolving loan program for water infrastructure projects. In most cases, strengthening revisions are decades overdue.

NJEF is working to ensure the NJDEP considers options that include downsizing/rescinding existing water allocation permits, as well as expanding beneficial reuse, source water protections and other measures. In addition, the state should ensure that water impact considerations are prioritized when making decisions about energy production choices. The state should give preference to energy conservation and efficiency measures that universally consume significantly less water than centralized generating plants.

Running Out of Water

Uncontrolled growth and sprawl is moving the state towards complete "build out". According to the New Jersey Clean Water Council, it is anticipated that New Jersey will be in a severe water deficit by 2020.

According to Joseph Maraziti, a former chairman of the State Planning Commission, this is not a future problem; this is a problem we have today. Some local areas of the state are already running dry due to overdevelopment and an inability to recharge ground and surface waters.

Salt Water Intrusion

Coastal areas are starting to see the severe effects of over pumping water and overdeveloping the land. Several years ago, Cape May was forced to build a desalination plant as salt was intruding their freshwater wells. This was the result of over pumping to meet the growing population demands. Keansburg is now considering this as well. These plants create rate shock, utilize tremendous amounts of energy, as well as produce toxic brines that harm aquatic life.

New Jersey needs more sustainable options if we want to ensure our water is safe, plentiful, and affordable in the future.

Sustainable Energy Choices for New Jersey

Future energy choices will have a dramatic impact on the state's water supplies. Currently, 35% of New Jersey's water is consumed for power production. A typical family of four can use 3 times more water to power their home than the combined use of water to drink, bathe and water their lawn. High water use for New Jersey's power is in part due to the lack of closed loop systems at the generating station (i.e. no cooling towers as required by the federal Clean Water Action). According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), nuclear plants use 31 gallons of water to generate 1 kilowatt hour of electricity and coal plants use 27 gallons. In contrast, a closed loop system at a power plant uses about ½ gallon.

Without a closed loop, New Jersey's Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in Lacey Township pulls 1.4 billion gallons out of Barnegat Bay every day. The Salem nuclear station in Lower Alloway Creek draws more than 2 million gallons very minute from the Delaware River causing annual fish kills of 845 million, significantly reducing the estuarine foraging species of weak fish (by 11%) and bay anchovies (by 31%).

Water for power could dramatically increase if more nuclear and coal plants are built to meet future energy needs as suggested by New Jersey's Energy Master Plan rather than meeting the energy conservation and efficiency goals of the New Jersey Global Warming Response Act.

Progress Made!

In 2008, NJEF worked hard to help secure changes to the energy plan that will shift the state away from relying on traditional fossil and nuclear fuels and instead for substantial increases in the generation of energy from renewable sources and the implementation of comprehensive energy efficiency measures.

View our Climate Change and Water Fact Sheet.