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The water we’re
fighting to protect
New Jersey’s water faces threats from PFAS contamination, aging infrastructure, industrial runoff, and development pressure. These are the battles we’re in right now.
Issue 01 — Tap water safety
What comes out of your tap should be safe to drink
Lead pipes
PFAS
Aging Infrastructure
We're active on this
Hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents are served by water systems with detectable levels of lead, PFAS, or other contaminants. Many live in lower-income communities where advocacy resources are thinnest.
NJ Clean Stream pushes municipal water authorities and the NJ DEP to test more frequently, remediate faster, and communicate results clearly to residents — in multiple languages.
600+
NJ water systems tested for PFAS
110K
lead service lines still in use statewide
2027
NJ deadline to replace all lead pipes
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Safe drinking water for every New Jersey household
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Testing and remediation for PFAS in all NJ water systems
Issue 02 — PFAS contamination
Forever chemicals in New Jersey's water demand urgent action
Drinking water
Groundwater plumer
Military sites
Active legislation
PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — have been found in water systems near military bases, industrial sites, and fire training facilities across New Jersey. They don’t break down in the environment and accumulate in the body.
We are advocating for mandatory testing in all public water systems, full public disclosure, and remediation funding from polluters — not ratepayers.
Issue 03 — Rivers & streams
6,600 miles of waterways deserve protection
Agricultural runoff
Industrial discharge
Stormwater
County-level work
The Raritan, Passaic, Delaware, and hundreds of smaller streams face pressure from fertilizer runoff, sewage overflows, and impervious surface development that overwhelms stormwater systems during heavy rain.
We engage county freeholder boards, local zoning authorities, and the NJ DEP to strengthen discharge permits, enforce buffer zones, and upgrade aging sewer infrastructure.
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Protecting New Jersey's rivers, streams, and wetlands
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Protecting the Pinelands aquifer for future generations
Issue 04 — Groundwater & aquifers
The Kirkwood-Cohansey is the largest aquifer in the Northeast
Overdevelopment
Agricultural chemicals
Saltwater intrusion
State-level focus
The Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system in the Pinelands holds 17 trillion gallons of high-quality water and feeds streams across South Jersey. It is under threat from development pressure, nitrate infiltration, and climate-driven changes in recharge rates.
We work with the Pinelands Commission and NJ DEP to ensure development setbacks and agricultural best practices protect this irreplaceable resource.
Issue 05 — Coastline & bays
Barnegat Bay and the Jersey Shore belong to everyone
Nitrogen pollution
Sewage overflows
Storm surge
County & state work
Barnegat Bay has lost 90% of its seagrass since 1970 due to nitrogen pollution from fertilizers and septic systems. Eelgrass is the foundation of the bay’s ecosystem and commercial fishery. Without it, everything unravels.
We support Ocean County and the NJ DEP’s nitrogen reduction targets and push for stronger regulation of lawn fertilizer application near coastal areas.
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Restoring Barnegat Bay and protecting New Jersey's 130-mile coastline
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