Title
Dept/ Agency: Offices of Municipal Council/City Clerk
Action: ( ) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Urging/Supporting
Purpose: Supporting the release of an update to the New Jersey Water Supply Master Plan.
Sponsor: Council member, John Sharpe James
Additional Information:
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WHEREAS, water is a necessary and fundamental building block of all life; and
WHEREAS, clean drinking water is a fundamental right of New Jersey citizens; and
WHEREAS, all drinking water in New Jersey is supplied by underground aquifers, rivers, and/or reservoirs replenished by rain, snow melt, or fed by rivers and streams; and
WHEREAS, an ample supply of clean water is critical to agricultural production in the Garden State; and
WHEREAS, an ample supply of clean water is necessary for a healthy economy and a robust business climate for key industries in New Jersey, such as hospitality, tourism, manufacturing, healthcare and others; and
WHEREAS, New Jersey's ecosystems and wildlife rely on an adequate supply of clean water in creeks, streams, rivers, ponds, and wetlands; and
WHEREAS, in 2015, 12 of the 21 counties in New Jersey entered into a state of drought watch and seven (7) drought warnings, watches, and emergencies have been declared in New Jersey since the year 2000; and
WHEREAS, in 1981, the New Jersey Legislature adopted Chapter 262, known as the Water Supply Management Act; and
WHEREAS, the Water Supply Management Act requires the development of a Statewide Water Supply Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Water Supply Management Act requires the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to update the Water Supply Master Plan at least every Five (5) years; and
WHEREAS, the last completed and publicly available version of the Water Supply Plan occurred in 1996; and
WHEREAS, for ove...
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