No one in N.J. will have their water shut off during coronavirus, state announces

No one should have to worry about having water to drink, especially during a pandemic.

That was the message from Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration Tuesday, when state officials announced that all of New Jersey’s 379 community water systems had committed to halting all water shutoffs as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread through society.

“No New Jerseyan should fear losing their access to clean water,” Murphy said at the Trenton War Memorial at his daily coronavirus briefing.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine McCabe said at the same briefing that there has never been a more critical time for access to clean water.

“The really good news is that all of the drinking water utilities in the state have made a commitment to not shut off anyone’s water for non-payment or late payment during the emergency period from the coronavirus,” McCabe told NJ Advance Media in a separate interview on Tuesday.

Many of New Jersey’s largest water utilities had already committed to suspending water shutoffs during the crisis. Some systems, like Newark’s water department, have long-standing policies against water shutoffs.

Earlier this month in Warren County, the borough of Alpha’s public works department had distributed water shutoff notices before reversing the policy.

McCabe said the DEP had no problems securing the water system commitments, and noted that none of the utilities had raised concerns about revenue to the state.

Food & Water Watch, a clean-water advocacy group, had pushed the Murphy administration in recent weeks to order all water utilities to cease water shutoffs. The new commitments were made by utilities without Murphy issuing such an order.

McCabe said that, as of now, there are no penalties under state law should a water system break its commitment to the DEP. That could change if Murphy does issue an order in the future.

“If we run into that situation where someone is not honoring it, we will talk to them immediately,” McCabe said of the commitments. "And if they would decline, which I would not imagine, to go back to keeping their shutoff commitment then the Governor has made it clear that he would be prepared to order them. And there would be penalties for violating an order of the Governor.”

This story was update at 4:40 p.m. to clarify the total number of water systems.

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Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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