Better drinking water is on the way for the Garden State.
President Joe Biden announced $142 million for infrastructure upgrades in New Jersey. The goal is to remove all lead pipes and protect communities from PFAS pollution, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances often called “forever chemicals.”
This is the latest step by the Biden administration to help ensure communities have access to clean and safe water to drink.
The EPA recently proposed drinking water limits for PFAS in a push that the agency said will save lives and reduce illness but will require many water providers to install costly treatment systems.
“Every community deserves access to safe, clean drinking water,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s infrastructure investments, we have an unprecedented opportunity to revitalize America’s drinking water systems, support the Biden-Harris administration's goal of removing 100% of lead pipes across our country, and protect communities from PFAS pollution."
In a new EPA survey, roughly 3,500 water providers also found the country needs to spend $625 billion on drinking water infrastructure over the next two decades, an amount that's increased sharply in recent years. The biggest need is upgrading water pipes that are too old, broken or in some cases, made of lead.
On Tuesday, the EPA also announced states, U.S. territories and tribes will have $6.5 billion to upgrade drinking water infrastructure, with $6 billion of that total coming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
AP wire sources contributed to this article.