New Jersey-2024-A4017-Introduced

An Act concerning publication of certain employee and financial information by certain public water systems and supplementing P.L.2017, c.133 (C.58:31-1 et seq.).

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. Each water purveyor shall develop and maintain either a website or a webpage on the municipality's or county's website in which it provides service, as applicable. The purpose of the website or webpage shall be to provide increased public access to information on the operations and activities of the water purveyor. The following information shall be posted on the website or webpage:

(1) a description and map of the service area of the water purveyor, identifying each municipality that receives water from the public water system;

(2) the budget, once adopted, for the current fiscal year and the budget for the immediately preceding fiscal year;

(3) the most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report or other similar financial information;

(4) the annual audit for the most recent fiscal year and immediately preceding fiscal year;

(5) the title, office mailing address, office email address, and office telephone number of every person who exercises day-to-day supervision or management over some or all of the operations of the public water system;

(6) any rules, regulations, or official policy statements deemed relevant by the water purveyor to the interests of the residents within the service area of the public water system, including the certifications required pursuant to section 6 of P.L.2017, c.133 (C.58:31-6); and

(7) a list of attorneys, advisors, consultants, and any other person, firm, business, partnership, corporation, or other organization which received any remuneration of $17,500 or more during the preceding fiscal year for any service whatsoever rendered to the public water system.

b. For the purposes of this section, "water purveyor" shall not mean a "public utility," as defined pursuant to R.S.48:2-13, that is regulated by the Board of Public Utilities.

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill supplements the "Water Quality Accountability Act," which imposes certain testing, reporting, management, and infrastructure investment requirements on certain water purveyors, i.e., public water systems with more than 500 service connections. The bill requires each water purveyor to develop and maintain either a website or a webpage on the municipality's or county's website in which it provides service, as applicable, in order to provide increased public access to information on the operations and activities of the water purveyor. The following information is to be posted:

1) a description and map of the service area of the water purveyor, identifying each municipality that receives water from the public water system;

2) the budget, once adopted, for the current fiscal year and the budget for the immediately preceding fiscal year;

3) the most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report or other similar financial information;

4) the annual audit for the most recent fiscal year and immediately preceding fiscal year;

5) the title, office mailing address, office email address, and office telephone number of every person who exercises day-to-day supervision or management over some or all of the operations of the public water system;

6) any rules, regulations, or official policy statements deemed relevant by the water purveyor to the interests of the residents within the service area of the public water system, including certain certifications required pursuant to the "Water Quality Accountability Act"; and

7) a list of attorneys, advisors, consultants, and any other person, firm, business, partnership, corporation, or other organization that received any remuneration of $17,500 or more during the preceding fiscal year for any service whatsoever rendered to the public water system.