The initiative will provide planning, design, and predevelopment support to help municipalities access funding from the New Jersey Water Bank for lead pipe replacement. Through this public–private–philanthropic partnership, RWJF will provide a $3 million guarantee to fund predevelopment services delivered by Arcadis, including lead service line inventories, engineering designs, phasing plans, and technical assistance.
“New Jersey continues to lead the nation in identifying, reducing, and eliminating risks of exposure to lead in drinking water,” said Shawn M. LaTourette, New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner. “In collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Arcadis, we will help even more New Jersey communities access the tools, expertise, and funding needed to replace lead pipes and protect public health.”
Expanding access to safe, clean drinking water
New Jersey enacted its nation-leading Lead Service Line Replacement Law in July 2021, requiring all drinking water systems to identify and replace lead service lines within ten years. The NJDEP has made hundreds of millions of dollars available through the Water Bank to support this work. However, many smaller or disadvantaged communities lack the planning capacity to secure and deploy these funds efficiently.
The new collaboration aims to bridge that gap by helping municipalities move from “shovel-worthy to shovel-ready” projects. By providing technical and financial support upfront, the partnership seeks to accelerate equitable water infrastructure improvements statewide.
“This collaboration seeks to level the playing field for communities that have long faced systemic barriers to infrastructure investment,” said Kimberlee Cornett, Managing Director of Impact Investing at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “By investing in solutions that build local capacity, we can help ensure that access to clean, safe drinking water is a right, not a privilege.”
Delivering local impact through technical expertise
Arcadis, a global engineering and consultancy firm with extensive experience in water infrastructure, will work directly with participating municipalities to provide inventories, designs, and application assistance. This approach will remove technical and financial barriers that often delay lead pipe replacement projects.
“By removing these barriers up front, we can accelerate equitable water infrastructure improvements and create lasting public health benefits for communities across New Jersey,” said Rebecca Slabaugh, Water Planning Director at Arcadis U.S. “We are honoured to join NJDEP and RWJF in this important work.”
Building long-term resilience through investment
Through its Water Infrastructure Investment Plan (WIIP), launched in 2022, NJDEP has focused on resolving infrastructure challenges in New Jersey communities through strategic investments that create local jobs, improve drinking water quality, reduce flooding, and enhance waterways statewide.
The department also operates the New Jersey Technical Assistance Program (NJ-TAP), which provides direct support to disadvantaged and overburdened communities for lead service line identification, asset management planning, and public engagement around drinking water safety and infrastructure upgrades.
