President's Message By Michael Rogers

President's Message (See new photo of Mike Rogers)

Though it's a new year with new challenges, some of last year's problems still remain. By now your budgets have been prepared and put to bed so, hopefully, you have more time available to concentrate on some forward planning. Why is it important to plan? You plan to control your future. If you don't then future events will control you. What's coming up this year that you need for plan for?

i. Wastewater Management Plans (WMP) - you may recall the near miss last year when the NJDEP announced that all municipalities and authorities without up-to-date WMP's would not receive permits, only later to back off. Without permits, growth comes to a halt and your capital projects are sidelined. Loss of ratables or revenues can result in rate increases, lawsuits and political fallout. Stalled projects can result in non-compliance and penalties.

With only 13 WMP's deemed current last year many of us would have been behind the planning eight ball. Since that time, NJDEP has returned, stamped "incomplete", many of the WMP's that were in their hands at that time. It doesn't take a genius to see what's coming. Pay close attention to your WMP; if it's not current (i.e. older than six years), that's a train wreck you see ahead on the tracks.

ii. New Jersey Statewide Water Supply Master Plan (NJSWSMP) - the long overdue update may at long last roll out later this year. Safe yields and water budgets determined by the NJDEP will be the basis for your water allocations. Think this doesn't affect you if you are a sewerage entity only? Guess again. As part of E.O.109 you've got to show that there is sufficient water supply to generate the sewage flows your are projecting in your WMP.

iii. NJDEPS Permits - the Surface Water Quality Standards (SWQS) and their implementation with regard to discharge permits continues to be contentious. If you have a NJDES permit under review, I need not explain.

What do all of these issues have in common? They all involve planning and require your attention now. We were not created to be planning entities; just look at NJSA 40:14A or B as applicable. We were created to be service providers. However, by default of others we are looked to prepare the planning necessary to obtain State approvals required in order to provide our service(s). What else do these issues have in common?

They also happen to be items that AEANJ is acutely involved with. Drop me an e-mail at mrogers@mtmua.com and I'll put you in touch with others who can help.