58:31-7 Asset management plan; report.

7. a. Beginning no later than 18 months after the effective date of this act, every water purveyor shall implement an asset management plan designed to inspect, maintain, repair, and renew its infrastructure consistent with standards established by the American Water Works Association. The asset management plan shall include:

(1) a water main renewal program designed to achieve a 150-year replacement cycle, or other appropriate replacement cycle as determined by a detailed engineering analysis of the asset condition and estimated service lives of the water mains serving the public water system;

(2) a water supply and treatment program designed to inspect, maintain, repair, renew, and upgrade wells, intakes, pumps, and treatment facilities in accordance with all federal and State regulations, standards established by the American Water Works Association, and any mitigation plan required pursuant to section 5 of this act ; and

(3) any other programs, plans, or provisions as may be required by the department pursuant to rules and regulations adopted pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).

Each water purveyor shall dedicate funds on an annual basis to address and remediate the highest priority projects as determined by its asset management plan.

All asset management plans and system condition reports shall be certified to by the licensed operator or professional engineer of the public water system and the responsible corporate officer of the public water system, if privately held, executive director, if an authority, or mayor or chief executive officer of the municipality, if municipally owned, as applicable. The replacement cycle shall be determined by dividing the miles of water main located in the public water system by 150 or other appropriate demonstration set forth in the certified asset management plan prepared pursuant to this section.

b. At least once every three years, each water purveyor shall provide to the department and the board, if applicable, a report based on its asset management plan prepared pursuant to subsection a. of this section identifying the infrastructure improvements to be undertaken in the coming year and the cost of those improvements, as well as identifying the infrastructure improvements completed in the past year and the cost of those improvements. A municipal water department or municipal water authority shall also submit the report required pursuant to this subsection to the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs.

c. The department, the board, and the Department of Community Affairs shall create a centralized portal allowing for electronic submittal of the report required pursuant to subsection b. of this section. The lack of a centralized portal pursuant to this subsection shall not negate the requirement for a water purveyor to submit a report pursuant to subsection b. of this section.

L.2017, c.133, s.7.