Bucco, Dunn introduce bill to protect New Jersey drinking water sources through DEP headwaters program
TRENTON, N.J. — Sen. Anthony M. Bucco and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn have introduced legislation to establish a new headwaters guardianship program within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection aimed at safeguarding the critical sources of rivers and streams that supply drinking water to more than a million residents.
Under the proposal (A-6093/S-4897), municipalities would be designated as “headwater guardians” by the DEP if they contain the origin of a waterway that serves as a primary drinking water source for at least one million people.
“Protecting our drinking water starts with protecting the places where our streams and rivers begin,” Bucco said. “The Headwaters Guardianship program is a smart, proactive step that would ensure the DEP is actively safeguarding these critical sources so we can preserve clean, reliable water for our communities for generations to come.”
Dunn said the bill recognizes the important role headwater communities play in maintaining water quality statewide.
“Communities where headwaters are located have a great responsibility to protect the health of our watersheds. Runoff, sediment and nutrients at the source of our waterways impacts the quality of the entire system,” Dunn said. “Our bill would recognize municipalities for their efforts that ensure residents have clean drinking water.”
Bucco and Dunn emphasized that the bill is not a regulatory mandate, but rather a stewardship framework developed with input from the Mendham Alliance for Preservation & Conservation. The DEP would be able to tailor protections to local conditions while highlighting municipalities already working to preserve their headwaters.
“This bill is not about bureaucracy, it’s about improving resilience, mitigating flood damage and reducing long-term costs for municipalities by proactively identifying environmental protections afforded to headwaters,” Dunn said. “It creates a stewardship program for eco-conscious communities, increases transparency and the public’s role in protecting our waterways.”
If enacted, the DEP would publish a list of designated headwater guardian municipalities along with any recommended environmental protections. Each designation would be subject to a public comment period of at least 30 days. The agency would also be required to issue a report to the governor and Legislature with recommendations for interagency coordination.
