Emergency Response & Preparedness

Emergency Contact Management System (ECMS)

Emergency Reporting

• Any incident impacting, or having the potential to impact, water quality, or causing a loss of pressure:
• Must be reported within 6 hours to the NJDEP hotline at 1-877-WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337). (N.J.A.C. 7:10-2.4(b))
• A follow up call should be made to the Bureau of Water System Engineering during business hours at 609-292-2957.
• Submit the appropriate supporting form electronically to the Division's emergency email address (wsemergency@dep.nj.gov) as soon as possible.
• Forms
  • Water Supply Emergency Incident Report: (pdf | word) Use for localized incidents involving a loss of positive pressure and/or an adverse effect on the quality of delivered water.
  • Water Supply Damage Assessment Report: (pdf | word) Use for reporting emergency incidents involving extensive damage to a critical facility and/or damage to a large portion of the system's infrastructure/facilities (i.e. hurricane damage).

Best Management Practices

• Best Management Practices During Emergency Conditions (revised April 2021)
• Fact Sheet for Requesting DEP Guidance on Public Water System Monitoring during an Emergency (May 2020)
• Request for DEP Guidance on Public Water System Monitoring due to an Emergency (May 2020)
• NJDEP Drinking Water Flushing Guidance For Restoring Water Quality in Buildings with Low or No Use (May 2020)

Water Main Break (WMB) Resources

• Water Main Break Guidance revised 3/2021
• Templates:
• WMB Boil Water Advisory Template
• WMB Service Restored Template
• WMB BWA Lift Notice
• Water Main Break Log

Water Use Advisory Information

• Advisories:
• Boil Water Advisory: Advises customers to boil the water before drinking, cooking, and other potable water uses due to the potential for the water supply to be contaminated with disease-causing microorganisms.
• Do Not Drink Advisory: Advises customers not to use the water supply for potable purposes and only advocates its use for sanitary and fire-fighting needs.
• Do Not Use Advisory: Advises customers not to use the water supply for any purpose, including sanitary and fire-fighting needs.
• Guidance & Templates
• EPA Public Notification Guidance:
• Community & Non-Transient Non-Community Water Systems
• Transient Water Systems
• Public Notification Templates
• EPA Drinking Water Advisory Communication Toolbox - provides information on how to plan for, develop, implement, and evaluate drinking water advisories.

Severe Weather Resources

• Precautionary Measures For Water Systems Before, During, And After A Hurricane
  Includes a preparedness checklist and post event actions for water systems.
• Radio Stations that broadcast Emergency Public Service Announcements https://www.nj.gov/emergency/radiosta.html

Resiliency & Emergency Response Plan (ERP) Resources

• Emergency Response Plan Guidance revised December 2020
• Emergency Response Plan Template revised March 2021
• Asset Management Guidance and Best Practices
• Auxiliary Power Guidance
• Flood Protection Guidance
• Interconnection Study – Executive Summary and Report

Useful Links:

• County/Local:
• Emergency Management Coordinators
• Health Departments
• State:
• State Office of Emergency Management
• Federal:
• EPA Emergency Preparedness
• FEMA Ready.gov
• EPA Water Security
• Other NJDEP Resources
• Division of Water Quality Emergency Response

NJWARN

Effective February 2017, the NJ Water Agency Response Network (NJWARN) has been dissolved.