The environment plays a key role in public health. Environmental exposures such as lead, radon, air pollution, and poor water quality can adversely impact our health. Air quality in New Jersey has been improving as the State continues to exceed the health benchmarks for many toxic emissions. Community water systems provide drinking water to more than 85% of the state's population.  The USEPA and NJDEP require mandatory, regular monitoring of treated water delivered to the public.

Air quality in New Jersey has been improving as the State continues to exceed the health benchmarks for many toxic emissions. New Jersey has put emphasis on controlling emissions from diesel engines due to the severe adverse health effects associated with exposure to the components of diesel particles.  Surveillance of air quality is conducted regularly to ensure that the State meets national Ambient Air Quality Standards. New Jersey uses an air monitoring program called the Air Quality Index (AQI) which uses the composite of five pollutants for which there are national health-based standards in order to assign an air quality rating such as "good" or "unhealthy."  The DOH and DEP are continuing to expand the New Jersey Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) Network, which is part of a national network being developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Both Departments collect data on health, human exposures, and environmental hazards and the EPHT Network seeks to bring this information together as a resource for the public, government officials, health care providers, community organizations, and researchers.

Water

Maintaining good water quality is essential to keeping New Jerseyans healthy. Community water systems provide drinking water to more than 85% of the state's population and increasing the percentage of community water systems in compliance with state and federal drinking water requirements is a DOH priority. 

For more information, please refer to these resources: