This request for applications (RFA) is intended to increase the capacity of New Jersey’s Local Health Departments (LHDs) to respond to the needs of private well users through private well outreach efforts.
Donor Name: New Jersey Department of Health
State: New Jersey
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/31/2022
Size of the Grant: $5,000-$10,000
Grant Duration: 9 months
Details:
There are an estimated 1.2 million residents in New Jersey who receive their drinking water from an estimated 400,000 private wells in the state. While public water supplies, including community, noncommunity, transient, and non-transient water systems, are protected under the New Jersey Safe Drinking Water Act, private well owners are solely responsible for monitoring and maintaining the quality of their own well water.
Private well drinking water can be contaminated by natural sources, like dissolved minerals containing arsenic, radium, and uranium, or from man-made sources, like disinfection chemicals, agricultural run-off, industrial and commercial sources, or plumbing fixtures. Regular testing is an important step that private well owners can take to ensure their water supply is safe to drink. According to the most recent findings, 12% of tested wells in New Jersey exceeded at least one of the required primary standards for drinking water. Current estimates suggest that up to 75% (300,000) of private wells in New Jersey may remain untested.
Funding Information
- The funds available are intended to support a maximum of three (3) LHDs to encourage private well outreach and education efforts. Notification of awards in the amount of $5,000-$10,000 each will be issued starting December 1, 2022. Grant recipients will be reimbursed on a quarterly basis for incurred expenses. Preference will be given to proposals that:
- Identify private wells as local priorities and;
- Have a plan to improve or enhance their private well outreach efforts.
- Project Activity Period: December 1, 2022 – August 31, 2023
Eligibility Criteria
Any New Jersey LHD which has residents served by private wells is eligible to apply for funding. No prior experience working with private well owners is necessary. Successful applications will specify how funding will be used in the 9-month funding timeframe to conduct or improve current private well outreach efforts.
For more information, visit NJDH.
