#164: New Jersey’s Look At Affordability

How can the affordability of water bills be properly addressed without consistent and comprehensive data?

New Jersey decided to get a clearer look at the situation. A state law now requires all water utilities to report on a monthly and zip-code basis affordability metrics including rates, customer bills, water usage, arrears, shutoffs, and tax liens sold on homes for non-payment.

The law is discussed in this episode with Larry Levine, Director of Urban Water Infrastructure and a Senior Attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Larry also talks about the coalition that developed and lobbied for the legislation, how the law will be implemented, and NRDC’s affordability toolkit.