NJ A4624

Electric public utilities in New Jersey must identify municipalities where at least 40% of residential customers rely on private well water and develop priority service restoration plans for these communities.

Priority restoration plans must include provisions for at least one watering station with bottled water, at least one water tanker truck, and additional water resources based on community needs including water for livestock.

Plans are required when a "sustained interruption" occurs, defined as power outages lasting more than 12 consecutive hours after a major event concludes.

Each electric utility must submit its priority service restoration plan to the Board of Public Utilities within one year of the bill's effective date, and the Board must post all plans on its website.

The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment and amends P.L.2021, c.29 to add private well water and septic communities to the list of facilities essential to public welfare requiring priority restoration.