The Senate passed a water resources bill to address lead in water and protect N.J. communities against flooding.
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed a water resources bill providing funds to remove lead water pipes and test for contamination.
The measure also approves projects designed to reduce flooding in areas of New Jersey and restore the Delaware River Basin.
The bill passed, 95-3, with both U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) voting aye. It now goes to the U.S. House.
It will "protect New Jerseyans from the threats of river flooding and coastal storms, improve our aging water infrastructure, limit our children's exposure to lead-contaminated drinking water, and restore the environmental health of our waterways and estuaries," Menendez said in a statement.
Lawmakers seek help for Delaware River Basin
The Water Resources Development Act of 2016 provides millions of dollars for states and communities to address the problem of lead leaching into water systems.
Reports that residents of Flint, Mich., had been drinking lead-contaminated water led to a nationwide concern of the safety of U.S. water supplies. In New Jersey, lead was found in drinking water in Newark public schools and other New Jersey districts. Earlier this month, high lead levels were found in the water supply at Rowan University in Glassboro.
The bill includes $100 million to help states cope with water emergencies, $70 million for loans to help improve water systems, $60 million in grants to replace lead pipes, $100 million over five years to test water in schools and child care facilities, and $50 million for lead poisoning prevention programs.
"We have a national lead crisis," Booker said in an interview after the vote. "There are some significant things in this bill that can help to make that better. When you start having environmental hazards to children and families that are so widespread, this cannot be ignored."
The legislation also creates a Delaware River Basin Restoration Program in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, similar to those that exist for the Chesapeake Bay and Long Island Sound.
There would be $5 million a year in grants for projects designed to improve habitats and water quality and reduce the threat from floods in the basin.
The Delaware River Basin pumps around $25 billion a year into the regional economy and supports around 600,000 jobs. The watershed encompasses 26 percent of New Jersey's land area and 20 percent of its population.
Other New Jersey water projects include:
-- Hereford Inlet to Cape May Inlet. Authorizes construction of a dune to improve storm protection for North Wildwood, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, and Lower Township in Cape May and Ocean counties.
-- Hudson Raritan Estuary. Requires the Corps to finish its report and then begin developing a project to restore the ecosystem throughout the estuary.
-- Rahway River Basin. Requires the Army Corps of Engineers to complete its study and then begin work to design a project to reduce the threat of flooding Rahway River Basin in Essex, Middlesex and Union counties.
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.