New Jersey American Water

Camden – October 29, 2026 -- New Jersey American Water graduated 10 participants from the 2026 Water UP! cohort, bringing the total to 61 graduates since the workforce development program launched in 2021. The ceremony took place at the company's Camden headquarters, with families, community partners and employees attending.

Ten-week curriculum combines classroom work with field training

Participants spend 10 weeks in classroom instruction, professional development, field experiences and hands-on training. The curriculum covers financial literacy, customer service, leadership development, OSHA training and utility operations.

Graduate Mia Morales, a Hopeworks alumna, said the program taught her to change water meters and repair water main breaks, and gave her practice in networking, resume writing and delivering an elevator pitch.

Camden, N.J. – October 29, 2026 -- New Jersey American Water and Salem City have completed a $21.3 million PFAS treatment installation at the Salem Water Treatment Plant. The system can treat up to 2 million gallons of water per day and is designed to meet federal and state drinking water requirements.

Utility fast-tracked treatment after acquiring a non-compliant system

When New Jersey American Water acquired Salem's water and wastewater systems in June 2024, the water system was not meeting applicable PFAS drinking water regulations. The company fast-tracked design and construction of a permanent solution. It broke ground in Spring 2025 and placed the new treatment into service in November of that year. The final housing facility was completed in Summer 2026.

Camden, N.J. – September 25, 2026 -- New Jersey American Water has channeled more than $179,000 in grants to 10 state organizations this year to fund watershed protection and PFAS research ahead of AWWA's Source Water Protection Week, running Sept. 27-Oct. 3.

Grant funding targets PFAS tracking and habitat restoration

The funding, distributed through the American Water Charitable Foundation's Water and Environment Grant Program, includes a $35,000 award to The Watershed Institute for stewardship and education programs and a $15,000 grant to the Raritan Headwaters Association to study PFAS movement through the Raritan River watershed. Additional recipients include Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space, Great Swamp Watershed Association and Camden's Charter School Network, funding habitat restoration, water quality monitoring and environmental education initiatives.

Camden, N.J. – September 24, 2026 -- New Jersey American Water has appointed Fred DeAndrea as director of Government Affairs and promoted Sakeema M. James to senior manager of Government Affairs, strengthening a team tasked with managing regulatory and legislative relationships as the utility expands infrastructure investment across the state.

DeAndrea joins from Comcast after two decades in New Jersey public policy roles

DeAndrea most recently served as senior director of government and community affairs for New Jersey at Comcast, leading advocacy efforts across the state. He began his career as a district representative for U.S. Rep. Robert E. Andrews and holds a political science degree from Rutgers University. He has served on the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce board and the Southern New Jersey Development Council.

Camden, N.J. – – September 16, 2026 -- New Jersey American Water secured a $68 million annual revenue increase from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, funding more than $1.4 billion in infrastructure upgrades while a parallel PFAS settlement mechanism returns over $79 million to customers over the next year.

Regulator approves rate hike alongside PFAS credit to soften bill impact

The BPU-approved rates take effect September 16, 2026. Average residential water customers using roughly 5,700 gallons monthly will see bills rise by approximately $4, while wastewater-only customers face a similar $4 increase. Customers receiving both services will see a combined increase of nearly $8 per month.