Organization Description

New Jersey Community Water Watch (NJCWW), a project of the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group (NJPIRG) Law & Policy Center and AmeriCorps, is a statewide community service-based environmental program and has been recognized nationally as one of the top environmental AmeriCorps programs in the country. The goal of the program is to give communities the resources to have a clear measurable impact on improving water quality in environmentally and economically distressed areas of New Jersey. NJCWW was founded 12 years ago in order to address the serious water quality issues we face in New Jersey. We have chapters based on college campuses across the state that empower students and community members to work together and effect positive environmental and social change. Over the past ten years, we have worked throughout New Jersey to educate students and community members, and foster stewardship around our local waterways.

Princeton Water Watch

New Jersey Community Water Watch first began the Princeton University chapter in the fall semester of 2000. The Princeton Chapter works to engage students and community members around water quality issues concerning the Stony Brook- Millstone Watershed. The Princeton area waterways are being slowly degraded due to overdevelopment of the surrounding area. Much of the pollution is caused by non-point sources, such as storm run-off laden with fertilizers, pesticides and oil and gas from cars. This is particularly detrimental because it is not as visible as trash and litter, but much more harmful to ecosystems and the sources of our drinking water. Therefore, The Princeton Water Watch Chapter focuses its attention on the Millstone River and Delaware and Raritan Canal – both local sources of drinking water and recreation. Princeton Water Watch is a chapter of NJCWW, as well as a registered student organization at Princeton University. The service programs run by Princeton Water Watch include River Cleanups, Stream Monitoring, Environmental Education and Community Outreach.