The Camden County Board of Commissioners, the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority (CCMUA), and a coalition of state legislators, municipal mayors, and environmental leaders on Tuesday unveiled a comprehensive, multi-year master plan to dramatically improve water quality across Camden County.
The initiative targeting several major watersheds—including the Cooper River, Kirkwood Lake, Atco Lake, Evans Pond and Wallworth Lake—represents one of the largest coordinated environmental investments in the county’s history. Once complete, the project aims to transform the Cooper River and its surrounding waterways into one of the cleanest and healthiest urban watersheds in the United States.
“Protecting and maintaining our waterways is one of the greatest responsibilities we share,” Camden County Commissioner Jeffrey Nash, liaison to the CCMUA, said. “I am thrilled to have the support of our environmental partners as we embark in the single largest investment in improving our waterways so they can be enjoyed and relied upon for generations to come.”
The project will coordinate investments across wastewater infrastructure, stormwater management, habitat restoration, sediment remediation and recreational upgrades. County officials project that the efforts will secure local drinking water resources, preserve open-water recreation, and ensure all lakes, rivers, and creeks within the county are safe for public use.
Local advocates and leaders emphasized that restoring these waterways has profound implications beyond basic infrastructure. Justin Dennis, New Jersey Program director for the Trust for Public Land, noted that the initiative is designed to create healthier neighborhoods, expand public access to nature, and reduce localized flooding.
For communities along the Cooper River, which has become a regional hub for kayaking, canoeing, and rowing, the environmental cleanup is expected to significantly boost recreational opportunities. Congressman Donald Norcross recalled his childhood in Pennsauken, when raw sewage in the Cooper River made recreational use unthinkable. “We’ve made progress,” Norcross said, pointing to recent sightings of bald eagles diving for fish in the river, “and we can’t let our foot off the pedal.”
The project’s stormwater management focus is particularly timely, coming on the heels of severe flooding in Camden City and the surrounding region. Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen praised the comprehensive nature of the roadmap, noting that restoring these waterways is vital to managing stormwater runoff and preserving the natural environment. Collingswood Mayor Daniela Solano-Ward echoed this sentiment, highlighting that mitigating runoff and flooding is critical for municipalities bordered by the Cooper River and Newton Creek.
Funding for the initiative will pull from state and federal grants, county capital, municipal participation, and philanthropic partnerships. Additionally, Camden County may put a modest Open Space and Water Quality Tax Referendum on the ballot for voter approval. The referendum would propose a $0.01 increase to the current county open space tax, raising it from $0.02 to $0.03. This dedicated local funding source would be utilized for long-term watershed restoration, recreational upgrades, and to secure matching state and federal grant opportunities.
County leadership emphasized that even with the proposed $0.01 increase, Camden County’s open space tax would remain lower than those of neighboring Burlington and Gloucester counties, both of which sit at $0.04.
