Recipients awarded a combined $179,404 to support water protection, education, and environmental resilience across the Garden State

CAMDEN, N.J., April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Water Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic non-profit organization established by American Water (NYSE: AWK), the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S., and New Jersey American Water, today announced that 10 New Jersey-based organizations were awarded a Foundation 2026 Water and Environment grant, supporting communities served across the state.

"We're grateful to the American Water Charitable Foundation for awarding the Musconetcong Watershed Association a Water and Environment grant for the second year in a row," said Eileen Murphy, Ph.D., executive director of the Musconetcong Watershed Association. "This support allows us to continue our critical work studying PFAS in groundwater and the Musconetcong River, helping advance science while protecting the health of our watershed and the communities that depend on it."

The Water and Environment grant is part of the American Water Charitable Foundation's Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program, focusing on three pillars of giving: Water, People and Communities.

"Providing safe, reliable water is what we do, but giving back to the communities we serve is part of who we are," said Mark McDonough, president of New Jersey American Water. "Through the Foundation's Water and Environment Grant Program, we're proud to invest in local organizations that protect our water resources, educate future stewards and strengthen communities across New Jersey."

2026 New Jersey Water and Environment Grant Recipients include:

Camden's Charter School Network
Camden's Charter School Network was awarded $12,000 to expand floating wetland construction and hands-on water monitoring at Tippin's Pond in Pennsauken, benefiting students from Camden through immersive environmental learning. The initiative engages students in freshwater ecology using innovative technology and includes educational field trips to the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, while helping improve local water quality through nature‑based solutions.

Egg Harbor Township High School
Egg Harbor Township High School was awarded $10,000 to support a student-led coastal resiliency effort through its Oceanography and Environmental Science classes. Students will pre-condition dune grass in the school's greenhouse before planting it along the Ocean City coastline to strengthen dune systems, improve stormwater management and slow saltwater encroachment into freshwater watersheds.

Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space
Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space was awarded $25,000 to support habitat restoration and the creation of a nature-based community play space at Hopewell Borough Park. This project will build on existing native plant efforts at Hopewell Elementary School and along Bedens Brook, replace invasive species with native meadows and wetlands, and improve stormwater absorption within the Raritan River watershed, while engaging residents, volunteers and local students in hands-on conservation efforts.

Great Swamp Watershed Association
Great Swamp Watershed Association was awarded $11,900 to support the installation of a rain garden and an accompanying environmental education program at Paterson School No. 25. The rain garden will help manage stormwater runoff in this urban community while engaging fourth- and fifth-grade students in hands-on lessons about water quality, flooding and watershed health.

Hacklebarney Trout Unlimited Chapter
Hacklebarney Trout Unlimited Chapter was awarded $10,000 to support ongoing restoration efforts along India Brook in the Borough of Mendham. The work will restore riparian corridors, stabilize streambanks and enhance cold‑water trout habitat through native plantings, while engaging community volunteers and students in long-term watershed stewardship.

Hunterdon Land Trust
Hunterdon Land Trust was awarded $10,000 to advance clean water efforts in the Walnut Brook watershed in Raritan Township. Funding will support riparian buffer restoration at the Dvoor Farm preserve through native tree and shrub plantings, paired with community education and outreach focused on reducing runoff and protecting local waterways.

Musconetcong Watershed Association
Musconetcong Watershed Association was awarded $49,404 to assess the impacts of septic systems in PFAS‑impacted areas of the Musconetcong Watershed, with a focus on Bethlehem Township, NJ. The effort will expand groundwater, surface water and septic discharge monitoring in and along the Musconetcong River to provide residents with critical water quality information and inform public outreach, education and future watershed protection strategies.

Raritan Headwaters Association
Raritan Headwaters Association was awarded $15,000 to establish PFAS soil and water baselines across the Upper Raritan River Watershed in Hunterdon, Somerset and Morris counties. The project will generate regulatory-grade data to better understand how PFAS move through soil and surface water, helping protect source water supplies that feed New Jersey's largest reservoirs and support long-term drinking water protection across the region.

Schiff Natural Lands Trust
Schiff Natural Lands Trust was awarded $1,100 to support native tree restoration efforts along streams at the headwaters of the Raritan River. The project will take place at its nature preserve in Mendham Township, replacing diseased beech trees to protect trout streams, improve forest health and enhance watershed resilience.

The Watershed Institute
The Watershed Institute was awarded $35,000 to support its StreamWatch program, strengthening community education and monitoring to address the threat of harmful algal blooms in the Stony Brook–Millstone Watershed in Mercer and Hunterdon counties. The funding will help expand volunteer monitoring and equip communities with the tools and training needed to identify, prevent and respond to water quality risks tied to harmful algal blooms.

Together, these projects support a range of initiatives, including source water protection, PFAS monitoring, habitat and stream restoration, coastal resiliency, green infrastructure installation and hands-on environmental education for students and residents.

"The American Water Charitable Foundation is delighted to support eligible nonprofit organizations making a meaningful impact across New Jersey," said Carrie Williams, President, American Water Charitable Foundation. "Funding for Water and Environment grants supports projects focused on clean water, conservation, environmental education, climate variability, and water-based recreation."

Learn more about New Jersey American Water's community impact, here.

About American WaterAmerican Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water's approximately 7,000 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders. For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

About American Water Charitable Foundation
The American Water Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic non-profit organization established by American Water, focuses on three pillars of giving: Water, People, and Communities. Since 2012, the Foundation has invested over $25 million in funding through grants and matching gifts to support eligible organizations in communities served by American Water. The Foundation is funded by American Water shareholders and has no impact on customer rates. For more information, visit amwater.com/awcf.

About New Jersey American Water
New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state, providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 3 million people. For more information, visit www.newjerseyamwater.com and follow New Jersey American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram. 

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SOURCE American Water