Dr. Van Abs is a Professor of Professional Practice in Water, Society and Environment with the Department of Human Ecology at Rutgers-SEBS. He is involved with research and practice development regarding management of water resources, water utilities (water supply, municipal wastewater, stormwater), and watersheds. His primary focus is on understanding and improving government, utility and non-governmental capacity for addressing major water management challenges in a setting of limited resources, limited public knowledge, and significant challenges including climate change. He is a licensed NJ professional planner and a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Publications:
Estimating Public Investments in Landscape Preservation and Water Quality Best Management Practices in the Delaware River Basin. Van Abs, D.J., K.M. O’Neill, S.J. Malone, K. Keys and A. Parker. 2021. Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey for the William Penn Foundation.
This effort represents the first project-level compilation of expenditures attempted in the Basin, and to our knowledge for any large river basin in the nation. It builds on prior compilations of program-level budgets. More than $900 million of relevant projects were reported as occurring in six years (2014-2019) within the Delaware River Basin, with the amount by funding level (e.g., federal, state, county, municipal). Of reported total funding, $825 million (91%), is from governments, the primary project focus.
File is available from: https://williampennfoundation.org/what-we-are-learning/estimating-public-investments-landscape-preservation-and-water-quality-best
Assessing the Affordability of Water and Sewer Utility Costs in New Jersey, Phase 1 Report: Methodology Review and Preliminary Assessment. Van Abs, Daniel J., and Tim Evans. 2018. Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. Assessing the Affordability of Water and Sewer Utility Costs in New Jersey: Phase 2 Report: Conceptual Issues for a New Jersey Affordability Assessment Methodology. Van Abs, Daniel J. 2020.
A New Jersey Affordability Methodology and Assessment for Drinking Water and Sewer Utility Costs. Van Abs, Daniel J., Tim Evans and Kimberley Irby. 2021.
This three-part report for the Jersey Water Works collaborative reviews various methods that have been or could be used to evaluate the household affordability of drinking water and sewer utility costs in New Jersey. The Phase 1 report provides a preliminary assessment of household financial stress using these methods, based on recent household income levels and estimated utility costs (2017/2018 rates) for households using 60,000 gallons per year as a common demand level. It makes preliminary findings on household affordability based on the analyses and provides policy recommendations and ideas for additional research. The Phase 2 report provides an update on methods in use or being considered in other states, proposes criteria for a New Jersey methodology. The final report is the resulting methodology for use by the Jersey Water Works collaborative and policy makers.
Recommendations for Water Supply Conservation and Efficiency Requirements in New York State.
Van Abs, Daniel J. 2020. Prepared for the Rockland Water Coalition.
This report provides an overview of water supply planning law and practices in the State of New York, recommends improvements, and evaluates how those improvements would modify water supply planning and management objectives in the Ramapo River and Hackensack River watersheds of New York (Rockland and Orange Counties.
