This bill mandates the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to establish a maximum contaminant level for hexavalent chromium (chromium-VI) in drinking water, set at 10 parts per billion. The implementation timeline is staggered based on the size of public water systems: systems with 10,000 or more service connections must comply within two years, those with 1,000 to 9,999 connections within three years, and systems with fewer than 1,000 connections within four years.

Additionally, the bill allows the DEP to adopt a more stringent standard for hexavalent chromium if recommended by the Drinking Water Quality Institute. Importantly, the bill clarifies that it does not change the existing maximum contaminant level for total chromium in drinking water, which remains governed by current federal or state regulations, while specifically prohibiting hexavalent chromium from exceeding the established limit of 10 parts per billion.