New Jersey American Water and American Water Charitable Foundation Celebrate Completion of Rutgers Weather Station

Franklin Township station provides publicly accessible weather data through the Rutgers New Jersey Weather Network

CAMDEN, N.J., Oct. 26, 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 announced the completion of a new Rutgers New Jersey Weather Network weather station in Franklin Township, Somerset County. The station was supported by a $25,000 State Strategic Impact grant awarded in 2024 to the Rutgers University Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist. New Jersey American Water made space available for the station at its Canal Road Water Treatment Plant, providing a secure location for its installation and operation.

The weather station is now operating as part of the Rutgers New Jersey Weather Network (NJWxNet). Through its online data portal, users can access current and historical observations from Franklin Township, including temperature, dew point, relative humidity, barometric pressure, precipitation, wind speed and wind direction, with data available in five-minute, hourly and daily intervals.

Current conditions and station information are available on the Franklin Township station webpage.

"We are thrilled to be completing work on this new weather station in Franklin Township," said New Jersey State Climatologist Dr. John Krasting. "Through the coordination among Rutgers and New Jersey American Water, this new station expands our capability to monitor real-time weather conditions in Central New Jersey. While the data will be invaluable to our office, the real winners are local residents, who will now have state-of-the-art observations from their own community informing everything from severe weather warnings to decisions about their daily lives."

NJWxNet connects weather-monitoring stations throughout New Jersey and makes local observations available online. The network supports weather forecasting, climate monitoring and other weather-related applications by providing timely information from communities across the state.

The grant also supported the creation of an educational lesson focused on regional weather and climate data, including observations collected at the Franklin Township station. Designed for middle and high school classrooms, the resource helps students and educators explore local weather and climate patterns using real-world data, with a focus on communities served by New Jersey American Water. This curriculum is available at no cost through the New Jersey State Climate Office's education resources webpage.

"Reliable local weather information plays an important role in how communities prepare for changing conditions and plan for the future," said Mark McDonough, President of New Jersey American Water. "We're proud to support Rutgers University's work to expand access to high-quality weather and climate data through this new station in Franklin Township. The project reflects our commitment to investing in innovative partnerships that advance education, environmental stewardship and community resilience across New Jersey."

The State Strategic Impact grant is part of the Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program, focusing on three pillars of giving: Water, People and Communities. State Strategic Impact grants support high-impact projects and initiatives throughout American Water's national footprint.

"We are pleased to see the positive impact this grant is having in communities across New Jersey," said Carrie Williams, President, American Water Charitable Foundation. "We were proud to support Rutgers University through a State Strategic Impact grant and are excited to see this project deliver valuable weather data, strengthen community resilience and create new learning opportunities for students across New Jersey."

Learn more about the American Water Charitable Foundation here. 

About American Water
American 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 19 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. 

SOURCE American Water