Concerned about malfunctions at the Trenton Water Works’ water treatment plant, Hopewell Township Committee approved a resolution earlier this week calling on Trenton and New Jersey officials to take steps to ensure that the drinking water is safe.
Several neighborhoods in Hopewell Township and parts of Ewing, Lawrence and Hamilton townships are served by the Trenton Water Works. The water utility is managed by the city of Trenton.
A public presentation on the Trenton Water Works was slated to be presented to Trenton City Council on Thursday night – after the deadline for the Hopewell Valley News. Deputy Mayor Julie Blake was expected to attend the meeting, along with interested Hopewell Township residents.
Last month, Trenton Water Works issued a “boil water” advisory and also asked customers to reduce their water usage, following a malfunction at the water treatment plant. The advisory did not affect Hopewell Township customers, but township officials were concerned.
The resolution passed by the committee earlier this week called on Trenton Mayor Eric Jackson, the management of the Trenton Water Works, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection “and all those with administrative authority over the operations of the Trenton Water Works [to] take all steps necessary and proper to ensure that the utility provides safe and affordable drinking water within its service area.”
The resolution also called on Trenton to meet annually with all the towns within its service area to discuss infrastructure improvements. The annual meetings – which were stipulated in a 2012 lawsuit settlement against the city – have not occurred.
The four townships sued Trenton after it announced plans to raise water rates by 40 percent, and to sell the water utility to a private company. The sale to New Jersey American Water Co. did not go through, however.
