Trenton Water Works Fails to Meet Drinking Water Monitoring Requirements

What Happened?
Trenton Water Works (TWW) has fallen short of its drinking water monitoring responsibilities, violating regulatory requirements between October 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. Although these violations are not considered an immediate public health risk, residents deserve to know the details of what occurred and what steps are being taken to address the issue.

TWW is legally required to test the city’s drinking water for contaminants on a routine basis. These tests are critical in ensuring water quality meets health standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The tests cover a wide range of indicators, including disinfection byproducts, E. Coli, total coliform, iron, manganese, alkalinity, pH levels, and orthophosphate.

In fall 2023, TWW discovered that one of its employees had falsified drinking water data. Upon uncovering the issue, the employee was placed on administrative leave and subsequently terminated. TWW immediately reported the situation to NJDEP, which launched an investigation. The findings were troubling: the majority of water samples collected during the 15-month period were deemed invalid. As a result, TWW failed to adequately test for multiple regulated analytes, violating its monitoring obligations.

Past Issues Raise Concerns
This is not the first time TWW has faced scrutiny for its operations. The latest failure highlights ongoing challenges for the utility, further eroding public confidence in the system that supplies drinking water to Trenton, Hamilton, Ewing, Lawrence, and Hopewell Townships. According to a mailer sent to residents, there is no immediate need to boil water or take other corrective actions. However, residents with specific health concerns are advised to consult their healthcare providers for guidance.

What Is TWW Doing to Fix This?
In response to these violations, TWW states that it has implemented several corrective measures to prevent future lapses, including:

• Strengthening oversight of water sample collectors.
• Installing GPS tracking devices on fleet vehicles for real-time monitoring.
• Pairing sample collectors with supervisors for additional oversight.

These changes aim to restore public trust and ensure TWW meets its regulatory obligations moving forward. Residents are encouraged to share this information with anyone who may not have received direct notice, including people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses. You can help spread the word by posting this notice in public spaces or distributing copies by hand or mail. Questions or concerns can be directed to TWW’s Office of Communications and Public Outreach at 333 Cortland Street, Trenton, NJ 08638, or by phone at (609) 989-3033. While TWW says it is taking the necessary steps to address these issues, residents should remain vigilant and informed about the quality of their drinking water.