Fixing Trenton Water Works

I read with great interest and alarm the comments made by West Ward Councilwoman Robin Vaughn to The Trentonian on Monday regarding Trenton Water Works and our comprehensive work to reorganize the 200-yearold public water system. It is true that we are implementing key reforms, such as advancing longoverdue capital projects to improve water quality, increasing the size of our workforce, implementing administrative changes, and improving routine and emergency communications with our stakeholders and service-area customers and residents. We are also complying with consent orders, and state and federal water-quality regulations. All of this is to say that we are making substantial progress in our turnaround of the public water utility.

Contrary to Councilwoman Vaughn’s comments, however, we have no plans to sell or privatize or regionalize Trenton Water Works—period. Trenton Water Works is staying in Trenton.

We recently met with Congressman Chris Smith and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman to advance their understanding of the water utility and to enlist their support in identifying federal funding and other assistance for capital projects, including TWW’s Lead Service Line Replacement Program.

We have elevated our communications with elected and appointed officials regarding our progress toward strengthening Trenton Water Works in hopes of being transparent and open about the changes we are making. I am hoping in the future Councilwoman Vaughn will assist in delivering fact-based information to our neighbors in the West Ward about Trenton Water Works, a public utility that will remain an asset owned by the people of Trenton. We are at the public’s service. Respectfully, — Dr. Shing-Fu Hsueh, Director, Department of Water and Sewer/Trenton Water Works