The mayor previously spoke of the utility’s fiscal practices in her February State of the Township Address.
HAMILTON — Mayor Kelly A. Yaede is renewing calls for Board of Public Utility oversight with Trenton Water after a water efficiency report recently released by the Delaware River Basin Commission revealed the utility is losing 28 percent of the treated water it pumps.
In a township press release, the mayor said the lost water, which Hamilton officials said is higher than all other local water utilities, is the culmination of years of using money from residents’ water bills to plug into its city budget, rather than repairing its aging water system.
According to the press release, the Republican mayor’s call has generated bi-partisan support as Hamilton Assemblyman Daniel Benson, a Democrat, has agreed to introduce legislation for the BPU oversight.
The mayor spoke of the utility’s fiscal practices in her February State of the Township Address.
Mayor Yaede said she believes that money should have long been used to replace water lines and important Trenton Water system infrastructure. This surplus is generated in part from Hamiltonians’ water bills.
”For years, surplus from water bills paid for by Hamilton residents, as well as other residents from suburban towns, serviced by Trenton Water has gone to plug the City of Trenton budget, instead of plugging water leaks,” she said. “Not only is it wrong, but it has long-term consequences – such as giving Trenton Water dubious distinction of being the most inefficient water utility in Mercer County.
”It is also costing Hamilton taxpayers and taxpayers all across our state more money than it should, which is exactly why the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities needs to start scrutinizing their books,” she added.
In addition to serving a majority of Hamilton residents, Trenton Water is the water provider for the government buildings such as the municipal building, according to a press release. As such, township officials said Trenton Water’s high inefficiency equates to a higher than necessary costs for all Hamilton and state of New Jersey taxpayers as the government entities are forced to pay water bills to the utility.
”Although any efforts to increase efficiency is welcome, this is another example of ‘too-little, two-late’ when it comes to Trenton Water. Not only would the surplus from our residents’ water bills been more justifiable and better used to make system maintenance repairs, it could have made Mercer County’s most inefficient water provider more efficient, saved taxpayer dollars and prevented emergency water main collapses, which are more costly to repair,” she said. “In addition to the Board of Public Utilities scrutiny that is sorely needed, no surplus should be used by Trenton Water as a City budget revenue until the utility’s efficiency rates fall in line with other local utilities and acceptable state regulatory levels.”
The Hamilton Observer was awaiting a formal response from Trenton Water works as of press time.

