MERCER COUNTY, NJ — Trenton Water Works has secured approximately $11.3 million through nationwide litigation against chemical manufacturers over PFAS contamination, funding that will go toward treatment upgrades, laboratory modernization and continued compliance with drinking water regulations, the utility announced.
The settlement, which Mayor W. Reed Gusciora pursued for Trenton, is part of a nationwide effort involving thousands of public water systems to hold manufacturers financially accountable for costs associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, commonly known as "forever chemicals."
Over the next 36 months, Trenton Water Works plans to use the settlement proceeds, minus legal fees, to upgrade the water filtration plant's carbon treatment system, modernize its laboratory, and upgrade monitoring and analysis equipment, according to the utility. The investments are intended to help the utility meet increasingly stringent drinking water standards adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and complement the utility's 10-year, $763 million Capital Improvement Plan.
New Jersey was the first state to establish an enforceable drinking-water standard for a PFAS compound, according to the utility. New Jersey currently limits PFOA and PFOS to 14 parts per trillion and PFNA to 13 parts per trillion; the EPA subsequently set a more stringent federal limit of 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS. Trenton Water Works conducts PFAS monitoring quarterly to track compliance.
The utility is also advancing a separate $400 million capital project to eventually decommission the historic Pennington Avenue Reservoir, which has served the region since 1899, and replace it with a decentralized network of finished-water storage tanks in Trenton, Hamilton Township, Ewing Township and Hopewell Township, along with a new central pumping station.
"Protecting public health while investing in critical infrastructure remains one of our highest priorities," Gusciora said. "This settlement helps ensure that companies responsible for manufacturing PFAS chemicals contribute to the cost of addressing these contaminants rather than placing that financial burden entirely on our customers."
"Even utilities with excellent water quality must continue upgrading treatment processes, laboratory capabilities, and operational systems as regulatory requirements become more rigorous," said Sean Semple, director of the Department of Water and Sewer.
Residents with questions about Trenton Water Works, water quality, operations or its Capital Improvement Plan may contact Community Relations at (609) 989-3033.
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