Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Everyone wants confidence that their drinking water will be safe, reliable, and affordable for years to come. That starts with strong leadership and responsible stewardship. For decades, Trenton Water Works under the City of Trenton has struggled to maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, despite continued financial investment and support from the State of New Jersey. The persistence of these challenges points to the need for evaluation of the City’s technical, managerial, and financial capacity to successfully manage Trenton Water Works. Rather than short term fixes, the Water Forward study is evaluating governance options to transform this water system for more than 220,000 people across Trenton, Hamilton, Ewing, Lawrence, and Hopewell that rely on it every day.

Governance is how decisions are made, who makes them, and how the water system is overseen to ensure reliable service and accountability to the communities that depend on it.  For Trenton Water Works, governance is currently under the sole jurisdiction of the City of Trenton. The Water Forward study is evaluating the current structure along with other governance and operating structures to determine what will best serve the communities that rely on the water system across the region.

The Water Forward study is comparing Status Quo to other governance models, including:MUA – Municipal Utilities AuthoritySPE – Special Purpose EntityIOU – Investor-Owned UtilityThe goal is to understand the strengths, challenges, and long-term implications of each option.

Yes, community water systems are a source of local pride, and the people who depend on that drinking water deserve to be heard.  While technical, financial, and operational data will play an important role, Water Forward will also engage residents, customers, community organizations, local leaders, and others to gather perspectives, priorities, and concerns. Good decisions require both facts and local perspectives. By listening to the community while reviewing technical data, the study will help identify options that reflect both local priorities and long-term system needs.

No, Water Forward is an evaluation process. There are no pre-determined outcomes, and no decisions have been made. The purpose of the study is to gather information, evaluate options, and provide a recommendation.

No. Residents and businesses will continue receiving water service while the study is conducted.

The study was established by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to ensure that the future of the water system is shaped by the communities it serves. To bring local perspectives into the process, the mayors of Trenton, Ewing, Hamilton, Hopewell, and Lawrence Townships serve on an Executive Steering Committee to receive updates on the study's findings, share community insights, and provide input on potential options for the future. The study team is led by Hazen and Sawyer, a nationally recognized water consulting firm, to examine governance, finances, infrastructure, operations, and community priorities. Just as important, the study is seeking input from residents, customers, local organizations, and other stakeholders across the region. By combining technical expertise with local knowledge and community perspectives, the study aims to identify the best path forward for providing safe, reliable drinking water for generations to come.

Governance and Operational ModelsFinancial sustainabilityInfrastructure needsOperational performanceRegulatory complianceCustomer service

Like many water systems across the country, Trenton Water Works faces pressures such as aging infrastructure, workforce shortages, rising costs, and an increase in regulatory requirements. Most recently, Trenton Water Works has struggled with many serious challenges to water supply and water quality, including as examples, infrastructure failures, insufficient community emergency notifications, identified single points of failure for critical infrastructure, water quality regulatory compliance including detections of Legionella Water Forward is taking a close look at whether a different governance or operating structure could help address these issues, strengthen accountability, and better position the water system to provide safe, reliable, and affordable service for the long term.

No. This is a study process, not a decision-making process. Multiple options will be evaluated, and community input will play an important role in helping shape the recommendation that will be made. No final decisions have been made regarding the future structure of the water system.

For many years, state agencies, local leaders, and utility professionals have worked to address challenges facing Trenton Water Works. While progress has been made, significant operational, infrastructure, governance, and financial issues remain. This study represents an opportunity to identify a sustainable, long-term solution that protects public health and ensures reliable water service for future generations.

There is broad agreement that continuing “business as usual” is not in the best interest of the community that Trenton Water Works serves.  The study was initiated because ongoing challenges have persisted despite years of technical support, oversight, funding assistance, and improvement efforts. The purpose of the study is to look at the current structure, as well as other models, and determine whether a different approach could better support long-term reliability, accountability, and sustainability.

Yes. Community engagement is a central part of the study. All five municipalities have a seat at the table as part of the Executive Steering Committee.  In addition, community presentations, listening events, information sharing, a survey, and other opportunities will be available across the Trenton Water Works service area in the coming months.  Public input will help inform the evaluation of potential solutions. Sign up for updates.

Many past studies focused on specific operational or financial challenges facing Trenton Water Works. Water Forward is different because it's taking a deeper look at the underlying issues that have made those challenges difficult to solve over the long term.  Ultimately, Water Forward is about more than creating another report. It's about identifying the potential governance structure and operating model that can support both the technical needs of the system and the priorities of the communities that depend on it every day.

Many households are already feeling the impact of rising costs and paying utility bills can be a challenge for some families, so affordability is a key part of the Water Forward study. Any potential changes will be evaluated with an understanding that access to safe, reliable drinking water must remain affordable for the people and communities served by the system.  The study will examine how different options could affect long-term costs, while balancing the need to maintain infrastructure, meet regulatory requirements, and provide reliable service.

The ultimate goal is to identify a path forward that delivers what every customer expects and deserves: safe, reliable, and affordable drinking water, now and for future generations.

The study will provide findings and a recommendation to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to coordinate next steps with local and state leaders. The path to implementation will depend in large part on the recommended solution, but  any recommendations will require additional discussion and action by key decision makers.

Residents and customers will have opportunities to learn more about the study, attend public discussions, ask questions, and provide feedback throughout the process. The project website is the primary resource for updates, meeting information, and study materials which will be shared as they become available. Sign up for updates.