Hopewell Borough can now use the Water Infrastructure Protection Act (WIPA) process for the potential sale of the borough’s water system after receiving approval from the New Jersey Department of Enviornmental Protection (NJDEP).
On June 13, the NJDEP approved Hopewell Borough’s emergent conditions certification under WIPA.
Hopewell Borough only needed to meet one of five emergent conditions to proceed with the WIPA process on a potential sale. In the state agency notice to the borough, NJDEP said the borough had sufficiently demonstrated the existent of emergent condition No. 3.
NJDEP identifies emergent condition No. 3 as “the present deficiency or violation of the maximum containment levels established pursuant to the Safe Water Drinking Act concerning the availability or potability of water, or concerning provision of water at adequate volume of pressure.”
WIPA authorizes certain owners of water or wastewater systems to enter into a long-term lease contract or sell their water or wastewater assets to a private or public entity.
To qualify for the WIPA process, a municipality such as Hopewell Borough must qualify for one of five emergent conditions.
With the public notice released, residents have 45 days or on or before Aug. 5 to petition Hopewell Borough to require a public referendum before a sale under the WIPA process takes place.
The borough would have to place the referendum question on the sale of the water system for vote during the Nov. 5 general election if a petition protests the sale.
The petition would need at least 121 signatures from borough voters. If there is no petition filed, then a referendum will not take place during the November election and the borough can proceed with the sale of the water system.
Borough officials have already held one public meeting on the potential sale of the borough’s water system. It is also an item on the Borough Council agenda for updates, questions and further discussion. Officials have committed to extensive public meetings and input on the process.
The Borough Council this year had to approve increases to water and sewer rates to cover the 2023 water department budget, which was over budget due to leaks and other costs such as the systemwide water detection system and also the 2024 water budget.
More information on the Borough water system and potential sale can be found on the borough website at www.hopewellboro-nj.us.
