Veolia Water NJ To Buy Manalapan Water System For $4M

MANALAPAN, NJ — Veolia Water NJ is set to purchase the Manalapan Water System for $4 million after residents approved the sale on Nov. 5.

Veolia, which already manages the water system supporting 18% of Manalapan homes, will officially purchase the system in order to perform necessary repairs and improvements.

According to Veolia officials, the company plans to improve the essential infrastructure of the water system over the next 10 years by replacing aging pipes, constructing a new water treatment plant and repairing water tanks.

Their goal is to “improve service quality, reliability and sustainability" of local water infrastructure "for years to come.”

“We are honored by the trust the residents of Manalapan have placed in us,” Alan Weland, the regional president of Veolia Water NJ, said. “This acquisition is an exciting opportunity for us and we are eager to make improvements that will serve this community.”

Manalapan Township first hosted an information session about the water sale over the summer.

During the session, Mayor Mary Ann Musich and Township Administrator Tara Lovrich were able to explain why the town was proposing the sale and address concerns from residents, who voiced worries about the price of Veolia’s bid and questioned why water system improvements were only being done now.

According to Musich, selling the water system became necessary to ensure the completion of needed system improvements and repairs. If the town didn’t sell the water system, Musich said they would have to bond for $20 million to complete them, which would result in residents having to pay for improvements as well.

“If we don’t sell the water utility and we end up keeping it, all the improvements that have to be done — probably $20M plus — we would have to bond for,” Musich said. “So everybody in the town will then have to pay for that.”

Read: The Manalapan Water Sale: What You Need To Know

According to Veolia officials, the water system sale is set to be complete next year. Once the sale goes through, the company plans to implement “necessary upgrades and improvements” to benefit Manalapan residents.

“I want to thank the Township Committee and voters for approving the sale as the best way forward for the community,” Weland said.

Related

• The Manalapan Water Sale: What You Need To Know
• Manalapan Votes On Water Sale, Board Of Ed: Unofficial Results