Trenton Water Works Employee Indicted for Falsifying Safety Reports

A Trenton Water Works employee has been indicted on charges including violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act after allegedly falsifying water safety reports affecting 225,000 Mercer County residents. Cesar Lugo, 37, of Trenton, faces multiple counts including second-degree official misconduct, third-degree theft by deception, third-degree records tampering, and fourth-degree falsifying records, according to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office as reported by New Jersey 101.5.

Prosecutors allege that Lugo, who worked as a water sample collector for the utility, failed to perform required testing for contaminants including disinfection byproducts, E. coli, and pH levels, then falsified documents claiming the tests showed the water was safe to drink. The indictment covers a six-week period from October 1 to November 13, 2023, though a December letter from the utility suggested sampling issues may have extended much longer, from October 2022 through December 2023.

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Widespread Impact on Regional Water Supply

Trenton Water Works serves approximately 225,000 people across multiple Mercer County municipalities, including Trenton, Hamilton, Ewing, Lawrence Township, and Hopewell. The utility is responsible for ensuring water quality meets federal and state standards for all customers in its service area.

“Water safety testing isn’t just a procedural formality—it’s an essential public health safeguard,” explained Dr. Elena Rodriguez, environmental health specialist at Rider University. “When testing protocols are compromised, it removes critical early warning systems that protect communities from potential contamination events,” Rodriguez told The Trenton Monitor in their investigative report on regional water safety.

According to the indictment, Lugo not only failed to conduct required tests but took the additional step of falsifying documents indicating the tests had been performed with satisfactory results. He also allegedly submitted fraudulent timesheets claiming payment for work hours during which the testing was supposedly conducted.

Call for Structural Changes at Utility

The incident has intensified existing debates about Trenton Water Works’ management and oversight. Several officials from towns served by the utility have called for significant changes, including a potential state takeover of operations.

Hopewell Township Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning renewed previous calls for state intervention following the revelations. “This latest incident further demonstrates that Trenton Water Works needs comprehensive structural reform to properly fulfill its public health responsibilities,” Peters-Manning said in a statement following the indictment announcement.

Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin echoed these concerns, stating that residents could no longer trust the City of Trenton to manage the utility effectively. Both officials represent communities where residents depend on Trenton Water Works for their drinking water but have no direct oversight of its operations.

The calls for reform have gained additional support from New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection officials, who noted that the incident revealed potential systemic issues beyond a single employee’s actions. “Proper quality control systems should have identified sampling irregularities much earlier in the process,” according to the department’s preliminary assessment.

City Pushes Back Against External Control

In response to the growing calls for a state takeover, Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora issued a statement defending the city’s continued control of the utility while acknowledging the seriousness of the situation. While describing the incident as “extremely bad” and “embarrassing” for the utility, Gusciora maintained that local governance remains the appropriate approach.

“The governance of TWW rests on the residents, expressed through their elected City Council, and any decision about its future should not be made by decree or lawsuit,” Gusciora said on Monday. “Trenton Water Works is more than pipes and pumps—it is part of Trenton’s identity and it is our responsibility to decide its future.”

The mayor’s statement emphasized that the city had taken appropriate action by terminating Lugo’s employment and cooperating with the investigation. It also referenced ongoing infrastructure improvements and management changes designed to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Next Steps in Legal Process

Following the indictment, legal proceedings against Lugo will move forward through the court system. The most serious charges—second-degree official misconduct—carry potential sentences of five to ten years in state prison if convicted.

The Attorney General’s Office indicated that its investigation is ongoing and may expand to examine supervisory practices and quality control measures at the utility. “This case raises serious questions about oversight and accountability systems that should have prevented or at least quickly identified such fundamental testing failures,” noted a spokesperson for the office.

Meanwhile, Trenton Water Works has implemented emergency protocols to verify current water quality across its service area. The utility reports that all recent testing shows water quality meets or exceeds required standards, though customer confidence has been shaken by the revelations about historical testing failures.

For residents concerned about their water quality, the utility has established a dedicated hotline to answer questions and has increased the frequency and transparency of its water quality reporting during this period of heightened scrutiny.

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