Aqua New Jersey has officially finalized its $113,000 acquisition of the water system assets from the Lake Tamarack Water Corporation, expanding its footprint in Sussex County.
Approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJ BPU) on Sept. 9, the purchase brings regulated, professional utility management to approximately 255 customers in the Lake Tamarack section of Hardyston Township.
To bring the local infrastructure up to modern standards, Aqua New Jersey has committed to investing roughly $1.4 million into the Sussex County system over the next several years. The planned capital improvements will focus on strengthening water lines, enhancing operational reliability, and meeting stringent state and federal environmental, regulatory, and cybersecurity mandates.
New customers will also gain access to enhanced Garden State-based customer support, as well as Aqua’s digital ePortal and mobile app for tracking daily usage and managing utility bills.
“Residents of Lake Tamarack will now be able to benefit from a level of service, resources, and responsiveness that was not available to them before,” Aqua New Jersey President Natalie Chesko, said. “Our team of dedicated employees is committed to providing safe, reliable drinking water, and we look forward to serving this community for years to come.”
Christopher Franklin, chairman and CEO of Aqua’s parent company, Essential Utilities, added, “We are well positioned to make much needed improvements to this system in order to ensure the highest-quality drinking water service. We are happy to welcome the Lake Tamarack community to the Essential family.”
Anne-Marie Wilhelm, president of Lake Tamarack Water Corporation, expressed strong confidence in handing over operations to the New Jersey-based utility provider.
“We’re excited about this sale and confident in Aqua New Jersey’s ability to deliver high-quality water service,” Wilhelm said. “Aqua’s level of service has been outstanding throughout this process. They have treated our community with respect, provided outstanding support, and demonstrated the expertise and resources needed to modernize our system and ensure a smooth transition.”
Local residents can expect to receive direct mailings and communications from Aqua New Jersey in the coming days detailing service schedules, account setup instructions, and customer contact procedures.
