HANOVER TOWNSHIP — The Township of Hanover has issued a strong statement opposing a proposal by the Southeast Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority (SMCMUA) that would place the financial burden of replacing lead and galvanized service lines on individual property owners.
Mayor Thomas “Ace” Gallagher made it clear that the Township disagrees with the Authority’s position, arguing that the responsibility should remain with the entity that operates the water system.
According to the statement, SMCMUA collects rates from all customers and is responsible for delivering safe drinking water. Township officials contend that the cost of maintaining and upgrading that system, including replacing hazardous lead and galvanized lines, should be covered by the Authority rather than passed down to residents.
The Township further noted that state law allows utilities to structure replacement programs without charging individual homeowners, and that many water systems across New Jersey, including both investor-owned and municipal utilities, have already done so successfully.
Officials also pushed back on claims that covering the full cost would be legally or financially impractical, stating that comparable systems have demonstrated otherwise.
The Township is encouraging residents who share these concerns to contact the SMCMUA directly via email at [email protected] or by calling (973) 326-6880.
Hanover officials emphasized they will continue advocating for residents and pursuing all available channels to ensure the Authority assumes responsibility for the replacements.
