Hamilton wastewater utility proposes smaller operating budget, $12.4 million in capital for 2025

Carrie, speaking for the Hamilton Department of Water Pollution Control, presented the utility's 2025 budget to the Hamilton Township Council and outlined capital priorities she said are needed to protect public health and the environment.

The department proposed total operating expenses of $24,800,000 and capital projects totaling $12,400,000 for 2025. Carrie told the council the utility processes roughly 7,100,000 gallons per day of wastewater and serves “over a 100,000 residents between Hamilton and Robbinsville.” She warned that many parts of the plant are more than 85 years old and that staffing shortages and aging infrastructure are the department’s top challenges.

The budget presentation singled out two near-term priorities. First, the department is replacing aging rotating biological contactors (RBCs) that perform a core step of the plant’s biological treatment. Carrie said the plant has 48 RBCs; six were replaced in 2024 and the remaining units are slated to be replaced over the…