New water renewal director outlines DEQ consent‑order work, ammonia compliance plan and staffing shortfalls

Matt Elling House, director of water renewal, told the Hopewell City Council that his new office is moving to address years of deferred maintenance, comply with more stringent permit limits and finish capital upgrades tied to a recent DEQ consent order.

House said the department is conducting an ammonia evaluation and preparing studies that will form a compliance schedule the city can submit to extend its timetable for meeting the stricter standard. "PEQ is providing us the ability to extend that compliance schedule with a couple of studies and some sort of detailed plan," he said, and added that the Q plan is due at the end of this year.

House outlined recent capital work that has already been completed — including replacement of electrical switch gear, rehabilitation of a fine screen and installation of a new continuous emissions monitoring system at the incinerator — and listed ongoing projects such as gravity thickener and clarifier rebuilds, pump‑station upgrades and PLC replacement. He said many of the items are tied to the consent order and that the order was at public notice as of the council brief: "it's currently at public notice that will come out April 8th," he said, and he is "anticipating that becoming finalized in mid‑April," at which point the consent order timelines for equipment and work begin.

On compliance specifics, House described the change in total nitrogen limits as substantial, saying the current referenced limit "is like 15 ... and this is ultimately going to take it down to approximately three," a reduction he said will affect both municipal and industrial contributors. He said staff will examine every funding opportunity, including grants administered through DEQ, but that eligibility for additional state water quality grants will require further review.

House also reported staffing shortages at the utility: of 56 full‑time positions allocated, about 10 were vacant. "We are going through some interviews; hope we can get some of those filled," he said, noting that recruiting for water and wastewater utility workers is a regional and national challenge.

Council members pressed for details on billing and intergovernmental participation as the city considers a fourth supplement to a facility agreement; House said he had not yet reviewed partner billing calculations in his first three weeks on the job but would do so. He also said certain charter changes tied to the facility agreement would not take effect until after July 1.

The council heard praise for the utility team’s work and for coordination with DEQ, and members said they would continue to monitor progress as permit and consent‑order deadlines approach.

What happens next: House said the department will return with more detailed plans and scheduling as studies conclude and the consent order is finalized.