Residents press Lambertville council over tainted well water; council to contact state DEP and post updates

Residents from the hill neighborhoods told the Lambertville City Council they continue to experience tainted tap water and are seeking immediate state action and clearer municipal support.

"Our water smells like rotten eggs," Bridget Coleman (41 Hancock St.) told the council, describing repeated failures of filtration systems and an ongoing odor problem. Residents said the state and vendors have exchanged blame in prior exchanges and urged the city to press the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the governor’s office for a definitive resolution.

Council members and staff said the county has already sent correspondence to state officials and that the city can add to the pressure. The mayor asked staff to draft a letter to the DEP commissioner and circulate it for signatures and to post current correspondence and updates to the city’s health and safety page to keep residents informed.

The council also discussed making a central repository on the city website for updates and correspondence about the contamination and noted that county and other municipal contacts have been engaged. Staff said letters and DEP responses already received will be posted to the city website and that the city will follow up with the commissioner’s office.

What residents asked for: immediate state intervention to resolve water quality and filtration failures, a clear remediation timeline, and more transparent, regularly updated communication from the city and state agencies. The council agreed to pursue a signed letter and to improve public posting of status updates.