New Water And Sewer Director Hired In Edison

EDISON, NJ — A new water and sewer utility director with previous experience at newly established utilities has been hired in Edison.

Robert J. Smith of Newton, will start work in the township on Monday. He has a state-issued W-3 operator’s license. His duties will include managing the utility's day-to-day operation and supervising maintenance for the municipal water and sewer systems.

"Mr. Smith has 27 years of public and private sector experience in water distribution and
wastewater collection and treatment," Mayor Thomas Lankey said. "He possesses the professional administrative, managerial and budgetary credentials that our Township needs to provide quality service to our residential and commercial water and sewer customers."

Smith has experience at the helm of a newly-created utility in a large municipality. Before coming to Edison, Smith was the superintendent for Hoboken's newly-created city water utility and, was director of Sayreville’s water and sewer utilities.

Edison's water has been managed in south Edison by American Water Co. for the past 22 years. Edison officials had looked towards Suez to take over when the contract ends at the end of December, but voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum to keep water in public control. Edison's water system has always been publicly owned.

Smith's hiring comes after the Township Council voted to approve a $15 million bond to cover start-up costs associated with the utility, including buying equipment, tools, vehicles, water meters, computers and software.