Aqua New Jersey, a subsidiary of . (NYSE: WTRG), has completed its $113,000 acquisition of the Lake Tamarack Water Corporation’s water system assets in Sussex County, New Jersey.
The acquisition adds approximately 255 customers in the Lake Tamarack community of Hardyston Township to Aqua New Jersey’s service territory.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved the transaction on September 9, 2026.
Following the acquisition, Aqua New Jersey plans to invest approximately $1.4 million over the next several years to modernize the water system and improve service reliability.
The planned improvements will focus on strengthening existing water infrastructure, upgrading system operations and addressing regulatory, environmental and cybersecurity requirements.
Christopher Franklin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Essential Utilities, said the acquisition will allow the company to address infrastructure needs within the Lake Tamarack system.
“We are well positioned to make much needed improvements to this system in order to ensure the highest-quality drinking water service,” Franklin said.
The transaction also brings Lake Tamarack customers onto Aqua New Jersey’s customer service platform, providing access to online billing, water usage information and account management tools through the company’s ePortal and mobile application.
Natalie Chesko, President of Aqua New Jersey, said the company intends to improve the system’s operational capabilities while providing additional customer support resources.
“Residents of Lake Tamarack will now be able to benefit from a level of service, resources, and responsiveness that was not available to them before,” Chesko said.
The acquisition transfers ownership of the community’s water system from Lake Tamarack Water Corporation to Aqua New Jersey, which operates water infrastructure across multiple counties in the state.
Anne-Marie Wilhelm, President of Lake Tamarack Water Corporation, said the transaction will provide the community with access to the technical expertise and financial resources needed to modernize its water infrastructure.
She also credited Aqua New Jersey for its support throughout the acquisition process and its efforts to ensure a smooth transition for customers.
As part of the ownership change, Aqua New Jersey will communicate directly with Lake Tamarack residents regarding service schedules, operating procedures and customer account information.
The acquisition represents an expansion of Aqua New Jersey’s existing water utility operations and adds a smaller community system to its regional infrastructure network.
Aqua New Jersey currently serves approximately 195,000 people across 11 counties throughout the state.
Its parent company, Essential Utilities, provides water, wastewater and natural gas services through its Aqua and Peoples brands.
Essential Utilities serves approximately 5.5 million people across nine states and is among the larger publicly traded water, wastewater and natural gas utility providers in the United States.
The Lake Tamarack acquisition combines a relatively small purchase price with a larger planned capital investment aimed at improving the system’s long-term infrastructure and operating performance.
Aqua New Jersey expects to carry out the $1.4 million improvement program over the coming years while integrating the community into its existing utility operations.