By Cory Booker

Newark’s water and sewer systems are in crisis. Political convenience compelled past leaders to avoid the problem, passing it forward to later generations while the crisis grew worse. Whatever the politics, this generation of Newarkers must unite and solve this problem now. We have a decades-in-the-making, half-billion-dollar problem to address, as has been clearly substantiated by experts, academics and independent reports.

Whatever the political consequences, I won’t let go of what some people call Newark’s third rail political issue until we agree on a solution.

Failure to reform our water system would mean constrained development, the city unable to obtain state permits for certain new buildings both in our downtown and our neighborhoods. It would mean fire safety concerns, as water pressure couldn’t keep up with hydrant and fire sprinkler needs. It would mean the inefficient use of funds to put Band-Aids on fundamentally crumbling systems, which would spell higher rates with less effect.

It would mean more flooding and the associated traffic jams. It would mean continued sewage backups into homes and businesses. It would mean more environmental harm and inefficiencies, since an estimated 30 percent of our water already leaks from the system or is otherwise unaccounted for. And it would mean inadequate investment to ensure that Newark’s systems can continue to safely deliver water to residents and handle wastewater demands.

RELATED COVERAGE:

• Battle over Newark water agency continues to flow

• Nonprofit agency in charge of Newark water votes to separate from city

• Newark City Council nixes Mayor Cory Booker's water plan

• Director pushes Newark leaders to form water authority

• Newark City Council grants residents vote over MUA issue

• N.J.'s Local Finance Board approves Newark application for municipal utilities authority

• Newark City Council grills water, sewer officials at heated budget hearing

• Newark City Council approves municipal utilities authority application

As I said seven months ago in my State of the City Address, I am wedded to an outcome, but not the pathway there. I have presented specific options, options I believe present the best way forward for our city. But I am open to any alternative that meets basic threshold requirements.

All I demand is that:

• The systems remain public; I will never support privatization of our water system;

• The water system’s governance must be controlled by the people of Newark;

• The solution provides for adequate bonding capacity and does not issue debt in a way that places undue burden on the back of residential taxpayers; and

• We must commit to the substantial investments necessary to fix this problem, not through the next political cycle, but for our children and the generations of Newarkers who will follow.

Over the last three years, we have seen a passion in debate that has matched the seriousness of this crisis. But we have had too much demagoguery and too many distortions to engage in the deliberative discussion and determined problem-solving we need.

We must act now because 37 years of inaction on recommendations put forth in a 1975 engineering report has meant that the intersection of Meeker Avenue and Noble Street, and the Frelinghuysen Avenue corridor continue to flood.

We must act now because of several expensive environmental mandates, including the required capping of Newark’s Cedar Grove Reservoir, with an estimated price tag of $40 million to $100 million and daily fines looming should we not find this funding.

nj.com-phone-app-pic3.jpg

STAY CONNECTED 24/7

Download our

free NJ.com mobile and tablet apps

to keep up with the latest New Jersey news, sports and entertainment.

We must act now because, over Labor Day and again just two weekends ago, Marian King stood in her basement on Bayard Place, attempting to salvage belongings from a sewage backup.

These examples represent only a sliver of an unacceptable status quo.

Allow me to offer the first outstretched hand to refocus on productive discussion. While the city’s water and sewer assets can provide much-needed stability for our overall city budget, which is nearing structural balance after years of structural deficit, I will no longer insist that a solution immediately, or with certainty, provide revenue for the city’s general operating fund.

My office, the municipal council, the Newark Water Group and others can and must decide to come together, work collaboratively and find real solutions to this crisis. We cannot continue to fight when we all, at least fundamentally, agree on what must be done to save our water. Let this generation of Newarkers rise to the challenge before us and solve this problem, so that future generations don’t have to.

Cory Booker is mayor of Newark.