Trenton Water Works Employee Indicted for Falsifying Water Quality Test Results

Cesar Lugo, 37, faces multiple charges for allegedly failing to collect water samples and submitting false records in violation of state and federal drinking water regulations.

NEW JERSEY — A former water sample collector for Trenton Water Works has been indicted for allegedly failing to perform required sampling and submitting falsified water quality data, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office announced.

“Everyone has a right to safe drinking water, and to know that the people charged with keeping their water supply safe are doing their job,” said Attorney General Platkin. “We will continue to actively investigate any allegations of official misconduct, particularly when the actions of public servants endanger the citizens of New Jersey.”

Cesar Lugo, 37, of Trenton, is facing two second-degree counts of official misconduct, along with additional charges including third-degree theft by deception, tampering with public records, and violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act, as well as one fourth-degree count of falsifying records. The indictment was issued following an investigation led by the Division of Criminal Justice’s Environmental Crimes Bureau.

According to the indictment, between October 1 and November 13, 2023, Lugo was responsible for collecting water samples on behalf of Trenton Water Works (TWW), the public water utility serving New Jersey’s capital and surrounding areas. During that time, Lugo allegedly submitted falsified chain-of-custody documentation and fabricated test results, despite failing to collect the required samples.

Authorities also allege that Lugo submitted time records indicating he performed his duties during the affected period, which entitled him to compensation, even though he had not fulfilled his job responsibilities. By doing so, he is accused of deceiving the utility and violating both state laws and environmental regulations meant to ensure public water safety.

“The Trenton Water Works is a public utility that provides water to 225,000 people in Trenton and the surrounding towns of Hamilton Township, Ewing Township, Lawrence Township and Hopewell Township in Mercer County,” said DCJ Director Theresa Hilton. “The people who work at the utility are public employees, supported by the money paid by its customers. It is unconscionable that this employee would allegedly take a paycheck knowing that he was not doing his work, and was, in fact, falsifying records that others were counting on to ensure water safety.”

The Safe Drinking Water Act mandates rigorous documentation and testing procedures to protect the integrity of New Jersey’s water supply. Water utilities are required to routinely monitor for contaminants and maintain accurate records to comply with both state and federal regulations.

The charges against Lugo are being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Dom Stockton-Rossini. If convicted, Lugo faces significant penalties: second-degree charges carry five to ten years in state prison and fines up to $150,000; third-degree charges carry three to five years and fines up to $15,000; and fourth-degree charges carry up to 18 months in prison and $10,000 in fines.

“Careful water sample collection and analysis are a critical part of ensuring that New Jerseyans receive reliably clean and safe drinking water from their public utilities,” said Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette. “Those who collect water samples provide a vital public service, but to allegedly falsify samples is to betray the public trust and could pose unacceptable risks to the public health. Thankfully, additional sampling data was being collected throughout the Trenton Water Works distribution system during the time these compliance sampling results were allegedly falsified. As a result, the Department of Environmental Protection does not believe that there was an immediate public health risk during the period that this individual allegedly falsified water sampling data.”

As with all criminal cases, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.