Perth Amboy Community Activists Submit Recall Notice of Mayor Wilda Diaz
Perth Amboy Community Activists Submit Recall Notice of Mayor Wilda Diaz
Perth Amboy, NJ — A day after the Primary Elections, three Perth Amboy community activists submit a
notice of intention to recall elected official Wilda Diaz from the office of Mayor. The recall notice was filed with the City of Perth Amboy Clerkʼs office this afternoon. What sparked the recall was recent news
received by many city residents that they have been exposed to dangerous contaminants in their drinking water. The Cityʼs municipal drinking water is managed by a share partnership between the municipality, and a firm called Middlesex Water Company, in which a subsidiary firm, USA-PA operates and manages the Cityʼs drinking water. This initial public and private water partnership started during the term of office of previous Mayor Joseph Vas, and has been continued under the term of office of current Mayor Wilda Diaz.
Similar to a notice sent to Flint, Michigan residents, which faced a water crisis, Perth Amboy residents
received a notice that TTHMs are in their drinking water. Further, at a presentation conducted by the
EPA at the City Hall Council Chambers on May 22nd, residents were informed that three of the Cityʼs
water wells have been contaminated by plumes of 1-4 Dioxane. The EPA presentation held on May 22nd
was an informal public presentation which highlighted the clean up of a contaminated Super Fund CPS/
Madison site, which is currently on a National Priorities List (NPL) and located in Old Bridge, NJ. The
Runyon Watershed which holds the Cityʼs water wells is located down-gradient to the contaminated
Superfund site. The official EPA public meeting was previously held on May 8, 2019 at the Old Bridge
Municipal Complex.
“It is unconscionable to hear that our water utility has been mixing clean water with contaminated water
and serving that water to the Perth Amboy public,” said Sharon Hubberman, a Perth Amboy Resident,
Community Advocate, and Former Perth Amboy Mayoral Candidate, “Listening to this news at our last
council meeting was not only disconcerting, but it troubles me deeply that our residents have been
exposed to such dangerous toxins in our drinking water. Clean water is a fundamental right, and we must safeguard it and be good stewards of it, because without it, we can not have life. We must put our Perth Amboy Residents First and we want Clean Water NOW.”
Miss Hubberman joins Maria Rodriguez, a retired business owner and Former Perth Amboy Board of
Education Candidate, and Jesus Varela, a community activist, and Former Assembly candidate, in the
Committee to Recall Wilda Diaz from the office of Mayor. “We must take action Now to prevent further
harm to our people,” said Jesus Varela, “Our children deserve better.”
“Someone has to watch out for us,” said Maria Rodriguez, “There is no transparency regarding our
drinking water because the City does not hold monthly public meetings regarding our water. A lot of our
residentsʼ concerns have been ignored by Mayor Wilda Diaz, and any issue regarding our water is a
serious matter.”
Once the notice of intention to recall Diaz is approved, the committee will be collecting petition signatures from City Residents over a period of 160 days.
