Contamination of public drinking water with hazardous chemicals is at the center of a new federal lawsuit that seeks to hold several industrial property owners and operators responsible for the costs of cleanup and remediation. The legal action claims that chemicals known as PFAS and 1,4-Dioxane have entered groundwater wells serving thousands of residents, posing risks to human health and leading to significant financial burdens for the local water utility.
The Willingboro Municipal Utilities Authority filed its complaint on March 25, 2026, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against Methode Electronics Inc., Ursum Realty Inc., 148 Beverly Rancocas Rd LLC, Hi-Temp Specialty Metals Inc., Willing B. Wire Corporation, NJ Mero Realty Co LLC, and unnamed Doe Defendants. The authority alleges that these defendants are responsible for contaminating its drinking water system with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 1,4-Dioxane through their business operations at various facilities located within the area supplying public water.
According to the complaint, Willingboro’s municipal utility operates six groundwater wells that provide potable water to more than 35,000 people in Burlington County, New Jersey. The plaintiff asserts that both PFAS—sometimes called ‘forever chemicals’ due to their persistence—and 1,4-Dioxane were used or released by defendants during manufacturing processes or waste disposal activities. These substances allegedly migrated into soil and groundwater, ultimately impacting wells used for public consumption.
The filing outlines how PFAS compounds have been widely used in industrial applications such as electronics manufacturing, metal plating, wire drawing, specialty metals recycling, and chemical processing. The document states: “PFAS enter the environment…from industrial and commercial facilities that make or use PFAS or PFAS-containing materials.” It further notes that conventional drinking water treatment processes are ineffective at removing these contaminants once they enter the water supply.
Testing mandated by state and federal agencies revealed elevated levels of PFOS (a type of PFAS), PFOA (another type), as well as 1,4-Dioxane in multiple wells operated by WMUA. For example, one well tested at up to 67 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOS on August 3, 2022; another showed a concentration of .24 parts per billion (ppb) for 1,4-Dioxane on October 23, 2024. In response to regulatory notices about exceeding maximum contaminant levels set by New Jersey law—such as a running annual average of 15.5 ppt for PFOS—the authority took affected wells offline pending installation of advanced treatment systems.
The plaintiff argues that under both federal law—the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)—and state law—the New Jersey Spill Compensation and Control Act—defendants are liable for all past and future costs related to investigation, monitoring, abatement, remediation of contamination from their properties. “Defendants are jointly and severally responsible…for the events…that caused injuries and damages,” according to the complaint.
WMUA describes substantial expenditures already made or planned in order to comply with regulatory requirements and protect public health. These include a $5.27 million contract awarded in May 2022 for upgrades at Well 5A’s treatment plant after it was removed from service due to contamination; additional capital improvements across other wells are estimated at $20 million not including ongoing operation costs.
The lawsuit provides detailed accounts of each defendant’s alleged role in contributing hazardous substances to the environment:
– Methode Electronics is described as having operated printed circuit board manufacturing facilities where volatile organic compounds—including TCA (trichloroethane), TCE (trichloroethylene), heavy metals—and both PFAS/1,4-Dioxane were present or released through spills or waste handling practices documented since at least the late 1980s.
– Ursum Realty is identified as an owner during periods when hazardous substances were present at its site near municipal supply wells.
– Hi-Temp Specialty Metals is noted as a recycler using refractory metals like tungsten while also generating wastes containing regulated chemicals; it owned part of a facility implicated in releases.
– Willing B. Wire Corporation allegedly used lubricants containing PFAS in steel wire drawing operations; American Engraving & Machine Company is cited as another operator at this location engaged in electroplating using similar substances.
– NJ Mero Realty Co LLC is named as current owner/operator where historic releases continue migrating toward supply wells according to hydrogeological assessments conducted by state agencies.
The complaint requests compensatory damages sufficient to cover all necessary funds required “to compensate Plaintiff for costs of investigating, monitoring…remediating” contamination—including construction and maintenance of treatment equipment—as well as any other relief deemed appropriate by the court. It emphasizes that taxpayers should not bear these expenses: “Defendants…should bear all past, present, and future costs.”
Attorneys representing Willingboro Municipal Utilities Authority filed under case number C.A. No. 1:26-cv-03192; names of individual attorneys are not specified within this portion of the document.
