The basics:

• Gordon’s Corner Water acquisition adds 15,300 water customers in Monmouth County
• NJ American Water will invest $25M in system upgrades in next 5 years
• 20 Gordon’s Corner employees join the utility
• Deal marks company’s 11th acquisition in 5 years

New Jersey American Water completed its acquisition of Gordon’s Corner Water Co., the Camden-based utility announced July 27. 

The deal adds approximately 15,300 water customer connections in Marlboro, Manalapan and Colts Neck townships to the company’s service area.  

Twenty Gordon’s Corner employees have also joined the NJ American Water team. When the deal was announced in October 2025, the utility said it would offer positions to those workers. 

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved the sale July 15. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

As part of the agreement, NJ American Water will invest more than $25 million in infrastructure improvements to the system within the first five years of ownership. That includes upgrading aging customer meters, fire hydrants and water mains. 

The company will also rehabilitate the water tank on Holiday Road in Manalapan and make several treatment and security improvements to the system. 

No disruptions on the horizon

When the sale was announced last fall, a NJ American Water representative told NJBIZ that there were “no anticipated changes to customer service or rates as a result of this transaction.” 

“This acquisition strengthens water service reliability in Monmouth County while providing customers with the benefits of being part of a larger water utility dedicated to safety, quality and affordability,” NJ American Water President Mark McDonough said in a statement. 

David Ern, former president of Gordon’s Corner Water Co., said the company’s priority through the sale “has been ensuring a seamless transition for the customers and communities we serve.” 

It was not immediately clear what Ern’s role will be with the new owner. According to his LinkedIn profile, Ern has led Gordon’s Corner since 1996.

The Gordon’s Corner sale is NJ American Water’s 11th acquisition in the past five years. The deals have added more than 40,500 new water and wastewater customers to the company’s service area. 

Other New Jersey American Water acquisitions:

• June 2026: Hopewell Borough – water system $6.4 million
  • On July 28, NJ American Water announced an initial $1.8 million investment in water infrastructure improvements in the community. The work will affect West Broad Street between Louellen Street and Windsor Way. Find out more here.
• June 2026: Montague Township – utility systems part of parent company American Water’s $315 million acquisition of systems across eight states from Nexus Regulated Utilities LLC
• October 2025: South Orange – water system $19.7 million
• November 2024: Borough of Manville – wastewater system $6.5 million
• June 2024: City of Salem – water and wastewater systems $18 million
• October 2023: Borough of Somerville – wastewater collection system $7 million
  
• June 2023: Egg Harbor City – water and sewer system $21.8 million, via the state’s Water Infrastructure Protection Act
• February 2022: Bound Brook – wastewater collection system $5 million
• October 2020: Long Hill Township – sewage and water treatment system $12.7 million
• January 2019: Mount Ephraim – wastewater assets $1.4 million

Joining forces

NJ American Water is a subsidiary of American Water. In April, the parent company received the first regulatory approval for its proposed merger with Pennsylvania-based Essential Utilities Inc. The green light from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio followed in May and Virginia State Corporation Commission in June. 

The transaction would create a leading regulated U.S. water and wastewater public utility with a pro forma market capitalization of approximately $40 billion and a combined enterprise value of approximately $63 billion, based on closing stock prices as of Oct. 24, 2025.