PVWC REORGANIZES BOARD, DEB RIZZI NAMED PRESIDENT

Published on January 27, 2026

(Clifton, N.J. – January 23, 2026) – Passaic Valley Water Commission (PVWC) reorganized its Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, with the appointments of Deb Rizzi (Clifton) as President, Carmen DePadua (Paterson) as Vice-President, Ron Van Rensalier (Passaic) as Treasurer, and Ruby N. Cotton (Paterson) as Secretary.

Commissioner Jeff Levine (Paterson) has been reappointed to the board for another four-year term by Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh. Commissioners Gerald Friend (Clifton) and Rigoberto “Rigo” Sanchez (Passaic) will also continue to serve this year.

Executive Director Jim Mueller presented Commissioner Sanchez with a commemorative plaque, recognizing his 2025 presidency, followed by a presentation of Mr. Mueller’s 2025 year-in review. Mr. Mueller highlighted that PVWC has launched an aggressive capital program to address one of the oldest water distribution systems in the country. This program has accelerated significantly and is now entering a construction-intensive phase that will define the next five to ten years. In parallel, PVWC is investing strategically in treatment plant process upgrades and advancing its first major conversion of an open-air drinking water reservoir—the Levine Reservoir in Paterson—into covered storage. These efforts represent tangible progress toward improving water quality, system resilience, and regulatory compliance.

About PVWC’s Board of Commissioners

Passaic Valley Water Commission’s board consists of seven (7) commissioners appointed by the mayors of Paterson, Passaic, and Clifton. Commissioners are responsible for setting policy and voting on matters such as budgets, capital projects and hiring qualified staff as part of PVWC’s succession planning.

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