Water rates and charges for users of water from the water system
owned and operated by the Borough of Branchville shall be as follows:
A. Rate schedule, charges and fees:
(1) Rates for water usage:
[Amended 9-6-2023 by Ord. No. 05- 2023]
(a)
First 50,000 gallons of water per year: minimum of $65 per quarter.
(b)
All water in excess of 50,000 gallons of water per year: $3
per 1,000 gallons.
(2) Miscellaneous charges.
(a)
Shut-off charge or turn-on rates for nonpayment of water charges:
$45 per call between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday;
$60 all other times and on holidays, plus all out-of-pocket and third-party
charges incurred by Borough.
(b)
Charges for shut-offs related to leak potential, construction
at customer's premises, change in use or increase in water usage,
winterization or protection of premises/water supply from elements:
$45 per call between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday;
$60 all other times and on holidays, plus all out-of-pocket and third-party
charges incurred by Borough.
(c)
Charge for repair to frozen meters: $45 per call between 7:00
a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; $60 all other times and
on holidays, plus all out-of-pocket and third-party charges incurred
by Borough.
(d)
Installation and purchase of all meters after the first meter:
$45 per call between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday;
$60 all other times and on holidays, plus all out-of-pocket and third-party
charges incurred by Borough.
(e)
No new water installation will be made between November 30 and
April 1 if a road has to be opened.
(f)
Each owner of a rental apartment shall pay for each apartment
at the same rate that is charged for a single-family house. For example,
if there are five apartments, the quarterly fee will be $45 times
five, or $225. When there is a single service for more than one apartment,
the owner of the apartments will also be responsible for the cost
of water in excess of 50,000 gallon per year times the number of apartments,
at the rate of $2 per 1,000 gallons.
(g)
Interest at the rate equal to the interest rate on delinquent
real estate taxes will accrue on and must be paid for all water use
charges, of any type, and all connection fee charges of any type,
that are not paid within 30 days of billing. In addition, the user
will pay all counsel fees and court costs incurred by the Borough
for collection of any past-due charges or fees.
(3) Connection fees for initial connection.
(a)
Connection fees will be uniform with each class of users and
the amount of the connection fee will be equal to the actual cost
of the physical connection plus an amount computed in accordance with
N.J.S.A. 40A:31-11.
[1]
The portion of the connection fee to be computed in accordance
with N.J.S.A. 40A:31-11 will initially be as follows:
[a] Connection fees for connections to properties within
the Borough are $3,000 and include 5/8 inch by 3/4 inch meter.
[b] Connection fees for connections to properties outside
the Borough are $6,000 and include 5/8 inch by 3/4 inch meter and
added assessment if required by the Borough Council.
[2]
The portion of the connection fee computed in accordance with
N.J.S.A. 40A:31-11 shall be computed at the end of each budget year
after a public hearing is held and must be paid when application for
connection is made. The portion of the connection fee relating to
the actual cost incurred by the Borough for the connection will be
calculated after the connection is complete, and must be paid within
30 days of receipt of the bill from the Borough. The recomputed connection
fee will be imposed upon those who subsequently connect during that
budget year to the water system. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:31-11, the
intent of this chapter is to have each connection fee represent a
fair contribution towards the cost of the system. The connection fee
described in this section applies to the initial connection of a premises
to the Borough's water supply system.
(b)
The Borough will not perform, or be responsible for, any mark
outs, except for mark outs between the water main and the curb box.
(4) Additional charges for change in use of existing premises or increase
in use of water by existing premises.
(a)
For any increase in size of a preexisting water supply service
required for any reason, including, but not limited to, expansion
of existing premises, or change of use in existing premises, there
will be an upgrade fee when the new use requires a sprinkler system
or when any other aspect or component of service or materials will
be different from a normal, residential service in complexity, size,
shape, or expense. The upgrade fee for all such changes shall be set
by the Borough Council after review of the application for the change,
the plans and specifications for the proposed water service, and the
estimated third-party expenses of the Borough as well as the labor,
materials, and services to be provided by the Borough for the proposed
change.
B. The rate schedule shall be effective for the first quarter beginning
2017.
C. The approval
issued by the Borough for connection to the Borough water supply will
expire 52 weeks after the Borough's issuance of the approval letter.
Expired approvals will be subject to renewal for a period of 52 weeks
each; however, a new connection fee for each renewal must be paid
based upon the connection fee in effect when each renewal request
for water connection is received. If a connection fee was paid with
prior requests for a connection, the applicant must also pay, with
each renewal application, the difference between the connection fee
in effect when the renewal request is submitted and the total connection
fees paid with the prior requests.
[Added 5-4-2022 by Ord. No. 05-2022]
In the event that any meter is not read for the quarter for
any reason, billing shall be made on an estimated basis, and any additional
moneys due for water use will be billed after the reading of the meter.
Employees of the Water Department of the Borough of Branchville
are authorized to enter upon private property for the purpose of reading
water meters at any time during the hours of daylight, after first
making known to the occupant thereof their duties and intentions.
The provisions in the rate schedule for nonresidents are not to be construed as a commitment to provide water service for persons residing outside the Borough of Branchville. The Borough reserves the right to accept or reject, in its sole discretion, any request of a nonresident to connect to the Borough water supply. All applications for services outside the Borough of Branchville may be considered on an individual basis after reviewing the condition and capacity of the water system as well as the estimated water demand, present and future, of the residents of the Borough of Branchville. No approval for connection to any premises outside of the Borough will be given until the applicant provides written proof of consent and approval of the water supply connection from the municipality in which the applicant's premises is located, and the applicant establishes to the satisfaction of the Borough that the Borough will continue to have the same collection and lien rights and priorities against the premises as are stated in §
119-7 of this chapter. The Borough's approval of any connection for water supply to nonresidents shall be subject to such terms, conditions, agreements, and lien and collection rights as the Borough Council may determine in its sole discretion.
There is hereby established the position of Borough Water Utility
Collector for the Borough. The Water Utility Collector shall, prior
to his or her appointment, be qualified by training and experience
in municipal revenue collection methods and procedures. The Water
Utility Collector will be an "at will" employee who will serve at
the discretion of the Council.
A. The duties of the Water Utility Collector shall include, but not
be limited to:
(1) Compute and record water charges to consumer accounts from meter
readings and other information furnished by the Department of Public
Works according to the rates duly established by the Borough Council.
(2) Render bills for water and miscellaneous charges to consumers, receive
payments on account thereof, collect delinquent accounts, and report
the names of delinquent accounts which are more than two months past
due to the Mayor and Council.
(3) Maintain adequate books and records to record all charges, payments,
credits, and delinquencies in water and miscellaneous accounts. Provide
to the Mayor and Council, on a monthly basis, reports of all charges,
payments, credits, and delinquencies in water and miscellaneous accounts.
(4) Water Utility Collector shall make such periodic reports and accounting
of the funds collected and received and deposited for water and miscellaneous
accounts as the Mayor and Council may require and which reports and
accountings shall be viewed as a public record with the Municipal
Clerk.
(5) Perform such other duties as directed by the Mayor and Council. The
Water Utility Collector shall report directly to the Mayor and Council.
Nothing in this chapter shall create a contractual obligation of the
Borough or tenure rights in favor of the Water Utility Collector.
[Added 10-6-2021 by Ord. No. 07-2021]
A. All materials
used for the installation of service pipes and service connections
shall be in accordance with the following:
(1) Service
shall be not less than three-quarter-inch inside diameter copper tubing
meeting the requirements of ASTM Specification B88-49 Government Type
K, or larger as required. The tubing shall run from the curb stop
to the meter yoke.
B. This section
shall be enforced by the Construction Official of the Borough of Branchville.