[Amended 4-7-2000; 4-13-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-4; 10-25-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-19]
A. 
The owner of each property connected to the sewer system owned, operated and/or maintained by the Warren County (Pequest River) Municipal Utilities Authority and/or White Township shall pay to the Township an annual user assessment.
B. 
Annual user assessment. The annual user assessment shall be established by resolution of the governing body in January based on actual sewage flows during the prior year, on the wholesale rates charged by the (PRMUA), and on the municipal maintenance, and administration fees set forth in § 235-38D. Said user assessment will be paid in quarterly installments on the first day of the last month of each quarter, except that the Township Committee may, by resolution, provide for grace periods in its and discretion and upon such terms that it deems advisable. The user assessment for newly constructed dwellings or for other buildings using the municipal sewer system shall be due and payable on the first day of the month after the issuance of certificate of occupancy. The Township Committee shall have the authority to require that notice and an opportunity to be heard shall be provided to the public in connection with the establishment of the annual user assessment.
C. 
The annual user fee to be assessed the various users of the system shall be as follows:
(1) 
For single-family dwellings, condominiums, apartments and mobile homes, except as set forth in Subsection C(4), the annual user assessment for each dwelling, condominium, apartment, and mobile home shall be calculated based on the total annual metered flow of wastewater from the development in which the said residence is located, as certified by the PRMUA, times the rate charged the Township by the PRMUA for each 1,000 gallons wastewater treated by the said utility, plus the municipal maintenance and administration fees set forth in § 235-38D, divided by the number of residential units in the development.
(2) 
For commercial buildings the annual user assessment shall be calculated based on the total annual metered flow of wastewater from the said building, as certified by the PRMUA, times the rate charged the Township by the PRMUA for each 1,000 gallons of wastewater treated by the said utility, plus the municipal maintenance and administration fees set forth in § 235-38D.
(3) 
For institutional buildings such as, but not limited to, schools, hospitals, medical offices, nursing homes and congregate care facilities, the annual user assessment shall be calculated based on the total annual metered flow of wastewater from the said building, as certified by the PRMUA, times the rate charged the Township by the PRMUA for each 1,000 gallons of wastewater treated by the said utility, plus the municipal maintenance and administration fees set forth in § 235-38D.
(4) 
For any building which generates wastewater, does not possess its own water meter, and is connected to another residential development's metered wastewater treatment collection system (hereinafter referred to as a "joint system," the annual user assessment shall be calculated based on the following formula:
(a) 
The PRMUA shall first determine, pursuant to its service rules then in effect, the total number of equivalent dwelling units ("EDUs") comprising the building's sanitary sewer demand, and immediately notify the Township in writing of the PRMUA's determination;
(b) 
The total number of EDUs for the residential development using the joint system shall be equal to the total number of individual dwelling units within the said development;
(c) 
The annual total charge to the Township for wastewater treatment of the joint system by the PRMUA, plus the municipal maintenance and administration fees set forth in § 235-38D, shall be divided by the sum of the EDUs established pursuant to Subsections C(4)(a) and (b), resulting in a sewer charge per one EDU;
(d) 
The annual sewer assessment for each of the units in the residential development shall be equal to the charge for one EDU established pursuant to Subsection C(4)(c);
(e) 
The annual sewer assessment for the building which does not possess a water meter shall be equal to the sewer charge per one EDU established pursuant to Subsection C(4)(c) times the total number of EDUs established pursuant to Subsection C(4)(a).
(5) 
For any building which generates wastewater, does not possess its own water meter, and is connected to another nonresidential development's metered wastewater treatment collection system, the annual user assessment shall be calculated based on the following formula:
(a) 
The PRMUA shall first determine, pursuant to its service rules then in effect, the total number of EDUs comprising each building's sanitary sewer demand, and immediately notify the Township in writing of the PRMUA's determination;
(b) 
The PRMUA shall next certify the total annual flow of wastewater from the metered building and immediately notify the Township in writing of the PRMUA's determination;
(c) 
The total certified gallonage established in Subsection C(5)(b) shall be multiplied by the rate of wastewater treated by the said utility, resulting in an annual total charge to the Township by the PRMUA for wastewater treatment of the joint system;
(d) 
The municipal maintenance and administration fees set forth in § 235-38D shall be added to the annual total charge established in Subsection C(5)(c);
(e) 
The amount established in Subsection C(5)(d) shall be divided by the total number of EDUs established in Subsection C(5)(a), resulting in an annual sewer assessment per EDU;
(f) 
The total annual sewer assessment for each building shall be equal to the total number of EDUs for the particular building multiplied by the annual sewer assessment per EDU.
(6) 
To the extent not provided for in this Part 1 or by separate agreement, any charges imposed by the PRMUA upon the Township for maintenance of user's sewer line shall be added to the EDU charge payable by the user to White Township.
D. 
The Township of White hereby imposes a maintenance fee of 10% and an administration fee of 12%.
[Amended 12-8-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-8; 9-28-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-06]
Interest rates on delinquent user charges, computed quarterly, are hereby established as follows: 8% with a ten-day grace period; in addition, the rate so fixed shall not exceed 8% per annum on the first $1,500 of the delinquency and 18% per annum on any amount of delinquency in excess of $1,500, with a ten-day grace period.
The charges and rents shall draw interest and be a lien upon the premises until paid, and the Township may exercise the remedies for the collection thereof with interest, costs and penalties provided in N.J.S.A. 40A:26A-12 and as it has by law for the collection of taxes upon real estate. Charges for sewer use shall be a lien upon the premises as provided by statute.
The owner of each premises will be held responsible for the sewer charges of his tenants since the sewer charge is a lien on the property as stated in § 235-40 of this Part 1.
If a bill remains unpaid for a period of over 30 days after presentation, it shall be classed as delinquent and, upon five days' notice to the property owner, service may be discontinued. If service is thus discontinued, it will not be restored until all unpaid bills, statutory interest and all reconnection charges, in accordance with §§ 235-46 and 235-47 of this Part 1, are paid.
No abatement will be made for leaks or for water wasted by damaged fixtures.
A surcharge may be imposed on a user of the Township's system when a user's sewage volume, quality or other characteristics are not in compliance with the Township or WC(PR)MUA rules and regulations and said noncompliance causes an increase in cost to the Township and/or WC(PR)MUA for managing all sewage and sludges affected by said noncomplying discharge. Such surcharge shall be equal to the increase in cost to the Township and/or WC(PR)MUA for the treatment of all sewage and sludges affected by the noncomplying sewage discharge.
Laboratory analyses will be performed, if deemed necessary, on composite samples of a user's sewage flow to determine its biological and chemical composition. The results of these analyses will be used to determine a user's surcharge, if any. The standard laboratory procedures shall be those found in the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. The costs of these analyses shall be paid by the user.
The fee for the closing of a sewer line or lateral to a building shall be equal to the costs incurred by the Township in the closing of the line.
The fee for reopening any sewer line or lateral to a building shall be equal to $100, plus the costs incurred by the Township in the reopening of the line.