[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;
(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;
(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.
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.
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.
