[Prior code § 14-3; amended by Ord. 87-10 § 1, 1987; Ord. 91-4 § 1, 1991; Ord. 91-24 § 1, 1991; Ord. 93-14 § 1, 1993; Ord. 94-14 § 1, 1994; Ord. 96-22 § 1, 1996; Ord. 97-1 § 1, 1997; Ord. 99-4 § 1, 1999; Ord. 2001-20 §§ 2, 4, 2001; Ord. 2003-3 § 1, 2003; Ord. 2005-19 §§ 1 — 5, 2005; Ord. 2006-11 § 1, 2006; Ord. 2006-31 §§ 1, 2, 2006; Ord. 2007-10 § 1, 2007; 2009-02, § 3, 3-24-2009; 2009-12, §§ 1, 2, 6-23-2009; Ord. No. 2010-19, §§ 3, 4, 10-26-2010; Ord. No. 2011-08, § 1, 7-26-2011; Ord. No. 2015-02, § 2, 1-27-2015; Ord. No. 2015-19, § 1, 12-22-2015; Ord. No. 2016-06, §§ 1 — 3, 3-22-2016; Ord. No. 2016-23, §§ 1, 2, 9-27-2016; Ord. No. 2017-02, § 1, 3-28-2017]
The fees and rates for water to the consumers of water in the Borough shall be classified according to the following categories and schedules. Water rates in accordance with this section will be charged in accordance with the issuance of an occupancy permit.
A. Tappage fee. The tappage fee for any connection to the water system in the Borough shall be as follows:
1. Tapping fee for single and duplex residential units shall be as follows:
e. The tapping fee for a fire suppression system shall be $1,475 regardless of the size of connection to the water system.
f. For duplex units a tap is required for each unit.
2. Tapping fee for multifamily and nonresidential properties shall be based on equivalent dwelling unit (EDU) at a fee of $2,225 per EDU. Water connection fees shall be based on projected water consumption of the property with each equivalent dwelling unit (EDU) comprising of 60,000 gallons of annual water consumption. The calculation of the connection fees for multifamily residential units and all nonresidential properties shall be determined by the Borough engineer based upon the application and documentation provided by the applicant. Application and documentation shall include the projected water consumption data supplied by the applicant's engineer in accordance with the flow rates stipulated in N.J.A.C. 7:10-12.6 Water Volume Requirements in preparing the water application for approval by the governing body. It shall be within the discretion of the Borough engineer to request additional documentation from the applicant as he/she deems appropriate. The tapping fee for a fire suppression system shall be $1,475 regardless of the size of connection to the water system.
3. The amount of the connection fee for multifamily and nonresidential properties shall be based upon an estimate as calculated in accordance with this chapter; and, after receiving a recommendation from the Borough Engineer, the connection fee shall be paid before the issuance of a certificate of occupancy. Payment shall be made by certified check, cashier's check or bank check.
[Amended 11-26-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-23]
B. Rates, fees and charges. The following rates, fees and charges shall be made and collected for the services and facilities of the comprehensive water system, commencing the service year of 2017:
1. Flat fee for single dwelling unit, whether contained in single-family residence, duplex apartment, condominium, or other multifamily or project: $300;
2. For each additional dwelling unit, whether contained in a duplex, apartment, condominium or other multifamily structure or project: $300;
3. All individual multifamily units serviced by a number of meters for the building, group of buildings or project in which the unit is located, less than the amount of the total of the units, shall be considered a metered unit and, in addition to the flat fees for each unit, the corresponding gallon usage charge, as set forth below, shall be pro-rated among such units;
4. The quarterly minimum in gallons and minimum annual charge as set forth below for metered commercial establishments shall, in the case of a multifamily structure or project, be multiplied by the number of individual dwelling units contained in the multifamily structure or project;
5. In addition to all the above pertaining to multifamily structure and project, all metered use attributable to the multifamily structure or project, without regard to form of ownership, and not attributable separately to each dwelling unit, shall be charged to the owner, occupant or association as the case may be, according to the commercial establishment schedule set forth below:
c. Sprinkler system - lawn: $200.
6. If a property contains more than one category in the above schedule, they will be billed for each such item;
7. As of January 1, 1979, all commercial and nonresidential establishments shall be metered and the owner must bear the cost of meter, installation, and any and all repairs and maintenance of such meter or meters;
8. Commercial property flat fee: $375;
9. Gallonage use. Gallonage use shall be charged at the rate of $2.68 per 1,000 gallons.
10. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, effective January 1, 2007, all new residential construction and major renovations to any structure, including residential dwelling units, shall install remote-read water service connection meters and meter pits, in accordance with the specifications adopted by the Borough superintendent. No certificate of occupancy for any such new construction or renovation shall be issued until a certification of the installation of the appropriate water meter is provided by the Borough superintendent to the construction code official.
The owners of the above-described properties shall be billed for metered water usage in accordance with the following schedule:
There shall be a minimum fee of $62.50 per quarter for each residential dwelling. Thereafter, the following fees shall be calculated quarterly and billed annually:
Amount | Fee |
|---|
0 to 14,000 | $1/thousand gallons |
14,001 to 25,000 | $1.80/thousand gallons |
25,001 to 50,000 | $3.70/thousand gallons |
50,001 to 150,000 | $5.50/thousand gallons |
150,001 to 300,000 | $8.10/thousand gallons |
Over 300,000 | $9.50/thousand gallons |
For the purpose of this subsection, major renovation shall mean any repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation addition, or other improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the assessed value of the structure either before the improvement is started or if the structure has been damaged and is being restored before the damage occurred. Substantial improvement is commenced when the first alteration of any structural part of the building is begun.
Any newly installed irrigation systems will require the installation of a meter and meter pit.
11. All water service connection meters and equipment shall be obtained from a vendor with specifications provided by the Water/Sewer Department.
12. Water connection reinspection fee: $50.
C. Rates and rules subject to change.
1. The cost of a permit for opening any state or county road or highway is to be paid for by the person or corporation desiring water.
2. A service charge of $125 shall be paid each time the water is turned on and a like charge when the water is turned off during normal business hours (7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.). The Water Department shall be notified 48 hours in advance of any water turn-off or turn-on. Any turn-on or turn-off after normal business hours shall be at a rate of $200. Any emergency turn-off service rendered by the Water Department shall be at a rate of $200 whether the turn-off occurs during normal business hours or off-hours. In cases where the water has been turned off for nonpayment of a water bill, the Borough reserves the right to turn the water on again when all back bills and service charges have been paid.
3. The use of the public water supply for the jetting of pilings and sheathing shall be prohibited.
4. All other charges will be in accordance with meter documentation.
5. Water service for residential properties without remote-read water service connection meters shall be billed together with sewer and the bills shall be sent out on or before April 1st of each year. One-half of the full amount for water and sewer shall be due by May 1 and the balance due as of October 1. Water service for residential properties which have installed remote-read water service connection meters shall be billed together with sewer based on quarterly meter readings. Bills will go out within 15 days of meter readings and are due and payable within 30 days of billing. Any payments received subsequent to the due dates shall be considered delinquent accounts and shall be charged at an interest rate of 8% per annum.
6. The bills for commercial water and sewer shall be billed together based on quarterly meter readings. Bills will go out within 15 days of meter readings and are due and payable within 30 days of billing. Any payments received subsequent to the due dates shall be considered delinquent accounts and shall be charged at an interest rate of 8% per annum.
7. The Borough Council reserves the right to change the rules and regulations and the rates for the use of water from time to time to make special rates on contracts in all proper cases, to shut off the water for alterations, extensions and repairs and to stop and restrict the supply of water whenever it may be found necessary. The Borough shall not be liable under any circumstances for a deficiency or failure in the supply of water, whether occasioned by the shutting off of water to make repairs or connections or for any other cause whatsoever. Council may attach meters at any time it may deem it expedient, and to thereafter charge for the quantity of water measured or used and to make reasonable charges for the use of the meters.
8. The Borough reserves the right to shut off water service to any property for any water bill which remains unpaid beyond 90 days.
D. Water Department revenues and accounts.
1. The office manager of the Ship Bottom Water-Sewer Department shall handle all billing transactions, collection of permit fees as described in this chapter, and collecting and depositing such moneys. The office manager shall keep separate ledger accounts for each person buying water from the Borough, such account to show the category under which each person is buying water. He or she shall collect for and receipt all permits before the superintendent issues them, and shall account for the permits upon the proper books of the Borough.
2. The funds collected and deposited then become the responsibility of the treasurer of the Borough.
E. Demolition. When a property is demolished, the owner and plumber shall be responsible for turning off the water, and cutting and capping the water service. The Water and Sewer Department will require a forty-eight-hour notice prior to the work in order to schedule an inspection. An inspection fee of $50 will be required for each cut and cap.