[Added 12-13-2021 by Ord.
No. 2021-35]
There is hereby established in and for Princeton an annual sewer
service charge for each service year hereafter in accordance with
the provisions below.
[Added 12-13-2021 by Ord.
No. 2021-35; amended 9-2-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-31]
(a) In the case of each property owner receiving metered water from New
Jersey American Water or its successors, the annual sewer service
charge shall be computed at the following rates:
(1)
Seven dollars and 10/100 ($7.10) of metered water for the first
2,000 Cubic Feet (CCF).
(2)
Ten dollars and 25/100 ($10.25) of metered water for usage between
2,001 and 5,000 CCF.
(3)
Twelve dollars and 55/100 ($12.55) of metered water for usage
in excess of 5,000 CCF.
(b) The amount so allocated shall be the lesser of the amount of metered
water charged to each such owner during the calendar year preceding
the service year, or if a winter quarter meter reading is available,
a sum equal to four times the amount of metered water charged to such
owner during the winter quarter. If the winter quarter is zero, then
the amount charged would be the amount of metered water charged to
each such owner during the calendar year preceding the service year.
The sewer service charge for properties serviced by a private water
well shall be calculated as above, using a volume of 77 CCF per sewer
connection.
(c) In the event that it is contended by the sewer engineer or by the
owner or occupant of any property that the calculation of the service
charge upon the basis of metered water does not fairly reflect the
amount of the sewage discharge into the sanitary sewer system, either
because it discharges into the sanitary sewer system from sources
other than metered water or because of elimination from the sanitary
sewer system of metered water which is disposed of elsewhere, the
sewer service charge may be adjusted for good cause shown, by filing
first an administrative appeal to the tax collector and then to the
sewer engineer upon written application of the owner or occupant after
hearing on notice to the tax collector. However, no such application
shall be considered unless it is filed with the tax collector on or
before September 30 of the service year in question.
[Added 12-13-2021 by Ord.
No. 2021-35]
The annual sewer service charge shall be payable in four installments,
each of which shall be for a calendar quarter. The installments shall
be due and payable on the first day of the second month of each calendar
quarter, i.e., the first installment shall be due and payable on February
1, the second installment on May 1, the third installment on August
1, and the fourth installment on November 1.
[Added 12-13-2021 by Ord.
No. 2021-35]
The tax collector shall prepare and mail or otherwise deliver
sewer service charge bills to the persons charged not later than July
1st of each year hereafter. Such bills shall contain the third and
fourth installments for the current service year and the first and
second installments for the succeeding service year. Inasmuch as the
bills for the first and second installments will be sent out before
the true amount of such installments is determined, the amount of
each of those installments shall be 1/4 of the total sewer service
charge finally determined for the same property for the preceding
calendar year, and the amount of the third and fourth installments
shall be the full sewer service charge determined for the current
service year less the amount charged as the first and second installments.
The amount thus determined for the last two installments shall be
divided equally between those installments. Bills may be shown on
and included and distributed with Princeton's regular tax bills.
[Added 12-13-2021 by Ord.
No. 2021-35]
Sewer service charges shall draw the same interest from the
time they become due as taxes upon real estate in Princeton. They
shall be a lien upon the premises until paid, and Princeton shall
have the same remedies for the collection thereof with interest, costs
and penalties as it has by law for the collection of taxes upon real
estate.