Borough of Berlin, NJ Water Department

There is hereby established in the Borough of Berlin a separate department of the government, which shall be known and designated as the "Water Department of the Borough of Berlin." Said Department shall be under the jurisdiction of the Water Committee of the Borough Council of the Borough of Berlin and shall be subject to the rules and regulations hereinafter specified.

§ 67-2 Employees.

The Borough Council of the Borough of Berlin shall, by resolution, provide for such employees as may be required for the operation of the Water Department and shall further fix the salaries or wages to be paid to each of said employees as it may be deemed necessary and advisable. All of said employees shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Water Committee of the Borough Council and the Borough Council itself.

§ 67-3 Territory served; standard terms and conditions; rate schedules.

[Added 4-6-1984 by Ord. No. 84-4[1]]

The operation of the Water Department of the Borough of Berlin with respect to territory served, standard terms and conditions and rates charged shall be governed by the Berlin Borough Tariff for Water Services, approved by and filed with the Board of Public Utility Commissioners pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:62-85.2.[2]

[1]

Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed original § 82-3, Connection application, as amended.

[2]

Editor's Note: Repealed by L. 1989, c. 109. See now N.J.S.A. 40A:31-1 et seq.

§ 67-4 Water rates.

[Added 4-6-1984 by Ord. No. 84-4;[1] amended 4-16-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-07; 9-8-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-11; 12-6-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-14; 9-2-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-13; 7-12-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-15]

Consumption.

Gallons	Rate per each 1,000 gallons
0 to 10,000	$3.60
10,000 to 15,000	$3.70
15,000 to 20,000	$3.80
20,000 to 25,000	$4.10
25,000 to 30,000	$4.60
30,000 to 45,000	$5
45,000 to 60,000	$5.30
60,000 and above	$6.10

Meters.

Size (inches)	Rate
5/8	$25
1	$50
1 1/4	$75
1 1/2	$105
2	$160
3	$300
4	$500
6	$2,500

Private fire protection.

Size (inches)	Rate
1	$90
2	$290
3	$550
4	$875
6	$1,750
8	$2,800

Public fire protection.

Size	Rate
N/A	$65

[1]

Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed original § 82-4, Service supply line.

§ 67-5 Water billing. [1]

[Amended 9-8-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-11]

Water charges will be billed as follows:

Billing Period	Month Billed
September, October, November	December
December, January, February	March
March, April, May	June
June, July, August	September

[1]

Editor's Note: Original §§ 82-5 through 82-37, water service regulations, were repealed 4-6-1984 by Ord. No. 84-4. Subsequently, § 82-5, Water emergencies, added 7-19-1988 by Ord. No. 88-19, was superseded by Ord. No. 89-27. See now Ch. 327, Art. I.

§ 67-5.1 Access to premises for meter readings and inspection; complaints.

[Added 4-9-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-01]

The Water Department and Berlin Borough Code Enforcement Department shall have a right of access to any consumer's premises and to all equipment and property of the Water Department at reasonable times (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., prevailing time, Monday through Saturday) for the purpose of reading meters or inspecting, repairing or replacing equipment used in connection with the supply of water or for the removal of equipment or property, including the examination of the entire water supply and plumbing system upon said premises. No person shall refuse to admit the authorized officer or employee upon displaying proper identification to any premises for any such purpose. The consumer shall obtain from the Water Department all necessary permissions from tenants or others needed for access to equipment or property. Consumers shall not permit access to meters or other Water Department property except by authorized employees of the Water Department or other authorized state or local inspectors. Any person who refuses to admit such duly authorized agent for the purpose of such inspection, or hinders or interferes with him in the performance of such inspection, shall be deemed to be in violation of this section and be subject to the penalties prescribed in this article and all applicable State of New Jersey regulations.

Article II Theft of Water

[Adopted 11-4-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-12]

§ 67-6 Prohibited activities.

No person shall take water from any hydrant within the municipal boundary unless that person has written permission from the water purveyor and the flow of water from the hydrant is metered.

No person shall take water from any service connection unless that person is the customer of record for that service connection or has express permission from the customer of record. No person shall use water from any service connection except on the property served by the service connection.

No person or entity, by any means or device, shall disconnect, alter or otherwise tamper with a water meter which prevents water from passing through a meter or prevents a meter from duly registering the quantity of water or in any manner interferes with its proper action or registration. The presence at any time on or about such meter of any device or unauthorized meter or pipe or wiring resulting in the diversion of water or resulting in the prevention of the proper act or just registration of the meter shall constitute prima facie evidence of knowledge on the part of a person, firm or corporation in possession of said water meter.

§ 67-7 Violations and penalties.

Any person, firm or corporation violating any provision of this chapter shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,000, imprisonment for not more than 90 days and/or a period of community services not to exceed 90 days. Additionally, the person, firm or corporation liable shall also pay restitution for the value of water not properly billed and the cost of labor and equipment for repair and replacement of said water meter.