The water and sewer system of the Township shall be operated as a utility under the name of Water/Sewer Utility Department.
The Township Committee shall adopt rules and regulations with respect to the distribution and sale of water.
A. 
Any person desiring service connection for water shall make written application therefor on the form provided by the Water/Sewer Rent Collector, and the charges hereinafter fixed for tapping the main and installing corporation cock, service pipe to the curb, curb stop, and curb box, as well as the charge for a supply to December 31 next ensuing such application shall have been paid to the Public Utilities Water Department before any service connection will be installed. Such person shall also pay the cost for street opening at the same time.
B. 
The fee for tapping of the water main, installing corporation cock, service pipe to the curbs, curb stop and curb box shall be as follows:
[Amended 8-13-2008 by Ord. No. 13-2008; 6-13-2012 by Ord. No. 8-2012; 3-27-2013 by Ord. No. 5-2013]
Size of Tap
(inches)
Installation Fee
3/4
$2,024.04
1
$2,333.76
1 1/2
$2,717.34
2
$3,111.89
Larger than 2
To be determined by the Superintendent of Public Works in an amount sufficient to cover all costs to the Township
C. 
Water connection fees shall be charged as follows:
[Added 6-11-2008 by Ord. No. 8-2008; amended 2-26-2014 by Ord. No. 2-2014]
Description
Connection Fee
Connection fee for existing/new residential dwelling units
$993
Connection fee for existing/new buildings other than residential; labor and materials by developer
$993 per EU
Calculation of equivalent units (EUs): estimated average water system consumption (gallons per day) divided by average flow per single-family dwelling unit.
[Amended 6-13-2012 by Ord. No. 8-2012; 3-27-2013 by Ord. No. 5-2013]
Any person desiring a temporary supply of water shall make application to the Water/Sewer Rent Collector, pay the following fee and have a temporary meter installed therefor:
A. 
Single-family residential structure: $50 plus usage.
B. 
Multiple-family residential structure: $50 plus usage for the first residential unit and $50 plus usage for each additional residential unit.
C. 
All nonresidential buildings: $100 for the first 10,000 square feet of space and $50 plus usage for each additional 5,000 square feet of space.
D. 
Bulk water pickup at Township Water/Sewer Utility Department: $7 for every 1,000 gallons.
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former § 222-5, Use of water hydrant, was repealed 6-13-2012 by Ord. No. 8-2012.
No water will be furnished and no person shall apply for water service where pipes are inferior, the plumbing defective, or the faucets, water closets or other fixtures leaky or imperfect, and when such conditions are discovered, the supply of water will be cut off, unless immediate repairs are made.
[Amended 3-13-2002 by Ord. No. 10-2002; 3-11-2009 by Ord. No. 1-2009; 11-24-2009 by Ord. No. 32-2009; 4-11-2012 by Ord. No. 6-2012; 12-19-2018 by Ord. No. 25-2018]
There shall be due and payable an annual fee, referred to as a minimum charge, billed quarterly and payable pursuant to the payment schedule set forth in § 222-11 hereof, for water service for each building or house, store, apartment unit in a house or building and each premises, house, trailer, and mobile home being served by the Township water supply system, as follows:
A. 
For a five-eighths-inch-by-three-quarter-inch meter: $48.61 per quarter for 6,000 gallons of water per quarterly meter reading cycle.
[Amended 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 28-2022]
B. 
For a three-quarter-inch meter: $53.47 per quarter for 6,000 gallons of water per quarterly meter reading cycle.
[Amended 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 28-2022]
C. 
For a one-inch meter: $68.06 per quarter for 6,000 gallons of water per quarterly meter reading cycle.
[Amended 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 28-2022]
D. 
For a one-and-one-half-inch meter: $87.48 per quarter per 6,000 gallons of water per quarterly meter reading cycle.
[Amended 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 28-2022]
E. 
For a two-inch meter: $140.95 per quarter for 6,000 gallons of water per quarterly meter reading cycle.
[Amended 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 28-2022]
F. 
For a three-inch meter: $534.67 per quarter for 6,000 gallons of water per quarterly meter reading cycle.
[Amended 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 28-2022]
G. 
For a four-inch meter: $680.49 per quarter for 6,000 gallons of water per quarterly meter reading cycle.
[Amended 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 28-2022]
H. 
For a six-inch meter: $1,020.73 per quarter for 6,000 gallons of water per quarterly meter reading cycle.
[Amended 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 28-2022]
I. 
For an eight-inch meter: $1,409.58 per quarter for 6,000 gallons of water per quarterly meter reading cycle.
[Amended 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 28-2022]
J. 
The cost for meters shall be furnished at the time of application.
K. 
For multiple purposes such as apartment houses, other multiple-family structures, assisted-living or congregate-care facilities, trailers, stores or other similar uses served by a single meter: an additional $48.61 per apartment, dwelling unit, store, trailer or other use which is served by a single meter and/or connection; except for owner-occupied premises with not more than two single-family dwelling units, for which the quarterly minimum charge shall be $48.61.
[Amended 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 28-2022]
L. 
For single office buildings: charge determined on the basis of the size of the meter which serves the building, pursuant to Subsections A through I herein.
M. 
For office complexes or developments of more than one building: charge determined on the basis of one quarterly minimum per meter serving the complex or development, together with one quarterly minimum of $48.61 for each additional building within the development not served by a separate meter.
[Amended 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 28-2022]
N. 
For a home with professional office located therein: 1 1/3 the applicable minimum charge, based on meter size, effective January 1, 1998.
O. 
Any application for water not specifically set forth herein shall be considered a special application, and the charges therefor shall be determined by the Superintendent of Public Works.
A. 
Any water used in excess of the minimum gallonage aforesaid shall be billed to the owner or customer at the following graduated rates:
[Amended 3-11-2009 by Ord. No. 1-2009; 11-24-2009 by Ord. No. 32-2009; 4-11-2012 by Ord. No. 6-2012; 12-19-2018 by Ord. No. 25-2018; 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 28-2022]
Amount of Water Used in
Quarterly Meter Reading Cycle
Charge per 1,000 Gallons
First 6,000 gallons
Included with quarterly allowance
6,001 to 13,000 gallons
$5.96 per 1,000 gallons or part thereof
13,001 to 25,000 gallons
$7.59 per 1,000 gallons or part thereof
Over 25,000 gallons
$8.88 per 1,000 gallons or part thereof
B. 
There shall be an allowance of up to 6,000 gallons per quarter before excess use charges shall apply. The six-thousand-gallon allowance shall not accumulate from one quarter to another. However, an adjustment shall be made on an annual basis to any account where excess use charges have been incurred, but no more than 24,000 gallons have been used in the previous calendar year.
[Amended 5-12-2004 by Ord. No. 9-2004]
[Amended 5-12-2004 by Ord. No. 9-2004]
A. 
There shall be due and payable an annual minimum charge, to be billed in equal quarterly installments, to users of the water system with separate water service lines for operation of automatic sprinkler systems.
[Amended 3-11-2009 by Ord. No. 1-2009]
B. 
The charge for a single unit shall be $400 per year.
C. 
The charge for a multiple unit complex or building shall be $400 per building or $100 per separate unit contained therein, whichever amount is greater.
[Amended 6-13-2012 by Ord. No. 8-2012; 7-23-2014 by Ord. No. 16-2014]
When service is discontinued due to lack of occupancy, nonpayment of bills, violation of this chapter or at the request of the customer, a charge will be made for both turn on and turn off of water at the curb of $50 each service call. Payment of the fee shall be made in advance when turn off or turn on is requested by the customer. Any other service calls shall be billed at $50 per service call unless it is an emergency call during nonbusiness hours, at which time it shall be billed $125 for the service call.
[Amended 3-11-2009 by Ord. No. 1-2009]
A. 
Bills for minimum and excess water and sewer charges shall be rendered on the first, second and third weeks of every quarter. Bills will be due and payable within 20 days of receipt and on the date specified on the bill. Bills not paid within 30 days after the due date specified on the bill will be assessed interest at the maximum rate provided by law.
B. 
Each quarterly bill will contain the quarterly minimum water and sewer charges. In addition, each quarterly bill will contain an adjusted/actual charge for excess water and sewer usage, on the following schedule:
[Amended 4-11-2012 by Ord. No. 6-2012; 12-19-2018 by Ord. No. 25-2018; 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 28-2022]
(1) 
From January to February: minimum/meter reading/adjusted.
(2) 
From April to May: minimum/meter reading/adjusted.
(3) 
From July to August: minimum/meter reading/adjusted.
(4) 
From October to November: minimum/meter reading/adjusted.
C. 
All estimated quarterly billing will include the minimum charge and an estimated charge based upon the actual usage of the same quarter of the previous year.
[Amended 6-13-2012 by Ord. No. 8-2012]
D. 
For new services, the estimated charge in the initial year of service shall be determined by the Water/Sewer Rent Collector and shall be based upon 1/4 of the average annual usage of water customers with the same or similar characteristics of type of use, size of meter and number and size of units serviced.
E. 
On each quarterly bill and meter reading cycle, an actual meter reading by a Township employee assigned to read meters and subsequent thereto, an adjusted amount payable for water/sewer will be calculated for the quarter.
All bills for furnishing water or rendering service in connection therewith shall be paid upon the completion of the services rendered and before the water shall be turned on.
The owner of any house, tenement, building or lot shall be liable for the payment of the charges hereby fixed for the use of the water by the owner or occupant of such premises, and such charge shall be a lien upon such house, tenement, lot or premises until the same shall be paid and satisfied, and in case prompt payment of any water charges shall not be made when the same become due the water shall be shut off from such building, place or premises, and shall not be again supplied until arrears with interest thereon shall be fully paid; and the Committee shall also take the proceedings authorized by law for the enforcement of said water charges as a lien upon said house, tenement and lot or other premises by a sale of the premises in the manner provided by law; and in addition to the remedies above provided the Committee shall take other remedies for the collection of the water charges as are authorized by law.
A service line will be used to supply a single building or a single group of buildings as a group of factory buildings, hospital buildings, or a single institution having a number of separate buildings. Not more than one service line shall be run into a building unless by special agreement between the Water/Sewer Utility Department and the applicant for such service line.
Water will be turned off from any premises upon written order of the applicant without in any way affecting the existing agreement for service or on violation of rules or regulations promulgated by the Township Committee.
A. 
Service under an application may be discontinued for any of the following reasons:
(1) 
For the use of water for any other property than that described in the application.
(2) 
For willful waste of water through improper or imperfect pipes, fixtures, or otherwise.
(3) 
For failure to maintain in good order, connections, service lines or fixtures owned by the applicant.
(4) 
For molesting any service pipe, meter, curb stop lock or seal or any other appliance of the Water/Sewer Utility Department.
(5) 
In case of vacancy of premises.
(6) 
For neglecting to make or renew advance payments or for nonpayment for water service, or any other charges occurring under the application.
(7) 
For refusal of reasonable access to the property for the purposes of inspecting or for reading, caring for or removing meter.
B. 
Service shall be discontinued for neglecting or failing to make payment of any bill for water minimum or excess usage charges rendered under this chapter within 60 days after the date the charge is due and payable. A written notice of the proposed discontinuance and the reasons therefor shall be mailed to the last known address of the owner of record of the property at least 10 days prior to the date of discontinuance.
[Amended 4-21-2004 by Ord. No. 7-2004]
If it be found that the water has been turned on again without compliance with this article, the Superintendent of Public Works may cause the service connection to be removed, and it shall not be restored until the provisions of this article have been fully complied with, and until all back charges and expenses have been paid and directions issued for turning on of the water.
Where the water has been turned off for nonpayment of water charges or for the violation of any provisions of this article, it shall not be turned on again without the direction of the Township Committee and until all expenses attending the turning off and turning on the water, together with the charges accrued, shall have been paid.
All pipes, meters and fixtures shall be subject to all reasonable hours of inspection by employees of the Water/Sewer Utility Department, identified by proper badges.
No person shall, without the written permission of the Water/Sewer Rent Collector, connect or disconnect the meter, pipe or other fixtures, or in any other manner tamper or interfere, or permit, suffer or allow the tampering or interference with the meters, pipes, stops, connections or other instruments used for the purpose of obtaining water.
No person shall permit water to be supplied to premises owned or occupied by him where the premises are vacant or abandoned in freezing weather but shall make application for discontinuance of service.
No person, except the Superintendent of Public Works or other authorized person, shall take water from any public fire hydrant, hose, plug, street washer or fountain pipe, except for fire purposes or for the use of the Fire Department in case of fire; and no public fire hydrant shall be used for sprinkling streets, flushing sewers or gutters or for any other than fire purposes, except with the approval of the Water/Sewer Utility Department.
The installation of any water main or any service line shall not be made until curbs at the proper grade are installed.
The location of any and all fire hydrants shall be fixed and determined by the Superintendent of Public Works, subject to the approval of the Township Committee.
New water service shall be charged commencing on the day the service was turned on and for every day thereafter. No charges shall accrue after water service is completely disconnected from the property.
[Amended 6-13-2012 by Ord. No. 8-2012]
The Water/Sewer Utility Department may, at the request of any consumer, test the meter in the presence of the consumer or the owner of the premises upon the payment of a fee of $125, payable in advance. If the meter is found to be fast, bills rendered will be adjusted with the understanding that when the test is made, the meter or meters will record within 2% of absolute correctness upon ordinary size flows or openings. In no case shall there be an adjustment to an amount less than the minimum annual service charge. If the meter is found to be fast, the consumer or owner shall be refunded the test fee.
In the event that the Township Committee shall determine that a shortage of water may occur due to prolonged drought or heat or level of any wells serving the water system of the Township is at a low level, or because of breakdown of equipment of the water system or the necessity of repair of same or for any other emergency or reason, the use of the water may be restricted or prohibited by order of the Mayor.
The owner of any premises where a meter is installed shall be responsible for its care and protection from freezing or hot water or any other injury thereto. The owner or the consumer shall notify the Water/Sewer Utility Department of any damage or injury to or of a nonworking meter as soon as the same comes to his knowledge. The costs for repair or replacement of a damaged meter will be determined by the Superintendent of Public Works. Bypass of a meter shall not be permitted. If the consumer does not respond to a mail or telephone request for a reading within 10 days, an estimated bill shall be forwarded by the Water/Sewer Rent Collector to the consumer.
A. 
All meters shall be read quarterly and the quantity recorded shall be conclusive upon the consumer. If a meter reader is unable to get a meter reading, a notice shall be left at the place of service.
[Amended 3-11-2009 by Ord. No. 1-2009]
B. 
A customer of the Water/Sewer Utility Department of the Township shall notify the Water/Sewer Utility Department in writing of any change in billing address to ensure receipt of all applicable bills. If written notice is not received, no responsibility shall be assumed by the Township for the discontinuance of water service.
No person shall be entitled to any damages for the shutting off of the water for any cause whatsoever or for accidents affecting the supply of water or interruption of service for any mechanical, chemical or electrical difficulty resulting in an interruption or cessation of the water service.
[Amended 7-23-2014 by Ord. No. 16-2014]
A. 
Any complaint concerning a meter reading or charges billed must be made within 15 days of billing date.
B. 
The Township of Wall may refund or forgive any water use charge issued pursuant to §§ 222-7 and 222-8 so long as the Township determines:
(1) 
That there has been an overcharge or there is other good and sufficient cause to refund a portion of, or forgive, a water use charge; this is a one-time only cancellation and proof of problem and repair are required;
(2) 
If the water use charge is forgiven or refunded, the water use charges that remain shall be uniform and equitable for the same type and class of use or service;
(3) 
If there is an underground main break or leak.
All consumers having boilers upon their premises depending upon the pressure of the water meter and pipes of the Water/Sewer Utility Department to keep them supplied are hereby cautioned against danger of collapse, and all such damage must be borne exclusively by the consumer. Under no circumstances shall the Township be responsible for any damage to pipes, fixtures or property caused by the turning on or off of water for any cause whatsoever. To provide against such damage to boilers or hot water heaters, a safety valve shall be installed to relieve excessive steam pressure or a tank provided so as to maintain a supply of water in such boiler or heater when the water supply is discontinued at the main.
A. 
Between May 15 and September 15 of each year, the Township Committee may, by resolution, should it determine it to be in the best interest of the public health, safety and welfare, restrict the outside use of water to provide that no person shall use or operate or cause, or allow to be used or operated, lawn sprinklers or lawn sprinkler systems connected to the Township's water supply system, except between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., prevailing time, on the same two days each week that garbage is collected in the area of the Township where the property is located.
B. 
In the event that the Township Committee determines that a water supply emergency exists in the Township, it may by resolution provide for any restrictions on the outside use of water as it deems necessary to provide for the public health, safety and welfare until such time as the water supply emergency is determined to have ended by further resolution of the Township Committee. A determination of a water supply emergency may be made by the Township Committee at any regular, special or emergency public meeting. A violation of any such water use restriction during the period of water supply emergency shall be deemed to be a violation of this section.
C. 
The outside use of water from hand-held hoses with nozzles and from private wells for which valid New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection permits have been issued is permitted at any time.
D. 
Any person utilizing a private well for irrigation purposes shall register any such well with the Water/Sewer Utility Department. The Water/Sewer Utility Department will verify that the well is the subject of a valid permit and shall issue a "Private Well" sign for display by the property owner.
The owner of every existing house, building or structure and the owner of every house, building or structure hereafter to be constructed or acquired, located on a property along the line of any public water supply main now or hereafter constructed or acquired in the Township shall, within 60 days of receipt of notice of the mandatory connection date, connect and hook up the water supply facilities of such house, building or structure to such water supply system.
Upon the failure by the owner to so connect or hook up to the water supply system as required by § 222-34, the Township may cause such connection to be made under its direction and supervision or award one or more contracts for the making of such connection. The cost and expense thereof shall be filed under oath with the Township Clerk by the appropriate Township official in charge of the department making said connection. The governing body shall examine the charges and if properly made shall confirm it and file the statement with Collector of Taxes who shall record the charge in the same manner as other assessments.
The foregoing water charges shall be a lien upon the premises connected from the date that the charges become due and until paid, and the Township shall have the same remedies for the collection thereof with interest, costs and penalties, as it has by law for collection of taxes upon real estate.