No hike in water and sewer rates this year
BY DANIELLE MEDINA
Correspondent

BRICK TOWNSHIP - That next glass of tap water might taste a little better knowing that it's not going to cost you any more than it did last year.

No water and sewer rate increase was included in the Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority's (BTMUA) 2007-2008 budget, which was adopted on March 26.

"Our water and sewer rates continue to be among the lowest in Ocean County," BTMUA Chairman Patrick Bottazzi said. "We're working hard to find ways to keep them that way."

The authority will continue to charge $18.51 plus $2.96 per 1,000 gallons of water consumed for residential customers who use up to 10,000 gallons of water quarterly.

Customers who exceed the 10,000 gallon quarterly allowance will be charged a rate of $4.82 per 1,000 gallons.

Sewer service rates, which are based on water consumption rates, will also reflect last year's pricing. Residential customers producing up to 18,000 gallons of sewage quarterly will continue to pay $73.91 plus $1.43 for each 1,000 gallons of sewage. Any amount over the initial 18,000 gallons will be billed at $5.53 per 1,000 gallons.

Authority Chief Financial Officer Frank Planko said that there were three factors that led to the stable rates: increased operational efficiencies, debt service that is built into the existing rate structure; and the refinancing of Series 2006 Bond Refunding that led to a $300,000 savings in the 2007-08 budget.

"We keep a continual watch on our outstanding bonds in order to catch them when they are nearing their call dates for the purpose of investigating any savings in early refunding," Bottazzi said.

The BTMUA's bulk sale of water to customers in Point Pleasant Beach, Point Pleasant and the Ramtown section of Howell Township continues to be a profitable enterprise for the BTMUA, Bottazzi said.

"They do everything except draw the water and sell it," Bottazzi said. "They do all the repairs, meter readings and billing for their customers," Bottazzi said.

Bulk customers pay $3.62 per thousand gallons of water, which is 95 percent of the average usage rate of a single family customer.

The authority is looking for more customers, especially since the state Department of Environmental Protection recently allowed the BTMUA to draw an additional 5 million gallons of water daily from the Metedeconk River.

"More customers will allow us to keep one of the lowest water rates in the county," Bottazzi said.

The only increase in the authority's fees in 2007-08 will be in initial service charges, to bring the fees in line with state statutes, he said.

The initial sewer service charge for a standard 4-inch connection to a single family home will now be $2,985, up from $2,894.

Initial water service charges will rise approximately 6.5-percent for all size classes of water mains. A standard single family residential hookup will now cost $2,841, up from $2667.

The authority also adjusted its rates for service line taps and temporary use of hydrants, along with the fines associated with tampering, illegal connections and theft of services.

Authority members unanimously adopted the budget, which runs from Apr. 1 to March 31, 2008.