The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Water rates would increase this year between 5 percent and 27.5 percent under an ordinance amendment introduced at the June 12 Township Council meeting.
The actual amount of each water increase would be based on a user’s consumption of water each quarter. Those who use the least will pay the smallest increase.
Water rates for apartment buildings of more than 10 units would be increased at a flat rate of 15 percent, Mayor Phil Kramer said.
This would be the second rate hike in two years. Township officials have said in the past that the reason for the hikes is increasing costs from the Township’s water providers, New Jersey American Water and the City of New Brunswick.
According to the ordinance amendment, future rate hikes will be tied to increases from the Township’s suppliers.
“We did it last year,” Kramer said. “I had mentioned that we would probably have to do it again this year.”
“We did a lot of work to try to come up with what we thought was a better way to bill in a way that would be less odious to the citizens,” Kramer said. “All this is based on 2024 usage, where we billed for 1 billion, with a B, 809 million gallons of water.”
“Our plan initially was to increase by 15 percent, which would give us a new revenue of $2.1 million,” he said. “But our accountant recommended that we increase by $2.4 million. So that would have been a 17.4 percent increase.”
“What we have tried to do is come up with a tiered plan, so if you conserve water, you will save money. If you use a lot of water, we’re going to charge you more,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll protect the homeowner who is careful with their water, and we’ll promote water savings.”
Under the ordinance, customers who use between 0 and 10,000 gallons per quarter would pay a 5 percent increase, between 10,001 and 25,000 gallons per quarter would pay a 7 percent increase, between 25,001 and 50,000 gallons per quarter would pay 12 percent more, between 50,001 gallons and 100,000 gallons per quarter would pay a 17.5 percent increase, and more than 100,001 gallons, a 27.5 percent increase.
The first three tiers comprise about 84 percent of water customers, Kramer said.
“That’s 17.7 thousand people,” he said. “I shouldn’t say they’re going to get their water rates lowered, but it’s lower than if we hadn’t done a tiered approach.”
“I know the committee worked really hard to come up with this system,” Councilmember Ed Potosnak said. “The tiered method drives water conservation, which is just good all around, so folks can get to the lower bracket and then pay less, which is awesome and helps us to moderate our obligations to the different water companies.”
“And then secondly, the treatment of the apartments so they wouldn’t be overburdened with the larger usage,” he said. “It was hard, but folks worked very diligently to come up with a system.”
“This is great work for tackling this this time,” Councilman James Vassanella said, “but I hope we can get more creative and find ways for the people that are really trying to conserve water or have the least usage strain on the system to be as rewarded as possible with the financial structure that’s in place.”
The rates would go into effect on July 1.
Stay ‘In the Know,’ subscribe to the Franklin Reporter & Advocate!
No other media outlet covering Franklin Township brings you the depth of information presented by the Franklin Reporter & Advocate. Period. We are the only truly independent media serving the Eight Villages.
But we can only do that with your support. Please consider a yearly subscription to our online news site; at $37 a year, it’s one of the best investments you can make for yourself.
To subscribe, please click here.
