A-1769

Sponsored by: Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex), Assemblyman BENJIE E. WIMBERLY District 35 (Bergen and Passaic), Assemblyman THOMAS P. GIBLIN District 34 (Essex and Passaic)

STATEMENT

This bill requires local public authorities that charge for water and sewer services to base residential customers' bills exclusively upon metered consumption. Under current law, local public authorities providing water and sewer services may establish charges for those services based on any number of factors, including consumption, the number and type of water outlets, the number and type of plumbing fixtures or facilities, the number of persons residing on the property, the capacity of fixtures, or any other factors determining the type, class, and amount of water or sewer use. In addition, this bill permits local public authorities and local units to establish a tiered system of rates, through which a local unit may charge different rates based upon the total metered units of water consumed on or in connection with the real property in a billing cycle. The bill exempts residential customers with separate outdoor water or sewer accounts from charges for sewer disposal services recorded by meters tied to the outdoor account or that resulted from the disposal of water obtained from an outdoor source. Essentially, a resident with a separate outdoor account is not to be responsible for sewer service charges related to the resident's use of water from an outdoor source.