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Residents urge changes after steep sewer-bill jumps tied to irrigation; council outlines rationale and options
Summary
Residents told the council that sprinkler systems and pools have pushed annual sewer bills sharply higher for some homeowners; councilors explained the borough uses a 12‑month tiered calculation to fund aging sewer infrastructure and said separate irrigation meters can exclude non-sewer water but may carry costs.
Several residents on Monday urged the borough to alter how it charges sewer fees after irrigation and other non-sewer water use triggered large billing spikes for homeowners.
Resident Blood Lavin said his sewer bill rose about 43.4% to roughly $330 after he installed a sprinkler system and asked what process exists to change the ordinance or exempt irrigation use. "I installed a sprinkler system…my meter usage last year was just a little bit over into the next tier. So which increased my rate by 43.4%…I'm at $330 now," Lavin said.
Tom Gordon and other commenters proposed technical fixes, including calculating charges using lower-use months or permitting separate irrigation meters. Councilors and staff explained the borough adopted a 12-month, tiered billing structure based on engineering recommendations to fairly distribute costs and to raise sufficient revenue to maintain old sewer infrastructure. Council members said prior attempts to base charges on fall/winter averages did not raise enough revenue to fund the utility without increasing the base rate substantially.
Officials acknowledged that a separate irrigation meter can isolate non-sewer water but said New Jersey American Water gave inconsistent responses about installation costs and monthly fees; councilors also noted that a separate meter can be cost‑prohibitive for some homeowners. The borough said it will publish an FAQ to explain calculations, continue to review alternatives, and engage residents seeking relief or technical solutions.
Councilors repeatedly framed the policy as balancing fairness and utility funding needs. "We diligently did take people's feedback into account…we had to use all 12 months in order to raise enough money to cover the sewer utility," a council member said. Staff asked residents who want adjustments to share information proactively so the borough can evaluate targeted exemptions or programmatic changes prior to budget cycles.
No ordinance change was made at the meeting; councilors invited further citizen input and promised to publish more information on the calculation method and possible mitigation pathways.
