Stockton approves $110,000 for water/sewer repairs, orders meters and raises water rates

Stockton Borough Council on March 26 adopted two measures to shore up the municipal water system: Ordinance 2026-06, which appropriates $110,000 from the Water/Sewer Utility Capital Improvement Fund for meters, valve replacement, leak detection and sewer jetting, and Ordinance 2026-08, which raises water rates and flat user charges to help fund operations and planned upgrades.

Mayor Aaron Lipsen said the water system is aging, that the borough joined the Morris County cooperative to purchase meters at lower prices and that the administration plans to accelerate meter installation, targeting roughly 50 meters this year focused on troubled connections. Councilmember Brown described the work as fundamental maintenance, and Gilinger and Meltzer supported incremental funding to avoid sudden large increases for residents.

Ordinance 2026-08 raises the volumetric rate from $3.85 to $4.00 per 1,000 gallons for all meter sizes and increases the annual flat user charge from $400 to $500, effective April 1, 2026. Attorney Lisa Maddox noted a historical-whereas typo in the draft and the council adopted the ordinance as amended to show the prior rate correctly ($3.85).

Residents questioned large individual bills and raised selling the water system as an option; Mayor Lipsen said the council is exploring grants and federal/county funding and cautioned that selling a municipal system can shift long-term upgrade costs to customers. Several residents praised recent water‑department staff work and urged maintaining local ownership and knowledge transfer among employees.

Both ordinances passed by roll call: the capital appropriation (Ord. 2026-06) and the rate increase (Ord. 2026-08) were adopted by 5–0 votes.