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Resident says borough’s private‑service rule left her facing $5,500 bill after water‑service break
Summary
Kelly Cruz told council a private water‑service break has flowed for weeks, that only the borough’s designated contractor may perform repairs, and that she has been told to pay about $5,500 before work will be scheduled; borough staff described utility complexity and said the borough is reviewing options.
Kelly Cruz of 518 7th Ave told the council that a private water‑service break near her home has been flowing for nearly three weeks and that the contractor process has left her with a bill she cannot absorb. Cruz said the borough told her only one private contractor is allowed to do the work and that she must pay an estimated $5,500 before scheduling, which she said is burdensome and unfair.
The borough’s administrator and public‑works staff said they had been in communication with Cruz and her contractor, explained that the service is private from the main to the house in Belmar’s policy and that different municipalities handle responsibility differently. The administrator said the town has studied other municipalities’ approaches and that the situation is complicated by a history of frozen and broken pipes; he noted the borough’s annual billing for property‑owner break repairs and that some towns accept different responsibility shares.
Cruz said water continued to flow into the street and into her property and that she felt “held hostage” because the repair would not proceed until payment arrangements were made. The council asked staff to follow up and provide a clearer explanation of why only specific contractors are used and whether the ordinance could be changed to reduce hardship for homeowners.
