Montville proposes changing water rates

Montville officials are proposing changes to local water charges that make them simpler to calculate but harder to afford.

Residents would pay $4.65 for every 1,000 gallons of water used, according to the plan.

"It's very simple and easy to understand," Mayor Deborah Nielson said.

With the proposed rate, a Montville resident using 41,000 gallons of water should expect to see a 38 percent rise.

The current rate formula charges a $5 base fee in addition to $3.25 for every 1,000 gallons.

The township draws mainly from its own aquifer but also purchases water from Lincoln Park and Jersey City.

It faces increased water costs from those external sources, however.

The township decided to explore four possible rate increases to prevent a shortfall in its water fund. Last month, committee members narrowed the list to two: the $4.65 rate and a tiered rate that was paired with a base fee.

The tiered plan, township officials said, was designed to promote water conservation among the town's heaviest water users.

But Montville decided last week to move forward with the non-tiered option to make it easier for both water customers and administrators to understand. Administrators and secretaries wouldn't have to spend time explaining the rate structure to customers, Nielson said, and the formula makes it less complicated to determine future hikes or decreases.

"There's value in having ease of understanding," she said.

Town officials still expect some water conservation with the $4.65 rate because of the hefty increase.

If approved, the new rate would take effect Jan. 1.

It will be introduced in a town meeting next week and voted on in November.

Eugene Paik is a reporter with the New Jersey Local News Service. He may be reached at (908) 243-6240 or epaik@njlns.com.