Residents Hit With Huge Water & Sewer Bills

There was a surprise in this quarter’s water bill for a number of residents in Wall. 

A big surprise.

Brandon Road resident Linda Swenarton noticed it. So did Eric Brophy, of Club Drive, and Pennsylvania Avenue resident Mike Galos. Even Mayor Todd Luttman noticed it.

Homeowners from all over Wall Township have reported that the current water and sewer bill is astronomically high. And for those subscribed to the town’s automatic payment system, the money to cover that bill is scheduled to be taken out of bank accounts on Thursday.

“It was a mortgage payment-sized bill,’’ Brophy said.

Luttman, whose own bill was on par for a bill he’d expect to receive in the summer months, said he has received a half-dozen complaints from residents. And Township Administrator Jeffry Bertrand said he is handling about four separate complaints and several have been received by the Township Clerk’s office.

Township officials said they’re looking into the problem, but don’t have enough information to pinpoint where, or if, there’s a problem in the water meter reading system.

“We’re looking into the situation,’’ Luttman said, “We’re trying to determine if there was a problem.’’  

But something is clearly amiss, Mayor Todd Luttman said. He said he’s received a complaint from a resident whose bill was pushing $2,000.

“I thought that it (his water bill) was kind of odd,’’ Luttman said. “it seems an odd time of year to be receiving this kind of bill.’’

That feeling is shared by many residents, who point out that the span of time the current bill covers was during Hurricane Sandy, when every resident of Wall was without power and the township shut off water service to many for a period of time.

The current quarterly bill covers from Aug. 16 to Dec. 6, township officials said. That’s one month more than it normally would be because Hurricane Sandy interfered with the regular schedule, officials said.

Brophy said during the coverage period he was without water while completing some home improvements. 

“We had our kitchen remodeled and were without water for about two months in our kitchen,’’ he said. “So no dishwasher or sink.”

Brophy said he he was concerned about larger bills when the township initiated the quarterly billing system some years ago.

"If Directv sent me a bill that failed to include a month or two and then walloped me with a bill for several months worth of services I do believe that it would be problematic," Brophy said.

Galos said his bill was double, if not triple, what he normally pays.

“I can almost understand if there was some kind of communication that said there was a problem with the last bill and this is to make up for it,’’ Galos said. “But there’s been nothing like that at all.’’

Galos, Brophy and Swenarton said its their water use that seems to be inflated. The water billing system gives one flat rate for the first 6,000 gallons during a billing cycle. Residents are charged at a rate of $5.35 for each 1,000 gallons for the next 7,000 to 12,000 gallons of use.

The charge goes to $6.78 for each 1,000 gallons from 13,000 to 25,000 gallons of use and every gallon over 25,000 is charged at a rate of $7.94, according to the water department.

In practical terms: the more water you use, the more you're going to be charged for each 1,000 gallons.

But while the township is looking into the situation, Bertrand said, there were few answers this week.

Bertrand said the township does not collect information on who is reading what water meters at what times and with what equipment, so trying to find a benchmark is impossible.

He also said the township is in the process of hiring a new Tax Collector, a position which oversees water and sewer collection. Once that position is secured, he said, a thorough assessment can be made. Bertrand said a hire should be in place by the end of the week.

But what are residents to do if they dispute their water bill when the deadline for collection is imminent?

Luttman Wednesday morning said he was looking into stopping the automatic debit for Thursday’s collection, but that may not be within the township’s control. He said those who stop the debit at their bank would not receive lien notices, however.

“Due to the scenario, we would consider that until these items are rectified,’’ Luttman said.

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