News
Sewerage Authority Rate Hike To Increase Sea Bright's Costs By 23 Percent
By Ryan Fennell
SEA BRIGHT - Unless something changes, the Borough of Sea Bright is in line to see a 23 percent increase in the sewer rate levied by the Sewerage Authority.
"We came into this year expecting a five percent increase on our sewer rates," Councilman C. Read Murphy said. "We ended up with a 23 percent increase from the Sewerage Authority."
According to Murphy the increase has nothing to do with the Borough's infrastructure but the explanation Murphy received for the significant increase was not enough to ease his concerns.
"The explanation I was given was it would retire debt that was placed on us and Rumson for repairs of these pipes, not only from Sea Bright and Rumson, but we pay charges from the Sea Bright border all the way to the plant," Murphy said. "This is one of the reasons I want our auditor and maybe our engineer to look at whether these pipes tie in anywhere to multiple use. If they are going to hit us for repairs I want to make sure it's only for what we use."
Mayor Maria Fernandes had questions of her own regarding the rate hike, noting that the Sewerage Authority received $11.5 million in a recent settlement of a lawsuit against the consulting engineers that designed a 2005 upgrade to the treatment plant and pump stations.
"The other question is what do they plan on doing with the $11.5 million that they got in this settlement?" Fernandes asked. "They won the lawsuit. They didn't have $11.5 million in repairs. Where's our cut? Where is that money?"
"We paid for the litigation and we paid for the upgrades so we should get something back," Fernandes added.
The council is intent on looking further into the situation to at least be given a clearer explanation for the hike.
"I think we should press the issue," Murphy said. "They just weren't clear on the explanation."
The Council had struck a rate increase of $9.04 per 1000 gallons but with the 23 percent rate increase placed on the Borough by the Sewerage Authority, the new rate would have to be $10.90 per 1000 gallons "just to get by" Murphy said.
With the repaving project of the northern end of Ocean Avenue scheduled for this spring, the Sea Bright Council expects to send a camera through the pipes in the area to check for any leaks or broken pipes to make sure that there is nothing structurally contributing to the increased rate.
