The North Bergen Municipal Utilities Authority unanimously voted to avoid a rate increase for the 11th straight year as part of its 2001-2002 budget adopted last month.
The sewerage treatment agency serves both North Bergen and Guttenberg and ratepayers in those two communities will continue to pay different fee schedules.
The North Bergen rate will remain frozen at $4.41 per thousand gallons of water used and the Guttenberg rate is decreasing by one cent to $5.76 per thousand gallons.
MUA Executive Director Robert Fischer said that the reason for the rate freezes stemmed from keeping a very lean and tight budget, while receiving increased revenue from interest on investments and development.
“Mayor [Nicholas] Sacco is always pushing our agency to reduce our costs wherever possible,” Fischer said. “As a result, our operating budget is approximately one percent higher than it was five years ago. This year, we were able to find more efficient ways to operate our facilities.”
Fischer said that the connection fees developers pay to hook into the agency’s treatment plants continue to increase in accordance with state guidelines. That also adds to the reason for the costs being kept so low for the customers.
“Every new unit of housing is assessed a one-time only connection fee of $1,919,” Fischer said. “Commercial and industrial clients pay an Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU) fee that is set by state statute. Because of development in the township and the excellent business climate in the town, we’re expected to continue to get new revenues for the agency in the coming years.”
Fischer said that plans are continuing to have a major renovation and mechanical upgrade to the main Central Treatment Plant on West Side Avenue.
The design phase of the project is 90 percent complete and the agency intends to solicit construction bids this summer.
The project will be financed through the New Jersey Infrastructure Trust and will not affect taxpayers at all, but will enhance both the quality of the sewerage capabilities, as well as quicken the process, immensely. The expedience will also add to lower costs in the near future as well, according to Fischer.