Dear Editor:
I want to thank Union City Mayor Brian Stack, for working tirelessly to put a stop to the injustices currently being committed by the utility companies in our area, particularly North Hudson Sewerage Authority and United Water. For years the Sewerage Authority has been raising their fees without any regard for the toll it takes on the property owners. They don’t answer their phones, and if you try to go and resolve an issue in person, the lines are so long, you have to spend hours there, and if and when you do get a chance to speak to a “live” person, it’s through a window and there is no privacy!
Another crime they’re guilty of, is that for property owners who have fire sprinkler systems, United Water bills every 3 months, and then the Sewerage Authority issues another bill for water that is not used!! This water is dormant unless there is a fire! So the reality is that owners are getting billed twice for water that is literally sitting in a pipe, unused for years! This is an outrage and a flat out crime. Why can’t United Water bill customers only when a sprinkler goes off and the meter actually reflects that water was used?
Yet another infraction is that United Water has certain fees for water consumption, and the Sewerage Authority’s fees for that same usage are higher. This means you have to pay more for dirty water than clean water! This is ridiculous! Talk about highway robbery.
Every year, the Sewerage Authority raises their surcharge fees. Originally, there were no surcharges. That quickly changed to approximately $1.00 and it seems like in the blink of an eye it skyrocketed to $6.00 for each meter. How exactly, are these fees being calculated, and who is regulating the salaries of the “big wigs” who are approving this? This is why we need more people like Brian Stack! He is our only advocate in what seems like an uphill battle we can’t win. I have faith that with his continued persistence, we will all see an end to these injustices. Thank you again, Mayor Stack. Keep up the great work. It is very much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Raquel Ruiz
Union City