Water & Sewer

Font Size: + -

Feedback Print

Effective July 1, 2020, the Borough contracted with Utility Services Affiliates-Highland Park, a subsidiary of Middlesex Water Company, to manage the day-to-day operation of Highland Park’s water/sewer system. Two proposals were obtained through an open and public bidding process and were reviewed by an evaluation committee. This is an important step to control costs and adopt best practices in one of our most important infrastructure assets.

Water & Sewer Bills

Utility bills are due quarterly on the last business day of March, June, September and December. Readings are taken in February, May, August and November. Payments received after the due date will accrue interest at the same rate as delinquent taxes.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

ONLINE: The Borough offers online bill paymentsfor utility bills. If you pay by ACH or e-check, there is a flat $1.95 convenience fee. The fee for all debit and credit card payments will be approximately 2.95% of your total bill.

SECURE DROP BOX: There is a secure drop box for tax and utility payments located to the left of the front entrance of Borough Hall. All payments left in the drop box will be posted on the next business day. Please do not leave cash payments in the drop box.

IN-PERSON: The tax and and utility office is open to take payments during regular business hours. The office is located on the main level of Borough Hall to the right of the front entrance.

PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS: The Borough participates in the State Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) can help you pay arrears for your water and sewer bills. The program may also be able to help address tax liens due to water and sewer arrears. To get more information and apply, go to waterassistance.nj.gov or call NJ 211.

The State of New Jersey also offers assistance for home energy bills. You can read more about these programs here:

Water/Sewer Rates Per Cycle

Item	Fee
Minimum Water Charge (0-799 Cu Ft)	$49.24 flat charge
Minimum Sewer Charge (0-799 Cu Ft)	$39.20 flat charge
Water Charge (800-999 Cu Ft)	$63.84 flat charge
Sewer Charge (800-999 Cu Ft)	$50.38 flat charge
Water Charge (1,000-3,499 Cu Ft)	$79.75 per 1,000 Cu Ft
Sewer Charge (1,000-3,499 Cu Ft)	$60.96 per 1,000 Cu Ft
Water Charge (3,500 Cu Ft and up)	$85.33 per 1,000 Cu Ft
Sewer Charge (3,500 Cu Ft and up)	$65.22 per 1,000 Cu Ft

1,000 cubic feet of water equals 7,480 Gallons of water.

The interest rate for delinquent water and sewer by state statue is as follows:

The first $1500 of delinquency is at 8% (APR) any balance over $1500 is at 18%. The 18% interest remains until the delinquency is brought current. A 6% year-end penalty will be assessed on the last day of the fiscal year on delinquent accounts in excess of $10,000.

Final Meter Readings

Final readings are done only for properties being sold and must be scheduled at least 48 hours prior to a closing. A Final Meter Reading Request must be filled out and emailed to taxclerk@hpboro.com. There is a $30 fee for all Final Readings.

Sewer Department

If you experience sewer back-up please call the Water and Sewer Department during normal office hours, or the Highland Park Police at 732-572-3800 after regular business hours and holidays. Please call our offices before calling a sewer cleaning contractor as we will have an employee come out to inspect the borough's main and let you know if a cleaning contractor is needed.

Road Opening Permits are required anytime road excavation is done. These permits can be obtained from the Code Enforcement Department.

Sanitary Sewer Project-the borough is involved in finding excessive inflow and infiltration of water which gets into our sewer system. Problem areas are being grouted, tele-viewed and pipes are being replaced.

Water Quality

The Borough of Highland Park obtains its drinking water from Middlesex Water Company, a water utility in New Jersey with over a century of water collection, treatment and distribution experience. Middlesex Water Company supplies the Borough of Highland Park with surface water that is obtained from the Delaware and Raritan Canal, which is owned by the State of New Jersey and operated by the New Jersey Water Supply Authority. The water delivered to Highland Park meets or exceeds all regulatory standards; for more information, please review the annual Water Quality Report.

Tax Sale

Any outstanding municipal balances as of November 11th, of the current year are subject to Tax Sale anytime thereafter.

Things to Remember:

Any internal leak, however small, can quickly add up to several gallons of wasted water. Repair all leaks promptly to avoid high bills. If you are unsure if you have a leak, please contact the Billing office to schedule an appointment.

Road Opening Permits are required anytime road excavation is done. These permits can be obtained from the Code Enforcement Department.

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.

Word Viewer