Stafford Water and Sewer Department
1. Are there any immediate plans to extend water service to additional areas in Ocean Acres?
Yes. This will be done in several phases. Please contact the Water and Sewer Utility Department to verify when a specific area is scheduled to begin work.
- Last Update: October 5, 2005 which is 1623 days ago.
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2. Do all Stafford Township residents have public water service?
No. There is still a large portion of Ocean Acres that does not have access to public water. Although a project was recently completed in Ocean Acres that extended water service to the new Ocean Acres Elementary School and all of the residential properties along that route, a large percentage of Ocean Acres is not served by public water.
- Last Update: October 5, 2005 which is 1623 days ago.
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3. What is the “base rate” for water and how are the water rates structured? Also, why do I have to pay for service if I am not here all year?
All residential customers of the system pay the base rate of $25.00 per quarter for operation and maintenance of the water system. The base rate does not entitle the customer to any water usage. Each year the Township reviews operational expenses and water consumption patterns to determine the amount of revenue necessary to operate the water system. Even though we have many residents who are part year residents we must keep the water system fully operational and functional 12 months a year. We must make certain that adequate pressure exists in the lines for water consumption and fire fighting purposes. The base rate is a reflection of the amount of revenue necessary for these services. The Township does not have the luxury of “turning off” the system if someone is not here. We must make certain that the system is charged and ready 24 hours per day seven days a week and that the pressure falls within an acceptable range.This includes the summer when the peak usage is the greatest and the winter months when the usage is less.
In addition to the base rate, customers are then charged based on water usage.The rates are structured in tiers of usage to promote water conservation. The rate per 1,000 gallons of water usage increases as water consumption increases. In fact, the rate increases substantially for usage of over 50,000 gallons of water per quarter. It should be noted that a typical family of four would use between 15,000 and 25,000 gallons of water per quarter so even though the rates do increase it would not normally impact an average user in any way.
- Last Update: October 5, 2005 which is 1623 days ago.
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4. What is the basis for the Connection Fees charged by the Township?
In order to extend water and sewer service up until now, the township has incurred costs for these projects over a long period of time. These include costs for major trunk sewers, pumping stations, water mains, water treatment plant construction, and other capital costs for system improvements that are utilized by all customers. The debt service costs to fund these improvements have been incorporated in the Water and Sewer Utility Departments annual budget. Long-standing customers have paid these costs as part of their water and sewer bill over time. The connection fees are assessed to new customers seeking to connect to the system as a way for them to pay their fair share of these capital costs. The Township's Auditor computes the connection fee amount based on a state-approved formula. The connection is subject to change based on a variety of factors including additional projects, debt service requirements, and other financing issues.Currently, the connection fee for the water system is $2,475.00 per unit and $1,950 per unit for connection to the sewer system.(Connection fees charged as of 1/1/05).
- Last Update: October 5, 2005 which is 1623 days ago.
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5. If I am interested in connecting to the water system what do I need to do?
Contact theStafford Township Water and Sewer Utility Department by phone or letter and request information concerning connecting to the water system.Our staff should be able to tell you how close you are to the nearest water main in the area.It may be necessary for the Water and Sewer Utility engineer to prepare a report to fully respond to your inquiry. If so, you may be asked to pay for that engineering work in advance if the engineering costs exceed $200.00. If several neighbors are interested in connecting to the system, the Township requires that all interested persons sign a petition so that the Township will be aware of the sentiments of the residents in the area. Many times the costs will be far in excess of what the homeowner may have anticipated because of the fact that the Township cannot simply extend a line and create a "dead end” in the water system.More often than not, additional pipe and fire hydrants will be necessary to address this situation which increases the costs.It should be noted that unless the Township has a specific need for the extension of the water line (i.e. such as the new elementary school) the property owners would be required to absorb the costs for the project.
- Last Update: August 10, 2004 which is 2044 days ago.
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6. What is the Townships Policy for turning off water for nonpayment of water or sewer charges?
Bills are due on January 15th, April 15th, July 15th and October 15th. Bills are sent out to customers by the 1st of the month. There is a ten-day grace period on every quarter. Payments must be received by the 24th to avoid interest. If the bill remains unpaid, a notice is sent out approximately 30 days after the end of the grace period. This notice includes a date that service will be turned off for nonpayment. This date of turn off is typically 3 weeks from the date of the notice. In addition to any interest and penalty charges, the customer is then assessed a fee for turning off the service and an additional fee for turning the service back on once the customer has paid. These fees are in addition to interest and penalty charges on top of the water and sewer charges.Many customers question why a late fee is assessed for the entire payment period even if the customer pays soon after the due date. Please keep in mind that the billing cycle already has a “grace period” built in for the customer. If, however, the customer does not submit payment within the grace period, the late fee is calculated and assessed back to the original due date of the bill because the customer has exceeded the grace period.
The Township is required to exercise due diligence in collecting all charges.
- Last Update: October 5, 2005 which is 1623 days ago.
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7. Am I responsible for the maintenance of any part of my water or sewer lines?
Although there are some exceptions, basically the Township is responsible for the maintenance and repair of water meter pits and the curb stop/shutoff valves associated with the water main. The homeowner would be responsible for their service connection. They would also be responsible for any meter located in a crawl space or underneath the house. Also, homeowners are responsible for the sewer lateral leading to the sewer main.Any clog or obstruction contained in the sewer lateral is the homeowner’s responsibility to remove. The homeowner is also responsible for the sewer clean out located along the sewer lateral. Personnel from the Township would be pleased to assist homeowners in answering any specific questions concerning these issues.
- Last Update: August 10, 2004 which is 2044 days ago.
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8. What are the colored markings on the streets and sidewalks used for?
All utility companies including the Township are required by State Law to identify and show the location of utility lines in advance of any planned construction in a given area.The markings correspond to the following chart:
These requirements apply to all excavation including planned projects by individual homeowners. You must call 1-800-272-1000 at least 3 days before you dig in any area containing utility lines. These regulations are for your safety.
- Last Update: October 5, 2005 which is 1623 days ago.
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9. Where does our water come from and how safe is our water?
The source of all of our water is deep-water wells that draw water from deep underground acquifers. The depth of these wells ranges from 450 feet to 550 feet for water from the Kirkwood acquifer except for our well in the Fawn Lakes section which draws water from the Coahancy acquifer at a depth of approximately 250 feet. We are very proud of the fact that the quality of our water is excellent and it exceeds all of the state and federal testing requirement parameters in all respects. Each year we are required to send a Consumer Confidence Report to all of our customers listing all of the various testing requirements and results for our water. These reports document the excellent quality of our water and are available on this wed site.
- Last Update: August 10, 2004 which is 2044 days ago.
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10. If water service is available, must I hook up?
If water service is available and can be accessed from your property, pursuant to the provisions of the township ordinance you would have 90 days to hook up to the public water system.If you have a private well that has been installed for your property within the last 5 years of your notice to connect, you may be eligible for an extension of time depending on the age of the well. If, for example, your well is newly installed within the last 12 months of the notice to connect, the township ordinance provides that if you can present proper documentation, you would be entitled to up to a 5-year extension of time for the connection. Even if you must connect to the public water system, we encourage and recommend that all customers retain the use of their private well for irrigation and outside use to cut down on their water expense.
- Last Update: August 10, 2004 which is 2044 days ago.
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