NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
New Jersey Water Supply Authority

Notice of Rule Proposal
N.J.A.C. 7:11-4. Rules for the Use of Water Supply Authority Property and Schedule of Rates, Charges, and Debt Service Assessments for the Sale of Water from the Manasquan Reservoir Water Supply System.

PUBLIC NOTICE
Take notice that the New Jersey Water Supply Authority is proposing to amend its Schedule of Rates, Charges, and Debt Service Assessments for the Sale of Water from the Manasquan Reservoir Water Supply System, to cover expenses for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.  The Authority operates on a July 1 to June 30 Fiscal Year. The amendments to specific aspects of the rate structure proposed in this rulemaking will result in no change to the overall rate of $1,010.75 per million gallons (MG) for initial water purchase contract customers, and no change to the overall rate of $1,124.67 per MG for delayed water purchase contract customers.  The Authority anticipates the rates will be adopted and operative by July 1, 2024. A statement of the substance of the proposal follows:

For initial water purchase contract customers, none of the rate components are changing:

The Operations and Maintenance rate component will remain at $445.82 per million gallons in FY 25, no change versus FY 24.  The Capital Fund rate component will remain at $525.00 per million gallons in FY 25, no change versus FY 24. There is no change to the Source Water Protection rate component for initial water purchase contract customers. The rate remains at $15.00/mg. There is no change to the NJEIFP rate component for initial water purchase contract customers. The rate remains at $24.93/mg.

The total rate for initial water purchase contract customers for FY 25 will therefore be $1,010.75/mg, which is composed of the Operations and Maintenance component ($445.82/mg); the Capital Fund component ($525.00/mg); the Source Water Protection component ($15.00/mg); and the NJEIFP component ($24.93/mg). This represents no change compared to FY 24. The average annual impact per household will therefore be $0.00 based on 400 gallons daily usage per household.

For delayed water purchase contract customers, none of the rate components are changing:

The Operations and Maintenance rate component will remain at $445.82 per million gallons in FY 25, no change versus FY 24. The Debt Service rate component will remain at $438.92 per million gallons, in FY 25, no change versus FY 24. The Capital Fund rate component will remain at $200.00 per million gallons in FY 25, no change versus FY 24. There is no change to the Source Water Protection rate component for delayed water purchase contract customers.  The rate remains at $15.00/mg. There is no change to the NJEIFP rate component for delayed water purchase contract customers. The rate remains at $24.93/mg.

The total rate for delayed water purchase contract customers in FY 25 will therefore be $1,124.67/mg, which is composed of the Operations and Maintenance component ($445.82/mg); the Debt Service component ($438.92/mg); the Capital Fund component ($200.00/mg); the Source Water Protection component ($15.00/mg); and the NJEIFP component ($24.93/mg).  This represents no change as compared to FY 24.  The average annual impact per household will therefore be $0.00 based on 400 gallons daily usage per household.

The proposal is scheduled to be published in the New Jersey Register dated January 2, 2024.  A copy of the proposal is available from: the Department’s website https://njdepwptest.net/wp-content/uploads/rules/proposals/proposal-20240102a.pdf, the NJWSA website (https://www.njwsa.org), and LexisNexis free public access to the New Jersey Register, (https://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/njoal/).

Public hearings concerning the proposal is scheduled as follows:

January 4, 2024, at 10:00am
Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Information on how to join the public hearings will be available at www.njwsa.org, by request to mrollman@njwsa.org, or by calling 908-638-6121 ext. 242.

February 1, 2024, at 10:00am
Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Information on how to join the public hearings will be available at www.njwsa.org, by request to mrollman@njwsa.org, or by calling 908-638-6121 ext. 242.

Written comments may be submitted electronically by March 11, 2024, at info@njwsa.org; or in hard copy to:

Mark Brooks
Executive Director
ATTN: DEP Docket No. 03-23-11
New Jersey Water Supply Authority
1851 Highway 31
P.O. Box 5196
Clinton, NJ 08809