NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
New Jersey Water Supply Authority

Notice of Rule Proposal
N.J.A.C. 7:11-2. 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 Raritan Basin System.

PUBLIC NOTICE
Take notice that the New Jersey Water Supply Authority is proposing to amend to amend its Schedule of Rates, Charges, and Debt Service Assessments for the Sale of Water from the Raritan Basin System (System), to cover expenses for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.  The Authority operates on a July 1 to June 30 Fiscal Year. For FY 2025, there are no changes in the total overall rate of $365.00 per million gallons of water (MG). The Authority anticipates the rates will be adopted and operative by July 1, 2024.  A statement of the substance of the proposal follows:

The Authority is proposing no change in the overall rate of $365.00 per million gallons for the Raritan System for FY 2025. Projected operating costs for FY 2025 indicate that no increase is necessary in the Operations and Maintenance component of the rate of $203.00 per million gallons. The sales base used for calculation of the Operations and Maintenance component of the rate will remain at 182.339 million gallons per day. 

The Debt Service Assessment rate component will remain at $109.00 per million gallons. This rate is assessed to fund the annual principal and interest payments for a loan issued in FY 2021 to cover the cost of dredging a 10.5-mile stretch of the Delaware and Raritan Canal, anticipated debt service for a loan to cover the cost of rehabilitating three earthen embankments within the Authority’s Round Valley Reservoir System, and anticipated debt service for two recently added projects; embankment foundation grouting and spillway improvements at the Authority’s Spruce Run Reservoir. It is anticipated that all loans will be issued through the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank.  When final loans have been issued, the Authority may adjust the rate by rulemaking to reflect the final debt service schedule for both loans. 

Projected costs indicate that no change is necessary in the Capital Fund component of the rate, which will remain at $33.00 per million gallons.  The Authority is proposing a no change to the Source Water Protection Fund component, currently at $20.00 per million gallons.  This rate component addresses watershed protection programs, including debt service on land preservation acquisitions.

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-20240102b.pdf, the NJWSA website (http://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 5, 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 2, 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