- $375 per year for each single-family home or townhouse
- $375 per unit for 2–4 family residential properties
Bills will include:
- A $375 annual base charge, plus
- A usage-based charge on the prior year’s water consumption.
Water usage data will be provided to the Borough by New Jersey American Water
$1.30 per 1,000 gallons of water used.
Sewer charges will be calculated using water consumption recorded by your water meter and reported to the Borough by New Jersey American Water. The usage used for billing will be based on the prior year’s meter readings.
The sewer system requires ongoing maintenance, regular operations, and long-term capital improvements, and the costs charged to the Borough by regional sewer authorities continue to increase. The flat base fee will help to maintain the Sewer Utility’s day-to-day operating budget, while the usage-based portion will support long-term capital improvement planning for the sewer system. This approach allows the Borough to be proactive rather than reactionary—planning for necessary upgrades over time instead of responding to emergencies that can lead to sudden, unpredictable rate increases and service disruptions. Even with these adjustments, Dunellen’s sewer rates are expected to remain lower than those of most surrounding municipalities, and the new structure allows costs to be distributed fairly and sustainably.
Water usage is the industry-standard method municipalities use to estimate wastewater entering the sewer system. This approach distributes costs more fairly based on actual system demand.
Each dwelling unit is billed the $375 base rate in 2026. Beginning in 2027, the property will also pay the usage-based charge.
Residential apartments are billed $375 per unit, plus the usage charge beginning in 2027. Commercial portions of the property will be billed separately at the non-residential rate.
Commercial sewer usage is billed based on water consumption at $5.25 per 1,000 gallons used, with a minimum annual charge of $375. Starting in 2027, there will also be a $150 annual administrative/facility fee for non-residential properties. This applies to non-residential properties, residential properties with five or more units and mixed residential/commercial properties.
Yes. Beginning in 2027, non-residential and residential properties with five or more units will have a $150 annual administrative/facility charge.
We also recognize that not all water usage results in wastewater entering the sewer system. For that reason, the ordinance allows for, upon application and demonstration of special circumstances, an adjustment to the sewer usage charge. An application process will be available for residents who use additional water for activities such as filling swimming pools or watering lawns or gardens. In those cases, qualifying usage will be excluded from sewer billing and averaged using surrounding billing periods.
Sewer bills are paid semi-annually on April 1 and September 1.
The Borough is providing advance notice so residents can understand the upcoming billing structure and adequately prepare, as the 2027 usage rate will be based on the water used in 2026.
The Borough wanted to make sure residents had time to adequately plan for this change.
- Look at your New Jersey American Water bill.
- Find the total gallons used for the year.
- Divide by 1,000.
- Multiply by $1.30.
- Add the $375 base charge.
20,000 gallons ÷ 1,000 = 20
20 × $1.30 = $26 usage charge per year
$26 + $375 = $401 total annual sewer bill
Yes. After professional review and evaluation, the Borough determined that maintaining local ownership better protects residents and long-term service reliability.
Yes. Many municipalities in New Jersey use a combination of a base sewer charge and a water-usage-based fee to fund their sewer utilities. This approach is widely accepted as a practical and transparent way to align sewer costs with actual system demand while maintaining stable operations and planning for long-term infrastructure needs. Dunellen’s rate structure follows established municipal utility practices and was developed with professional guidance to ensure consistency with how sewer utilities are commonly managed and funded.
No. Even with these changes, Dunellen’s sewer rates are expected to remain lower than those of many surrounding municipalities.
Residents will be able to contact the Borough for a review. Because billing is based on water meter readings, residents can also verify usage through their water bill. If the issue involves the water meter reading itself, residents may also contact New Jersey American Water to request a meter review. If a discrepancy is identified, corrections will be made as appropriate.
Yes. Your sewer usage charge will be based on the same water consumption information shown on your New Jersey American Water bill. Residents can review their water bills throughout the year to monitor usage and anticipate future sewer charges.