Conservation Utility Will Discuss Capital Plan Tonight

Less than a month after the Township Committee approved to officially change the township's current sewer billing system to user-based fees, the Cranford Conservation Utility will meet to discuss several issues including the 2011-12 sewer capital plan.

During the 7:30 p.m. meeting, officials will welcome representatives from Red Zone Robotics to demonstrate how a robot, connected to a computer can go into sewer lines and find leaks. Locating leaks in the sewer lines, officials said, can help prevent residents and businesses from facing additional sewer usage charges.

Mayor Dan Aschenbach said the Conservation Utility will also discuss Cranford's participation in an energy purchase cooperative.

"The Conservation Utility will continue to find ways to conserve and save funds," the mayor said.

According to the Cranford website, the township created the Conservation Utility in an effort "to find opportunities to reduce energy, water and sewer use to save residents money and protect the environment. The Township spends $2.5 million on these utilities and even if we find only 10 percent reduction in costs that is $250,000 or $170 per taxpayer. If we are successful efforts towards aggregation of energy supply could provide substantial savings to residents while lowering carbon emissions."

Under the new billing system in which taxpayers will pay their sewer bills based on usage, rather than having the fees determined by property values, residents will be charged according to a system of tiers:

• Homes that use between zero and 75,000 gallons of water will be in the first tier and pay $175. Approximately two-thirds of the houses in town will qualify for this first tier.
• Homes that use more than 75,000 gallons of water will qualify for the second tier, and will owe $175 plus an additional 12 cents for each gallon after 75,000.
• The third tier will be made up of Cranford taxpayers who use more than 300,000 gallons of water. This primarily includes businesses.

According to the proposed ordinance, seniors citizens will receive a rebate of $125. The Cranford School District is exempt from the ordinance.

Tonight's meeting will take place in Room 108, on the second floor of the municipal building.