Final Arguments In Ridgewood Water Lawsuit To Be Heard Soon

RIDGEWOOD, N.J. — Final arguments in the Ridgewood Water rate case are scheduled to be heard later this month, months after three municipalities serviced by the utility filed a class action lawsuit against it.

Final arguments are scheduled for Feb. 15, Richard Calbi, Ridgewood Water director of operations, confirmed.

Ridgewood Water, a public utility the village owns, is being sued by three of the municipalities it provides water to: Glen Rock, Wyckoff and Midland Park. The suit was filed on behalf of ratepayers in 2011, who claim the utility artificially inflated its costs, costing them of millions of dollars following a 37 percent rate increase since 2010.

RELATED: Ridgewood Water Lawsuit Trial Begins

The class-action lawsuit demands that the rate increase be deemed invalid and force Ridgewood Water to refund millions of dollars to ratepayers.

"Ridgewood has been bilking the taxpayers of Wyckoff, Glen Rock and Midland Park by having the ratepayers pay for a substantial portion of the operating expenses by the Village of Ridgewood,” Joseph B. Fiorenzo, former Wyckoff mayor and the attorney representing Wyckoff in the case, previously said.

Municipal officials tried settling the matter out of court last year, but Ridgewood elected officials did not attend the meeting and the lawsuit was filed shortly thereafter.

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