Middlesex Water Company, which serves about 61,000 customers mostly in central New Jersey, filed a petition with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities requesting new rates driven by close to $100 million in investments made to meet water quality and environmental regulations and to continue to provide safe and reliable water service to its customers.
The company is seeking a total annual revenue increase of $24.9 million. If Middlesex Water’s base rate increase request is approved in its entirety by the NJBPU, the company said the average residential customer using about 15,000 gallons of water per quarter would see an increase to the water bill of approximately $14.13 per month or 47 cents per day.
“Middlesex Water Company’s prudent and consistent investments in our water infrastructure underscore our commitment to delivering safe, reliable water services to the communities we serve,” said Nadine Leslie, Middlesex Water Company chair, president and chief executive officer. “By modernizing our treatment plants, upgrading critical distribution systems, and investing in technological improvements, we are strengthening system resilience against climate risks and emerging contaminants, while continuing to provide our customers with quality service at an affordable rate.”
There were among the improvements that Middlesex Water cited:
- Protecting and enhancing the resiliency of the company’s treatment facilities through the installation of storm surge mitigation methods and the updating of corrosion inhibitors and chlorination systems.
- Implementing work and asset cloud services to improve data management and system scalability, enhance workplace efficiency, bolster the company’s cyber security profile, and ensure business continuity.
- Replacing about 12 miles of cast iron water mains with priority given to those with repetitive failures, ensuring system reliability and reducing water loss.
- Replacing aging fire hydrants with new units to increase fire protection.
- Advancing the company’s “Knocking Out Lead” initiative to eliminate utility and customer-owned lead and galvanized steel service lines by 2031.
- Upgrading water-treatment methods at water purification facilities, improving treatment process to yield improved water quality for our customers.
Middlesex Water Company owns and operates regulated water utility and wastewater systems in New Jersey and Delaware. It also operates water and wastewater systems under contract on behalf of municipal and private clients in New Jersey and Delaware.
The company serves about 61,000 customers in Woodbridge Township, South Amboy, Metuchen, Carteret, parts of Edison, South Plainfield, and Clark. The company also provides wholesale water service to Rahway, Edison, Marlboro, Highland Park, and the Old Bridge Municipal Utilities Authority and provides water treatment and pumping services to East Brunswick.
The company’s subsidiaries include Tidewater Utilities, Inc., Pinelands Water Company, Pinelands Wastewater Company, Utility Service Affiliates, Inc., Utility Service Affiliates (Perth Amboy) Inc., Utility Service Affiliates – Avalon and Tidewater’s wholly-owned subsidiaries include Southern Shores Water Company, LLC and White Marsh Environmental Systems, Inc.
