Stafford Township, NJ Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)

Stafford Township Code § 47-21T(2) puts the duty on the customer. Customers bear the responsibility for locating and fixing water leaks immediately so as not to cause undue and unnecessary demand on the water system. The Director of the Water and Sewer Utility Department is authorized to recommend adjustments to water and sewer utility accounts where leaks due to water line breaks have occurred, but the governing body must formally approve every such recommendation before the adjustment is final.

The relief is narrow. It applies when the Director confirms that consumption resulted solely from a waterline break without any extenuating circumstances, and the owner supplies suitable proofs. The Township then considers abating water charges for a maximum of up to 21 days from the date the break occurred. The abatement formula uses the highest daily water usage the customer showed in a given quarter over the last eight quarters of usage. Every gallon beyond that, whether caused by negligence, improper utilization, a break in the waterline, or any other reason, is the sole financial responsibility of the property owner and is due under normal billing practices. An owner who shows the Director that none of the water reached the Township sanitary sewer can receive a credit for excess sewer charges only.

The separate adjustment guidelines in § 47-15C(8) set out what a customer submits: a written explanation of the break or leak, how it was discovered and how long water was leaking, the date of discovery, the action taken, copies of plumber or contractor bills, and a determination letter from the homeowner's insurance carrier, since all claims must first go to the insurer. Owners who meet those requirements are automatically eligible for a one-time abatement of overage charges and may appeal to the Council for later ones. The code calls approval extremely unlikely for garden hoses left on, unwinterized crawl spaces and outdoor showers, aging hot-water heaters, leaking or running commodes, showers or sinks, and underground sprinkler systems tied to the public supply. Customers can also ask to pay an unusually high bill in installments under a plan approved by the Director and the Collector, with interest on any unpaid balance.