Water contract proposal made
MCIA outlines savings from new company
NORTH BRUNSWICK — The Middlesex County Improvement Authority planned on meeting with the Township Council yesterday in order to present it with a water contract proposal.
"We are going to be updating the North Brunswick council on where we are in the negotiations process," said Donna Rendiero of the county Improvement Authority. "At this point we are leaning toward the council meeting directly with the company."
Rendiero said that the township has been in negotiations with Azurix/JJS Management, which is considered best for North Brunswick based on water rates and other considerations.
"Based on many factors, we felt that Azurix would be the best choice for North Brunswick," said Rendiero. "There were many factors that made us come to this decision. The price is a very large factor, but we also had to consider the company’s financial ability and technical expertise. We help the municipality choose a vendor that would be best suited for their needs."
The five companies who responded to the water contract bid in North Brunswick were: Azurix, Middlesex Water, U.S. Water LLC, United Water and Elizabethtown Gas and Water, according to Rendiero.
Rendiero said that the county has been negotiating with Azurix for over a year at this point.
"These negotiations have been going on for over the past year and a half," Rendiero said. "There have been changes in contract negotiations. At this point, we can say to the town, "here are the components, and how would you like to proceed."
North Brunswick Water currently serves as the town’s water operator and is a subsidiary of Somerville’s U.S. Water, a private operations contractor serving customers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland and North Carolina.
The township has been in negotiations but with a different water company than it is currently using, according to officials, according to Rendiero.
"We have not been in negotiations with U.S. Water," he said. "They were not chosen as the first-ranked choice for the water company that would serve North Brunswick best. We had five respondents from five different companies."
Councilman Bruce Chandlee hopes to get a new contract soon, so that the water rates in town can be lowered.
"I pay what I feel are high water rates," Chandlee said. "There are a couple of ways that the rate can be lowered. I do not have the particulars, but I have great confidence that we will lower the rates. Everyone in the township has had a problem with them during the last three to four years. This is not something that we want to make light of, but we do not have the lowest or highest rates."
North Brunswick Water representative Mike Cherenson said that the township would be solely responsible for setting the water rates.
"The town sets the rate; it is their responsibility; the rate is set by them," Cherenson said. "The Township Council is 100 percent responsible for setting the water rates."
The county was scheduled to have a meeting with the township a few weeks ago, but it was canceled at the request of Mayor David Spaulding because he said that he wanted to want until after the two new council members were sworn in and familiar with the contract.
Spaulding said it would not be appropriate to comment because the town’s water contract is still in negotiations.
The council will have to decide where to go after officials meet with the county, according to Rendiero.