The Palmyra sewer plant at the foot of Berkley Avenue will see its pump station modernized. It was constructed in 1922.
Palmyra homeowners got a financial shock when they opened semi-annual sewer bills in September and saw significant increases, especially for customers who use more than 9,000 gallons during a three-month measurement period.
Borough officials said that many residents “use 9,000 gallons of water or less during the measurement period, so their sewer bill will likely not exceed $249 per half. Some residents use considerably more water however, and they may see a significant increase in their sewer bill.”
Mayor Gina Ragomo Tait responded to the public outcry over the bills.
“We listened to what everyone was saying,” she explained. “We’re not here to hurt anybody. It’s just that we must be able to pay the bills to maintain the sewer plant.”
During its Oct. 7 meeting, borough council approved several measures to soften the increase, including raising the water allowance to 11,000 gallons. It also capped the maximum water usage for which residents are being billed in the period at 30,000 gallons.
“This affects 51 homes,” Tait noted. “Some of our residents used over 60,000 gallons of water during the measurement period – or nearly 700 gallons of water a day. This cap will save them money, which can be put towards the repair of any leaks.”
New sewer bills are being issued that show reductions of $15 or $30 – or the new 30,000-gallon cap – for all eligible residents, and refunds will be issued to those who’ve already paid. The grace period for the sewer fee was extended to Nov. 12 to coincide with the property-tax grace period.
In a letter posted on the borough website, Tait pointed out that council will also increase the amount of municipal surplus and transfer it to the sewer department budget in 2025 to cover the reduction in fees collected as a result of the changes, and to avoid any unnecessary increases in the short term.
“Over the last several weeks, the members of borough council and I – along with our senior management staff – have heard from numerous residents about their concerns over the recent increase in sewer fees,” the mayor emphasized. “I want you to know that we heard you loud and clear,”
Tait also said the borough hasn’t increased sewer fees in three years and there is a critical need to do so, “given the significant increases in operating costs and expenses we’ve experienced over that time.”
“The borough is not immune to the same economic challenges and rising costs for services and equipment that we all face,” she stated, “and the proper collection and treatment of waste water, including raw sewage and discharge of clean water, is a critical service that must be performed with the utmost professionalism and in accordance with all laws and regulations.
“It’s a complicated process and it’s not cheap,” Tait added. “We also firmly believe that water usage based sewer billing is fair and more equitable, especially for our seniors and those living alone. Smaller families should not be subsidizing larger families and those that use more water, much of which finds its way down the drain and into our sewer plant for treatment.”
The borough’s 2025 sewer budget is estimated at $2,245,000, “which we need to collect at minimum from our customers, plus funds for capital improvements and maintenance to our system, along with funds to help build surplus to stabilize future sewer fees,” Tait said.
“We’re not looking for creative ways to gouge our residents,” she continued, “only to fairly raise the money we need to make ends meet – balance our budgets in other words.”
After the current billing period, Palmyra will revert to the current water usage billing model and will maintain an allowance for homeowners of 11,000 gallons of water moving forward.
“Finally, please understand these fees affect us, too, and that we’re all in this together,” Tate advised. “Please remember to conserve water. We’re presently in the measurement period of October to December 2024, which will be used to determine your sewer bills for 2025.”
For detailed information about sewer bills, residents can call the borough tax office at (856) 829-6100 or email tjohns@boroughofpalmyra.com.
