Water Conservation Information
At its February 11, 2008 meeting, the Pennington Borough Council adopted a new Water and Sewer rate structure that is intended to encourage water conservation. “Conservation will be a key focus going forward for the Pennington water system. It is far less expensive to reduce the growth in projected water consumption, than develop new wells and related supply infrastructure,” said Council Member Tom Ogren.
The new rate structure has increased the number of usage tiers from three to five. As consumers move up into higher usage tiers, they will be required to pay a higher rate per 1,000 gallons consumed. As a result, it is in the consumer’s economic interest to reduce water consumption so that the lower rates apply. “Those consumers that place the highest demand on the water system should proportionately bear higher costs,” said Council Member Glen Griffiths. The new usage tiers and charges are as follows:
| Usage Tier (gallons per quarter) | Water Usage Charge | Sewer Usage Charge |
|---|---|---|
Less than 4,000 | Included in Base Charge | Included in Base Charge |
4,001 to 20,000 | $6.15 | $6.55 |
20,001 to 60,000 | $6.30 | $6.60 |
60,001 to 100,000 | $6.45 | $6.65 |
100,001 or more | $7.05 | $6.65 |
Water conservation can be as easy as turning off the water while you brush your teeth or washing only full loads of laundry. There are a wide variety of resources that can show you how to conserve inside and outside of the house. Below are a number of links that might help you as you look for ways to conserve water and lower your water and sewer bill.
Resources for Water Conservation
Rutgers University has comprehensive water conservation materials.
- Hints for Household Water Conservation
- Water Conservation: Homes, Institutions, and Business
- Best Management Practices for Irrigating Landscape Plant Material
- Best Management Practices for Watering Lawns
- Conserving Water on Home Lawns and Landscapes in New Jersey
- Landscaping for Water Conservation
- Low Water Use Landscaping
- Plants for Dry Conditions
- Principles of Low Water Use Landscaping IV: Applying Mulches
- Using Water Wisely in the Garden
The Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association is another local source that can help you understand conservation strategies. Finally, the United States Environmental Protection Administration also has useful resources available here. There are many other sites available on the Internet, some specifically focused on teaching children to conserve and others focused on water usage in the garden.
Look for more water conservation tips from Pennington Borough in the future.
- Water Use It Wisely
- Earth 911
- H2Ouse Water Saver Home
- 25 Ways to Save Water at Home
- Home Science: Backyard Conservation