Utility Billing

The Utility Billing Department has many duties, which include but are not limited to:
  • Enforcing collection of bills using turn-offs and tax sales
  • Generating utility billings
  • Maintaining customer files for all accounts in the City of Millville
  • Processing meter readings

Delinquent Accounts

Interest will be charged at a rate of 8% for the first $1,500 of delinquency and 18% for any delinquency over $1,500, per state statute N.J.S.A 54:4-67. Any balance owing as of December 30 in excess of $10,000 will be assessed a 6% year-end penalty.

Utility Termination Procedure

When utilities (water and sewer) become delinquent, we have guidelines to follow to enforce collections of daily accounts that can lead to the termination of your utilities. The termination procedure is as follows:
  1. The first notice of delinquency is a delinquent letter sent after the due date to remind the homeowner of a balance due. These letters are generated once a month until the account is no longer in arrears.
  2. Once the bill is considered 30 days delinquent, we issue a notice of violation giving a time period as to when the account must be paid in order to avoid any further collection procedures.
  3. After the Notice of Violation is issued, and the time frame has expired as stated on the notice, an Order to Show Cause will be issued, where a homeowner must pay the amount due for the delinquent quarter or show cause as to why their utility services should not be terminated. This meeting is usually held the first or second Tuesday of every month. Once these notices are sent, an additional fee of $25 for water and $25 for sewer will be added to the account to cover administrative fees such as the cost of mailings.
  4. A resolution will be approved by the Board of Commissioners at the meeting following the Order to Show Cause Hearing, asking for permission to terminate service to all delinquent properties that have not paid up to that date. Once approved, the property will be posted for termination the Wednesday following the commission meeting. A copy of this posting will be mailed and posted on the property.
  5. The homeowner must pay the amount due for the delinquent quarter or make payment arrangements prior to the turn-off date. Once the property is sent to the water superintendent on the day of turn-off, this property is considered off, and a turn-off and turn-on fee will be charged of $25 each. Additionally, the total amount due on the account must be paid; a homeowner can no longer just pay the quarter it was turned-off for.
  6. All water or sewer charges outstanding as of the 11th day of the 11th month of the current calendar year, provided the tax sale is held during the last month of the calendar year, will be subject to our tax sale. This includes any account that has been turned off for nonpayment and still has a delinquent balance.