RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES
As a customer of New Jersey American Water, you have the right to know how to get the best service from your water utility. We recognize the trust you place in us to provide high-quality, reliable water and wastewater service. It is a responsibility that defines what we do as your local water company.
Our employees conduct an extensive treatment and monitoring program to ensure your water meets all state and federal drinking water regulations. Our water quality reports will help you learn more about water quality in your area.
Good water service goes beyond providing high-quality water. Whether we are starting up service, providing bill payment options, or helping you to understand your responsibilities regarding your internal plumbing and meter accessibility, our goal is to keep you informed.
To download a copy of the Residential Utility Customer Protections in your preferred lanuage:
If your question is not resolved to your satisfaction, you have the right to contact the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
44 South Clinton Avenue, 3rd Floor
Post Office Box 350
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0350
1-800-624-0241
1-609-341-9188
New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
Residential Utility Customer Protections
(Effective March 16, 2023)
Established by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU)
If you are having trouble paying your utility bill or are at risk of having your service turned off, you may qualify for help through a utility payment assistance program administered by the State of New Jersey. Learn more by calling your utility company or dialing 2-1-1. Information on programs such as the Winter Termination Program and the Universal Service Fund is also available online at www.nj211.org/utility-assistance-programs. If you have questions or concerns about any of the rights explained in this document, call your utility company. If the utility company is unable to help you or if you have a complaint about your utility company, you can then contact the BPU Division of Customer Assistance at 800-624-0241 or online at https://www.nj.gov/bpu/assistance/.
- You have the right to safe, adequate, and proper utility service if you are a qualified applicant.
- You are not required to pay an unreasonable deposit amount in order to receive utility service.
- You have the right to a “budget billing plan” with your utility company if you are a residential electric, gas, water, and/or wastewater utility customer. This is a plan that allows you to pay a set amount each month for a set period of time.
- You have the right to at least one “deferred payment plan” per year with your utility company if you have an outstanding bill you cannot pay. This is a plan that considers your financial situation and allows you to make payments on the outstanding bill as long as you stay current with payments on any new charges.
- You have the right to dispute a charge on your utility bill with the utility company. As long as you pay the amount not in dispute, your utility service may not be turned off while the utility company investigates the disputed charge.
- You have the right to have your meter tested by your utility company free of charge once every 12 months if you think it is not working properly. You may request a BPU employee be there when the utility company is doing the test.
- You have the right to at least 10 days written notice from your utility company before your utility service may be turned off for non-payment. Your service may be turned off after that time if you do not make a reasonable payment toward what you owe or if you do not agree to a payment plan with your utility company.
- You have a right to reasonable advance notice from the utility company before your service can be suspended or turned off for reasons other than non-payment.
- Unless there is a safety-related emergency, a utility company may not suspend or turn off utility service outside the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
- Unless there is a safety-related emergency, a utility company may not suspend or turn off utility service on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, a New Jersey State holiday or the day before a New Jersey State holiday, or if a valid medical emergency exists in your household.
- If you are a customer eligible for protection under the Winter Termination Program, you have the right to utility services from November 15 to March 15. You must notify your utility company of your eligibility under this protection.
- If you live in a multi-family dwelling unit, you have the right to receive notice if the utility company plans on turning off service to the building. The utility company must either post a notice in a common area and/or send the notice to you as an occupant of the dwelling.
- If the amount of electricity, gas, water, or wastewater shown on your utility bill appears unexplainably high or suspicious, you have the right to have the utility company perform a “diversion of service” investigation on your behalf.
- You have the right to continue receiving utility service as long as you pay the charges for the utility service you received. A utility company may not send you notice threatening to turn off your utility service based on extra charges.
- You have the right to have your deposit returned to you once you close your account and the final bill is settled. The utility company must give you the choice between having your deposit applied to your account as a credit or as a separate check.
- You should not be assessed a late payment charge on your residential customer utility bill.
For translation into other languages that are not listed above, visit bpu.state.nj.us/bpu/assistance/rights.
What Equipment is Your Responsibility?
Much of the equipment we use to provide water and wastewater service is located beneath the ground, and it can be difficult for customers to determine what equipment is their responsibility and what equipment is American Water’s responsibility. The following descriptions explain the facilities and equipment used to provide water and wastewater service to your property.
Company Water Service Line. Owned and maintained by the company, this service line extends from the water main to the curb stop or curb line.
Company Sanitary Sewer Main. A sanitary sewer main is a pipe located in the street, back easement or side easement that is designed solely to transport wastewater from homes and businesses to the wastewater treatment plant. Sanitary sewers in your neighborhood are owned, operated and maintained by the company.
Curb Stop. Owned and maintained by the company, the curb stop is a valve that can be opened and closed to control the supply of water to the property.
Meter. Owned and installed by the company, this device is used to measure water consumption at the customer’s property. Although the meter is owned by the company, the customer is responsible for providing an adequate location for the meter, making it accessible and assuring that it is protected from damage, including damage caused by freezing.
Customer Water Service Line. Owned and maintained by the customer, this service line extends from the curb stop or curb line to the building.
Meter Pit. Owned and maintained by the Company for single meters, sizes up to 2" in diameter. This structure is constructed by the Company to house the water meter outside of the customer’s home at an underground location. Customers are responsible for keeping the pit visible and for all the plumbing within the pit. The illustration shows a meter in the home, so the meter pit is not shown.
Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV). Owned, installed and maintained by the customer, this device is designed to reduce water pressure within the customer’s home if the pressure of the company’s distribution system exceeds a certain threshold set by the plumbing code (typically 60 pounds per square inch). Please be aware that pressure may be higher in some areas due to elevation changes and operating requirements. Installing a PRV might increase the life of internal plumbing fixtures and piping. A plumber can verify the pressure in your home and determine whether a PRV should be installed as part of your household plumbing.
Customer Sanitary Sewer Service Line. Owned and maintained by the customer, the sanitary sewer service line extends from the property line to the building. Your maintenance responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the intrusion of tree roots into the sewer service line. Also, you are responsible for the proper maintenance of all plumbing within the home, including removal of any unauthorized connections.
What are unauthorized sanitary sewer connections? Unauthorized connections are downspouts, sump pumps, footing tiles, drains from window wells, and drains from driveways that introduce storm water into the sanitary sewer system. These connections are strictly prohibited.
Cleanout. A cleanout is an access point in the sanitary sewer service line which allows a plumber to clear out obstructions in the line. Not all homes have a cleanout. Cleanouts are owned and maintained by the homeowner.