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Why Is My Water Bill High?

The HHK Department of Public Works and HHK Water Department want to share the following to ensure residents are fully informed.

Below we address the most frequently asked questions we have heard from our residents. We encourage all residents to reach out to the Borough directly for answers and more information as we are ready to help. 

            > The 3rd Quarter (summer) is always the highest water usage for our water utility.

           > Higher summer water usage is largely driven by rainfall amounts and if there is a drought.

  • In Q3 2023 we had 20.5 inches of rain and pumped 58 million gallons
  • In Q3 2022 we had 8 inches of rain and pumped 81 million gallons
  • In Q3 2021 we had 24 inches of rain and pumped 59.8 million gallons
  • In Q3 2020 we had 15 inches of rain and pumped 74 million gallons
  • Your billed consumption is water volume that went through the digital meter in your home.
  • Water in the street, hydrant flushing and neighboring property usage does not affect your meter or your billed consumption.
  • If a meter was broken, the reading would be much lower or would show zero consumption, not higher usage.
  • The HHK Water Department has replaced all the meters in the Borough during the past few years. These new digital meters are very accurate, with 80% of the meters being less than 2 years old.

HHK water rates have increased nominally over the last few years to help build a reserve to pay for $6 million in storage tank maintenance and a new PFOA/PFNA filtration system. With final NJDEP approvals and the contract awarded, site work is set to begin the summer of 2023 with the filtration vessels due early in 2024.

If your water bill is higher than usual:

  • Did you install any new plantings, shrubs, grass, or trees that required regular watering during the summer?
  • Did you install or refill a pool or have to continually put water in your pool to compensate for drought and evaporation?
  • Have you had a leaking, dripping, or running faucet, shower or toilet? A toilet that runs can use on average 100 gallons an hour. When that is added up over hours, days and weeks it will result in higher usage.
  • Did you have a pipe or sprinkler break or leak?
  • Do you have irrigation system water sensors that trigger more regular watering during a drought (and save water during rainy periods)?
  • Is your irrigation system set to water on intervals more frequent than your regular watering days or for extended periods of time according to HHK Watering Schedule & Restrictions?
  • Did you water your lawn, gardens or shrubbery with hose-end sprinklers or soaker hoses?

If you need assistance in identifying the cause of a higher-than-normal usage, the DPW will perform a data log for a fee of $25.00. The data log reports water usage on an hourly basis for the past 90 days from when the data log is performed. It will also indicate if there is a continuous leak during this specific time period.This report can be ordered by contacting the Water Registrar through email or calling 201-652-4400 Ext 230. It is provided in a .pdf file format and will be emailed to you.

Example of a Data Log of a Toilet Running/Continuous Leak - 278,881/gal over a 90 Day Period = $3,026 Bill

CHART

Example of Data Log of Watering Every Day but Monday - 77,577/gal over a 90 Day Period = $686 Bill

Data log

Data Log of Normal Watering Using a Rain Sensor - 38,266/gal over a 90 Day Period=$311 Bill

Data Log Normal Watering

If you’d like further information, please contact HHK Borough Hall for assistance.  We are available and happy to assist.