Roads and utilities

The Sewerage Authority and 2027 sewer rates

The Bernards Township Sewerage Authority, a separate public body that runs the sewer system and the Harrison Brook treatment plant, will hold a hearing on Nov. 24, 2026 to set 2027 sewer usage rates and connection fees. Its audit for the year ended Nov. 30, 2025 shows no debt and $28.7 million in unrestricted cash.

Checked against the primary record on . Every figure on this page is sourced at the foot of the article.

2027 sewer rate hearing Nov. 24, 2026 Last moved

What happens next

Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2026, 6:00 p.m.: BTSA rate hearing for 2027 sewer usage rates and connection fee, Warren Craft Meeting Room, One Collyer Lane, Basking Ridge, followed by its regular meeting.

What it is. The Bernards Township Sewerage Authority (BTSA), established in 1956 by Township Ordinance #54, runs the township’s sanitary sewers: the Harrison Brook Sewage Treatment Plant on Martinsville Road in Liberty Corner, rated at 2.5 million gallons a day, 11 pump stations and about 95 miles of sewer lines. Its five members are Kevin Orr (chair), John Crane (vice chair), David Tancredi, Janice Fields and Committeeman Andrew McNally; its director is Township Engineer Thomas Timko. It meets at 6:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday after the first Monday, before Township Committee meetings. Sewer bills are handled by the Tax Collector.

The 2027 rate hearing. The Authority’s notice, dated Oct. 15, 2026, sets a hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. “to set the rates for sewer usage and connection fee for the year 2027.” The notice gives no proposed rates, and the current rates are not in any record LocalWhy has reviewed. The 2027 rates are pending.

Finances. The Authority’s audit synopsis for the year ended Nov. 30, 2025 reports operating revenue of $5,599,122 (sewer charges $5,300,245), operating expenses of $4,569,370 including depreciation, $1,340,843 in interest and investment income, unrestricted cash of $28,732,305 and total net position of $51,631,173. The auditor made no recommendations. The township’s 2025 audit says “the Authority currently has no outstanding debt,” and that the township has not had to cover an Authority deficit since 1994 under their service contract.

Work under way. In 2026 the Authority’s published notices list contracts and change orders for the Annin Road pump station, a third phase of inflow-and-infiltration repairs, a new peracetic acid disinfection system design, a plant condition assessment and solar inverters. The Mayor’s October newsletter says the Jamestown Road and Annin Road pump stations and the latest sewer-lining phase are complete and the new disinfection system is under construction.

A legal matter. On Aug. 25, 2026 the Township Committee met in closed session on “Potential Litigation - Toll/Tavistock v. BTSA.” Its subject is not public, and no court filing has been found.

What residents can do. Attend the Nov. 24 rate hearing, which is open to the public. The explainer lists every contract notice. Corrections: info@localwhy.org.

The Sewerage Authority, explained

Timeline

Each dated event on this issue, oldest first, linked to the full sourced entry.

  1. Resolved Sewerage Authority publishes 2026 contracts: header piping, I&I Phase III, Annin Road pump stationThe BTSA's notice lists a $908,600 inflow-and-infiltration Phase III contract (National Water Main Cleaning Co.), Annin Road pump station work at $808,952.30 (DeMaio Electrical) and plant header piping reduced to $606,270 (Spectraserv), plus 2026 professional contracts.
  2. Resolved Janice Fields appointed to the Sewerage Authority to 2031The Township Committee appointed Janice M. Fields to a five-year term on the Bernards Township Sewerage Authority ending Jan. 31, 2031, 5-0 (Asay, Hodges, McNally, Tompkins, Duarte McCarthy).
  3. Resolved Sewerage Authority audit: $5.6 million operating revenue, no recommendationsThe BTSA's audit synopsis for the year ended Nov. 30, 2025 shows operating revenue of $5,599,122, operating expenses of $4,569,370, unrestricted cash of $28,732,305 and net position of $51,631,173. The auditor's recommendations: "None."
  4. Resolved Sewerage Authority awards solar inverter project and expands disinfection designThe BTSA's notice lists a $550,675 solar inverters project (Pichardo Electric), a third change order raising the peracetic acid disinfection design to $327,770 (T&M Associates) and a $39,500 treatment plant condition assessment.
  5. Pending Committee meets in closed session on "Toll/Tavistock v. BTSA"The Township Committee went into closed session on "Attorney-Client Privilege - Potential Litigation - Toll/Tavistock v. BTSA" (4-0, McNally absent). The subject is not public and no court filing has been found.
  6. Resolved Sewerage Authority change orders: Annin Road pump station cut to $740,725The BTSA's notice lists a $104,271.19 reduction in the Annin Road pump station contract (DeMaio Electrical, to $740,725), two change orders on I&I Phase III (to $900,345.17) and a $30,000 increase in alternate special counsel.
  7. Pending Sewerage Authority sets Nov. 24 hearing on 2027 sewer ratesThe BTSA noticed a hearing for Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2026, 6:00 p.m., at One Collyer Lane "to set the rates for sewer usage and connection fee for the year 2027." The notice gives no proposed rates.

Explainers

Documents

The township's own records on this issue. Each links to the official copy.

Meetings

  • Township Committee — August 25, 2026

    With McNally absent, the Committee adopted Ordinance #2603, a property maintenance ordinance for non-residential properties, 4-0 after a hearing at which five speakers supported it and one did not. It rejected all seven bids for the 2026 road program as over budget, ordered Motorola radios for the fire companies and emergency management (not to exceed $536,023.28) and met in closed session on Toll/Tavistock v. BTSA. Ten people spoke in all.

  • Township Committee — June 9, 2026

    The Committee introduced the construction fee ordinance (#2598) and a salary ordinance (#2600), accepted two Somerset County FIFA World Cup grants ($164,100.00 and $50,000.00) and extended the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead lease to December 31, 2060, all 5-0. Three people spoke.

  • Township Committee — January 27, 2026

    The Committee adopted Ordinance #2592, letting the 2026 budget rise up to 3.5% instead of 2% and banking any unused amount, and #2591, a wetlands easement. It hired Boswell for a Culberson Road storm sewer study ($40,500.00), joined the county recycling program at $28.16 per household and appointed Janice Fields to the Sewerage Authority, all 5-0. No members of the public spoke.

Sources for this overview

  1. BTSA notice of rate hearing for 2027 rates (dated Oct. 15, 2026)
  2. BTSA synopsis of audit, year ended Nov. 30, 2025
  3. Bernards Township 2025 audit (Note 15)
  4. Sewerage Authority page, bernards.org
  5. BTSA contract award notice, Sept. 23, 2026
  6. Township Committee minutes, Aug. 25, 2026 (closed session)
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