Council adopts ordinance requiring replacement of old water meters, sets enforcement timeline

The East Brunswick Township Council held a public hearing and, by roll call, moved to adopt ordinance 26-22 on Aug. 10, establishing mandatory replacement of remaining legacy water meters with advanced meters and setting enforcement procedures.

Council members said the replacement program has been underway for nearly four years and that about 1,500 households still need meter updates. During the hearing a resident asked whether the ordinance would lead to fines; the council president replied that the ordinance "will go into effect January" and described a financial penalty intended to encourage compliance — the transcript records the council's characterization of a "$250" charge applied on a monthly basis for noncompliance. Staff emphasized that more than "20,000 meters" (including businesses) have already been replaced and that the township will send letters and offer evening and weekend appointments to facilitate final scheduling and reduce barriers.

Resident concerns included missed administrative follow-through after an installation (a resident said the installer "never told the town") and calls for clearer communication and enforcement. Council and staff pointed residents to the water department and, for enforcement issues relating to traffic or zoning, to the police traffic safety unit and zoning officer. The ordinance was moved, seconded and approved on the council's roll call recorded by the clerk.