New Jersey Senate Bill S4098

New Jersey 2026-2027 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/4/26
• Refer: 5/4/26

Caption

Requires certain notice prior to placing liens related to water utility service.

Summary

This bill requires municipal water utilities and water public utilities to give written notice when a water meter fails to register before they may place, sell, or enforce a lien on real property for unpaid water charges tied to the period of the meter failure. The notice must be provided within 30 days of the meter failure and sent by individual service or certified mail to the property owner, any owner’s representative listed in county property records, and each affected residential customer. The bill is aimed at situations where a faulty meter may cause inaccurate billing or disputed charges. By conditioning lien enforcement on prior notice, it creates a procedural safeguard for residential customers and property owners and establishes a minimum civil penalty of $2,500 per violation, enforceable by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities under the Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999.

Impact

The bill supplements Title 48 of the Revised Statutes and would limit the ability of municipal and investor-owned water utilities in New Jersey to use liens to collect unpaid water charges arising during periods when a meter is not registering properly. It adds a specific notice obligation, expands the class of people who must be notified to include owners, owner representatives, and residential tenants in certain circumstances, and exposes utilities to civil penalties for noncompliance. The practical effect is to increase consumer protections and procedural requirements before water-related debts can be attached to real property.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available record. Based on the bill text, the measure appears consumer-protective and focused on fairness in billing and lien enforcement, suggesting likely support from residential customer advocates and property owners affected by faulty meters. The absence of recorded opposition or amendments means the overall sentiment cannot be assessed beyond the bill’s stated purpose.

Contention

The main point of potential contention is the balance between utility collection authority and customer protections. Utilities may view the 30-day notice requirement and the lien restriction as an added administrative burden or a limit on their ability to recover unpaid charges, while supporters are likely to argue that customers should not face liens for charges tied to a meter failure without clear notice. Another possible issue is the scope of notice obligations, especially where ownership and occupancy differ, since the bill requires notice to multiple parties connected to the property.