Consumer Rights

The Utility Customer's Bill of Rights is not meant to replace the regulations contained in N.J.A.C. 14:3 but is intended to give the utility customer a concise plain language guide to the regulations. Any application of the Utility Customer's Bill of Rights must be consistent with the regulations as contained in N.J.A.C. 14:3.

• You have the right to utility service if you are a qualified applicant.
• You shall not be asked to pay unreasonably high deposits as a condition of service, nor to make unreasonable payments on past due bills.
• You are entitled to at least one deferred plan in one year.
• You have the right to have any complaint against the Department of Water & Sewer handled promptly by that utility.
• You have the right to call the Board of Public Utilities to investigate your utility complaints and inquiries. Your service may not be terminated for non-payment of disputed charges during a BPU investigation.
• If you suspect it is not working properly, you have the right to have your meter tested, free of charge, once a year by Trenton Water Works.
• You have the right to a written notice of termination, ten days prior to the discontinuance of service.
• Residential service may be shut-off, after proper notice, Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A utility may not shut-off residential service on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or a holiday or the day before a holiday or if a valid medical emergency exists in your household.
• If you live in a multi-family dwelling, you have the right to receive posted notice of any impending shutoff This notice must be posted in a common area and/or sent individually to occupants.
• You have the right to have a "diversion of service" investigation if you suspect that the level of consumption reflected in your utility bill is unexplainably high.

Source: New Jersey Board of Public Utilities