ABOUT CONNECTION FEES
- What is a connection fee?
- Who needs to pay a connection fee?
- Why does the CCMUA charge connection fees?
- How much is the current connection fee?
- How can I arrange to pay my connection fee and get a permit?
What is a connection fee?
A connection fee is basically a startup fee for use of the CCMUA's services. This fee must be paid to receive a connection permit. You need a CCMUA connection permit before connecting into your local municipal sewer system in order to receive treatment services from the CCMUA's wastewater treatment plant.
Who needs to pay a connection fee?
All new service accounts in Camden County must pay a connection fee to the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority before beginning to discharge sewage. There is no connection fee charged for properties that are already legally connected to the sewer system.
For example, you do not need to pay a connection fee before moving into a house that is now connected, provided their CCMUA sewer user fee account is current. If you built a new house, you would need to pay a connection fee.
Why does the CCMUA charge connection fees?
The purpose of a connection fee is to provide equity between new accounts and existing users.
A large fraction of the yearly bill goes to paying off the capital debt for the CCMUA's treatment plant and pipelines. For example, currently the yearly bill per household is $315. About $100 of this goes to the current costs of operating the treatment system. The remaining $215 goes toward paying off the construction debt.
Since new customers will be getting the benefit of using the CCMUA's sewer pipes and treatment plant, it is fair for them to contribute to paying for the costs of building the system.
Connection fees paid by new users allow us to charge lower rates to all home and commercial users in Camden County.
How much is the current connection fee?
The connection fee at present is $3671 per edu (equivalent dwelling unit). A single-family household would represent one edu. For commercial users, the fee is $3671 for each 300 gallons per day that the business is expected to generate.
Every year, the CCMUA's auditors calculate how much debt servce has been paid from the start of the system to the present. This is the basis of that year's connection fee.
How can I arrange to pay my connection fee and get a permit?
Phone (856) 541-3700 ext. 1269 and speak to Anthony DeLuca, the program coordinator, to get a connection permit application. The permit issuance program is very efficient. Once the connection fee has been paid, it generally takes only 24 hours to process applications and issue a permit.