The Lakewood Township Municipal Utilities Authority on Tuesday approved a 2% sewer rate increase for 2026, pressing ahead with a broader series of annual water and sewer hikes.
The move came during a morning meeting at the MUA’s New Hampshire Avenue headquarters, where board members cited rising operating costs, inflation, and infrastructure demands in one of New Jersey’s fastest-growing communities. The adjustment will take effect Jan. 1 and is expected to add between $2 and $5 per month to the typical residential sewer bill.
The modest 2026 increase is the latest installment of a sweeping rate-restructuring plan adopted in late 2023. Under that plan, water rates rose 10.5% in 2024 and another 9.5% in 2025, with scheduled annual increases continuing through 2031. By the end of the seven-year schedule, cumulative water costs will have risen nearly 38%.
Sewer rates have followed a parallel trajectory — climbing 10.5% in 2024 and 7.5% in 2025 — on top of a 15% across-the-board increase in the two years prior.
For a family of four using about 200 gallons per day, MUA officials estimate that combined water and sewer adjustments since 2023 have added roughly $15 to $20 to the average monthly bill.
The authority relies on groundwater drawn from the Englishtown, Raritan, and Cohansey aquifers. With 14 active wells and two treatment plants, officials say future expansions — including plans for five additional wells — are necessary to sustain the township’s rapid growth.
Even with the increases, the MUA maintains its customers still pay less than half of what comparable households in New Jersey pay.
Residents seeking more information can visit lakewoodmua.com or call (732) 905-3405.