New Jersey S 302: Establishes notice requirements for certain water utilities.

Bill Text

S302 1R 

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 302 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes notice requirements for certain water 
utilities.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As reported by the Senate Economic Growth Committee 
on June 8, 2026, with amendments.

�� 

An Act concerning water utility services and 
supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes and Title 40A of the New Jersey 
Statutes.

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� a.� As used in this 
section:� 

���� �Smart meter� means an 
electronic metering device that measures and records utility usage data in 
regular intervals on a daily basis and wirelessly transmits this data to a 1water1 public 
utility for billing and other purposes.

���� �Smart meter customer� or 
�customer� means a residential customer of a water public utility whose water 
usage is measured using a smart meter.

���� �Water public utility� or 
�utility� means a public utility, as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13, that 
provides water to end users within the State.

���� b.��� Each water public utility that utilizes smart meters shall notify 
all smart meter customers by the last day of each month via, at the customer�s 
discretion, mail, electronic mail, or text message of the customer�s water 
usage.� At a minimum, the notification to smart meter customers shall include:� 

���� (1)�� the 
cost in dollars of the customer�s water usage for the billing cycle up to the 
time at most two days before which the notification is sent; and

���� (2)�� the 
amount in gallons of the customer�s water usage for the billing cycle up to the 
time at most two days before which the notification is sent.

���� c.���� Each 
water public utility that utilizes smart meters shall provide all smart meter 
customers with the option to:� 

���� (1)�� set 
a threshold dollar value for the cost of monthly water usage at which the water 
public utility will notify the smart meter customer via the customer�s 
selection of mail, electronic mail, or text message that the smart meter 
customer has reached the dollar threshold value based on the customer�s water 
usage for that month; and

���� (2)�� receive 
a separate notice each billing cycle via mail, electronic mail, or text message 
that compares the customer�s average daily water usage from that billing cycle 
with the customer�s average daily water usage from the previous billing cycle 
or from the same billing cycle in the previous calendar year.

���� d.��� (1) 
Each water public utility shall make initial contact with all smart meter 
customers regarding the notice required pursuant to subsection b. of this 
section and the additional notice options available pursuant to subsection c. 
of this section through a bill insert sent via mail or electronic mail, which 
bill insert or electronic mail shall include, at a minimum, instructions on how 
to:� 

���� (a)�� sign 
up to receive notices from the water public utility pursuant to subsection c. 
of this section; 

���� (b)�� opt 
out of notifications provided pursuant to this section; and

���� (c)�� provide 
prior, express consent to receive text message notifications from the water 
public utility pursuant to subsection b. and subsection c. of this section.

���� (2)�� A 
water public utility shall not contact a smart meter customer via text message 
pursuant to subsection b. or subsection c. of this section unless the customer 
has provided prior, express consent to receive text messages from the utility 
for the purposes of subsection b. and subsection c. of this section, as 
appropriate.

���� e.���� Each 
water public utility that utilizes smart meters shall include, at a minimum, 
the following information in each bill issued to all smart meter customers:� 

���� (1)�� the 
dollar amount charged to the customer by the water public utility in the 
previous billing cycle;

���� (2)�� the 
dollar amount charged to the customer by the water public utility in the 
current billing cycle;

���� (3)�� the 
difference between the amount charged in the previous billing cycle and the 
current billing cycle; and

���� (4)�� any 
tariffs, fees, or taxes assessed to the customer in the current billing cycle.

���� 2.��� a.� As used in this 
section:� 

���� �Local authority� means an 
authority, as defined in section 3 of P.L.1983, c.313 (C.40A:5A-3), or a water 
district established pursuant to R.S.40:62-96 et seq. that provides water 
service.

���� �Municipal utility� means a 
municipal public utility, as defined in N.J.S.40A:1-1, that provides water 
service.

���� �Smart meter� means an 
electronic metering device that measures and records utility usage data in 
regular intervals on a daily basis and wirelessly transmits this data to a