Amount. $. Per Cent. Amount. $.

Per Cent.

Amount.

$. Per Cent.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

New Milford low

$68,003

New Durham low, Hoboken

13,604

49.06
9.81

$76,616

34.4

$126,195

16.88

$270,814

42,596

19.1

158,862

21.24

215,062

24.4197
19.3924

New Durham low, outside

Hoboken and Weehaw

ken high

Englewood high

Rate Schedule of Proportional Service Charges.

Average District Rate.

From the data already outlined, the determination of the average proportional service charge in any district is simple. It is made by dividing the proportional service revenue for the district (given in column 6, table No. XVII.) by the quantity of water used in that district (given in column 2, table No. IX). The average district rate or proportional-service charge thus determined is:

Basis of Sliding-Scale Rates.

The following subdivision of the sliding scale is adopted:

Domestic: The first 40,000 cubic feet of water per year. Intermediate:

Water in excess of 40,000 and under 400,000 cubic feet per year.

Manufacturing: Water in excess of 400,000 and under 4,000,000 cubic feet

per year.

Special: Water in excess of 4,000,000 cubic feet per year.

The percentages of water which will be sold under each of these subdivisions in the different districts are given in the following tabulation as a per cent of the total in the district:

TABLE NO. XVIII.

Relative Percentage of Water Sold at Sliding-Scale Rates.

Schedule of Proportional Service Charges.

Upon the basis just outlined the following schedule of sliding

scale rates results:

Charges For Domestic, Industrial, and Public Service.

1. Service Afforded for Rates Paid.

The charges here below given include all costs for water service, including the installation of the service pipe from street main to curb and the necessary meters on the customers' premises, together with the cost of maintaining and repairing the service connection between main and curb and the meters as installed, except that the customer will bear the cost of the service pipe from curb to house. The charges do not, however, include pipe-extension guaranties from customers requiring extension of mains, when the sum of the revenue from fire service, fixed service, and proportional service is insufficient to yield a fair return on the cost of the extension.

2. Definition of a Customer.

"Customer," as used herein, shall be the party contracting for service to a property as hereinafter classified, i. e.,—

(a) A building under one roof owned by one party and occupied as one business or residence, or

(b) A combination of buildings owned by one party in one common inclosure occupied by one family or business, or

(c) The one side of a double house, having a solid vertical partition wall, or

(d) A building owned by one party of more than one apartment and using in common one hall and one entrance, or

(e) A building owned by one party and having a number of

apartments or offices and using in common one hall and one or more means of entrance.

3. Fixed Service Charges.

Fixed service charges shall be applied to each meter.

4. Proportional Service Charge.

A customer having two or more meters on the same premises shall be billed at the scheduled rate for the quantity of water equivalent to the sum of the readings of all the meters.

Where a customer has two or more meters located on the same premises, but in different service districts, the sum of the readings of all meters on the same premises shall be ascertained. The sum of the readings of all meters in each district shall also be ascertained. The gross rate for a consumption equivalent to the sum of the readings of all meters on the premises shall be ascertained for each district, and this district rate for the consumption shall be applied to the sum of the readings in each district.

5. Private Fire Hydrants.

In view of the fact that the municipalities are paying the operating and capital costs attached to fire service on the inch-foot basis, customers desiring private fire hydrants for which hydrant rental is not paid by the municipality will pay at the rate of $6 per hydrant, being the same rate made to the municipality and representing the interest, maintenance, and depreciation on the hydrant proper.

Results of the New Schedule.

The effect of the application of the new schedules to the business of the Hackensack Water Company has been given consideration, and the results appear to be somewhat as follows:

Based upon the business done in 1913 and 1914, the gross amount collected from ordinary residence and commercial customers will be reduced about $200,000. The amount charged for fire protection service will be increased from about $35,500 to $138,625.

From the analysis, a summary of which is given below, it is clear

(1) That the ordinary small customers have been paying for service at rates higher than was just and reasonable.

(2) That the rates charged for the wholesale consumption of water have been lower than the proper cost for such class of service.

(3) That the rates charged for fire-protection service have been altogether too low to cover the cost of such service, the result being that the small customer, as such, has been paying what should have been paid by some of the very large wholesale customers, and has also been making up what should have been paid by the taxpayers, as such, in their payment for fire-protection service.

(4) The new rates for water consumption will make it possible for small customers to increase their use of the water without a proportionate increase in the charge for the same.

(5) The new schedule for fire-protection service will enable the municipalities to install the greatly increased number of hydrants required to furnish proper fire protection, as these hydrants are to be charged for at $6 each, the cost due to the increased size of mains for fire protection being carried through the medium of a fixed charge per inch-foot of main.

Appendix E is a schedule showing the number of hydrants now in place and the total charges now made for such service. It also shows the charges for the same hydrants under the new schedule of rates. (See also table XIV., above.)

Appendix F gives the list of hydrants required to afford the adequate fire protection demanded by the municipalities. Appendix F shows that there are at present in place 2,822 hydrants, and also shows that 4,697 hydrants are required to afford the proper protection. The additional 1,875 hydrants will increase the total cost for fire protection under the new schedules by only the amount of $11,250.

CONCLUSIONS.

The Board therefore finds and determines that the existing schedule of rates of the Hackensack Water Company is unjust and unreasonable, and unduly discriminatory against the ordinary domestic customers, and unduly favorable to the large wholesale customers and with regard to the rates for fire protection. The