Trenton Water Works says delinquent customers should act quickly, but the notice does not mean their property has already entered the tax-sale process.
TRENTON, N.J. — Trenton Water Works will begin mailing pre-tax-sale warning notices to city customers whose unpaid water and sewer balances may be eligible for certification in a municipal tax sale, officials announced Monday.
The utility is urging recipients to contact customer service, determine how much they owe and, if eligible, arrange a deferred payment plan before the account advances further in the collection process.
Notices are limited to Trenton properties
The initial notices will go only to eligible delinquent accounts connected to properties within the City of Trenton, according to the city’s official announcement issued Sept. 14.
Trenton Water Works emphasized that the warning is not a tax-sale certification. It alerts customers that an unpaid balance may become eligible for certification if the account is not brought into compliance.
Eligibility and future collection action will depend on applicable laws, regulations and utility policies.
“Our goal is to collect the revenue owed to the water utility while giving customers clear notice and an opportunity to resolve their delinquent accounts before they advance further in the collection process,” said Michael Walker, the utility’s chief of communications and public outreach and manager of customer care and collections.
What a New Jersey tax sale actually means
Under New Jersey’s municipal collection system, unpaid property taxes and certain municipal charges can become liens against real estate.
A municipal tax sale generally does not involve the immediate sale of the property. Instead, the municipality sells a tax-sale certificate representing the lien. A property owner can typically redeem that certificate by paying the required balance, interest and other applicable charges.
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs explains that a certificate holder may eventually pursue foreclosure if the lien remains unredeemed for the period established by law. More information is available in the state’s guide to New Jersey tax sales.
Property owners who receive a warning should consult the utility about their specific account rather than assume that a certificate has already been sold.
Landlords urged to check tenant-linked accounts
Trenton Water Works also warned landlords and property management companies to review accounts at buildings where tenants have changed.
That includes properties where current or former tenants were responsible for paying water or sewer bills. Eligible unpaid charges associated with a property could still become part of the municipal tax-sale process, according to the utility.
The issue carries particular weight for owners because a tax-sale certificate represents a lien on the property, regardless of whose name appeared on the underlying utility account.
Readers can follow Shore News Network’s continuing coverage of Trenton, New Jersey and local news. SNN has also reported on related property policy developments, including a New Jersey proposal concerning the seizure of certain vacant properties.
Expanded hours available for customers
Customers who receive a notice can visit Trenton Water Works Customer Care from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Extended walk-in hours are available Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Customers can also call 1-866-TWW-BLUE.
The utility said revenue recovered through its collection program supports daily operations and a 10-year, $763 million capital improvement plan covering water infrastructure across the service area.
Trenton Water Works will begin discussions with neighboring service-area mayors and tax collectors as it prepares to certify eligible delinquent water balances for municipal tax sales next year.