United Water Toms River rate hike hearing Thursday in Berkeley Township

Customers of United Water Toms River (UWTR) who want to weigh in on the company's $5.2 million-dollar rate hike request, now before state regulators, have the chance Thursday, 5:30 PM, at the Berkeley Township Municipal Building.

The company submitted its request to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) in late February, and would presumably take effect in the latter part of 2015.

UWTR seeks to address more than $22 million in capital investments since 2013. The full rundown of improvements can be seen here.

The increase amounts to about 18 percent over current rates. According to UWTR, average customers would pay about $7.57 more per month. That equates to $90.84 per year.

It is the first increase that the company has sought since 2013, when rates increased by about $6.75 per month for average customers. It's the fourth since 2008. In the interim, the company altered its billing cycles from quarterly to monthly.

Governing bodies in Berkeley Township and Toms River, as well as the Ocean County Board of Freeholders, passed resolutions opposing the increase.

UWTR serves about 120,000 customers in Toms River, South Toms River and Berkeley Township.