Hey there, Old Bridge residents! If you’re like me, you’ve probably found yourself wondering about the easiest ways to pay your OBMUA bill. Well, I’ve done the legwork for you and put together this comprehensive guide to help you navigate the Old Bridge Municipal Utilities Authority payment options. Let’s dive in and make bill paying a breeze!
What is OBMUA and What Services Do They Provide?
Before we jump into payment methods, let’s quickly review what OBMUA actually is. The Old Bridge Municipal Utilities Authority (also known as Old Bridge MUA, OBMUA, or O.B.M.U.A.) provides two critically important services to Old Bridge Township residents:
- A continuous supply of safe drinking water
- Efficient removal of all sanitary wastewater
These essential services cost the minimum users about $2.52 per day, and seniors who qualify for the 20% reduction pay only $2.02 per day. That works out to approximately $0.015 per gallon of water – way cheaper than bottled water from stores!
OBMUA Bill Pay Options: How to Pay Your Water and Sewer Bill
Now let’s get to what you came for – how to pay your OBMUA bill. The good news is that OBMUA offers multiple convenient payment options to suit your preferences.
1. Pay Online with Credit Card & eCheck
The most convenient way to pay your OBMUA bill is through their online payment system. The OBMUA website prominently features a “PAY BY CREDIT CARD & ECHECK” option in their main menu. This allows you to:
- Pay from the comfort of your home
- Make payments 24/7
- Avoid postage costs
- Get immediate confirmation
To use this service, simply:
- Visit the OBMUA website (obmua.com)
- Click on the “PAY BY CREDIT CARD & ECHECK” button
- Follow the instructions to complete your payment
2. Pay in Person
If you prefer face-to-face transactions or need assistance with your bill, you can visit the OBMUA Billing Department at:
Billing Department
71 Boulevard West
Cliffwood Beach, NJ 07735
Their office hours are:
Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
The billing department can be reached at 732-566-2534 if you have questions before heading over
3. Mail Your Payment
You can also mail your payment to the OBMUA Billing Department at the address listed above. Just make sure to:
- Include your account number on your check
- Allow sufficient time for postal delivery
- Include the payment stub from your bill if available
4. Phone Payments
While not explicitly stated on the website, many utility companies offer phone payment options. You can call the Billing Department at 732-566-2534 during regular business hours to inquire about making a payment over the phone.
Understanding Your OBMUA Bill
To better manage your payments, it helps to understand what you’re paying for. The OBMUA website provides detailed information about their rates:
Water Rates
You can find the most current water rates by clicking on the “Water Rates” section under “Our Rates” in the main menu. As mentioned on their website, “For Most Recent Water Rates Please Click Here.”
Sewage Rates
Similarly, sewage rates are available in the “Sewage Rates” section. These rates determine your wastewater disposal costs.
Special Discounts: Senior Citizen Reductions
OBMUA offers a 20% reduction for qualifying seniors, bringing the daily cost down to $2.02 for minimum users. This is a significant saving that can add up over the year.
To learn more about this discount, you can check the “Senior Citizen Discounts” section listed under Document Categories on their website. There appear to be 4 documents available with information about these discounts.
When to Pay Your OBMUA Bill
While the website doesn’t explicitly state billing cycles, most utility companies operate on a monthly or quarterly schedule. To avoid late fees or service interruptions, make sure to:
- Pay by the due date shown on your bill
- Contact the Billing Department if you need an extension
- Set up reminders for yourself if you tend to forget bills
What If You Have Trouble Paying Your Bill?
If you’re experiencing financial difficulties, it’s always best to contact OBMUA directly rather than letting bills go unpaid. They may be able to:
- Offer payment arrangements
- Provide information about assistance programs
- Help identify if you qualify for the senior discount
Stay Informed About Service Updates
The OBMUA website regularly posts notices about service interruptions, maintenance, and other important information. They suggest following their social media accounts for updates:
- OldBridgeMUA on Facebook
- @obmua on Twitter
They also post updates about boil water alerts, flushing schedules, and other service-related information in the “OBMUA Notices” section of their website.
Contact Information for Questions About Your Bill
If you have questions about your bill or need assistance with payments, here’s how to reach OBMUA:
Billing Department: 732-566-2534
Administrative Office: 732-566-2534
Water Division: 732-679-8440
Sewer Division: 732-566-5557
Their offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.
The Importance of Paying Your OBMUA Bill on Time
I can’t stress enough how important it is to pay your OBMUA bill promptly. Here’s why:
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Continuous Service: Timely payments ensure you have uninterrupted access to clean water and sewage services.
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Avoid Late Fees: Like most utilities, OBMUA probably charges late fees for overdue payments, which can add up quickly.
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Maintain Good Standing: Keeping your account in good standing helps avoid service disconnections and makes it easier if you ever need to request special arrangements.
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Community Support: OBMUA is funded entirely by revenues from water and wastewater operations, not by municipal or state taxes. Your payments directly support the maintenance and improvement of vital infrastructure in our community.
OBMUA’s Commitment to Customer Service
It’s worth noting that OBMUA takes their customer service seriously. On their website, they share a customer service philosophy that reads:
“A CUSTOMER IS A MOST IMPORTANT VISITOR ON THE PREMISES. THEY ARE NOT DEPENDENT ON US. WE ARE DEPENDENT ON THEM. THEY ARE NOT AN INTERRUPTION ON OUR WORK. THEY ARE THE PURPOSE OF IT. THEY ARE NOT AN OUTSIDER ON OUR BUSINESS. THEY ARE PART OF IT. WE ARE NOT DOING THEM A FAVOR BY SERVING THEM. THEY ARE DOING US A FAVOR BY GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.”
This customer-focused approach means that if you have questions or concerns about your bill or payment options, they should be willing to help.
Final Thoughts on OBMUA Bill Pay
Paying your OBMUA bill doesn’t have to be a hassle. With online payment options, in-person service at their office, and potentially other methods available by calling them directly, you’ve got plenty of options to choose from.
I personally find the online payment option to be the most convenient – no stamps, no driving, and I can do it any time of day or night. But whichever method you choose, the important thing is to stay on top of those payments to ensure continued access to the clean water and wastewater services we sometimes take for granted.
Remember that OBMUA is continuously updating their website with news, notices, and information, so it’s a good idea to check their site periodically for any changes to payment options or rate updates.
Do you have any tips or experiences with paying your OBMUA bill that you’d like to share? Drop them in the comments below! And if this guide helped you out, please share it with your neighbors in Old Bridge Township who might also be looking for this information.
Stay hydrated, my friends!
We are trying to keep this page up to date. If you cannot find an answer on the FAQ page please contact us for more information.
Phone:
Fax:
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CALL BEFORE YOU DIG ? 1-800-272-1000 Why ?
THIS PARAGRAPH IS VERY IMPORTANT. There are underground utility pipes, cables, and wires in places that you would never expect, and often close to the surface! Cutting or breaking any of these underground utilities can incur extremely high repair costs as well as service disruption for numerous residents, and property damage. However in the case of severing or cutting into electric or natural gas lines, it can cause severe injury or even be deadly.
WHAT IS NEW JERSEY ONE-CALL?
One Call Systems, Inc. , (OCS) is charged with operating the utility damage prevention system statewide, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Their obligation is to receive and record the notice of intent to excavate, assign a notification number to each intent to excavate, and transmit the information to the appropriate utilities promptly. One Call Systems, Inc., (OCS) has been providing underground notification and damage protection services to utility companies nationwide since 1975.
WHEN DO I USE THE ONE-CALL SYSTEM?
Anytime you (contractor OR homeowner) plan to dig (excavation, demolition, and blasting) whether it’s a large construction or a homeowner project, such as putting up a fence, clothesline pole, mailbox post, or even a real estate sign post, creating a new garden (existing gardens are excluded), building a home addition, deck, or foundation, etc. , you must call not less than three (3) business days or more than ten (10) business days in advance. A business day is any day, not including weekends or holidays. The number to call is 1-800-272-1000. Additional ONE-CALL details for those interested: The One-Call system alerts the various utility companies who may have buried pipes, cables, and wires in your specific area. Each utility company will “Mark Out” the locations of their underground apparatus to alert you of its location. Each type of utility uses a different color marking paint for their portion. Blue is Water; Green is Sewer; Yellow is Natural Gas; Red is Electric; and Orange is Telephone, Cable TV or other Communications Lines, including Fiber Optics. White marking paint is to be utilized to mark out the proposed digging area(s) by the contractor or homeowner in advance of the various utilities companies arrival to identify and mark the locations of their respective underground pipes, cables, or wires. In addition to the colored marking paint, most utility companies will often insert marker flags as well, bearing the same utility color scheme. The OBMUA will mark out our water lines in blue and sewer lines in green, following the standard mark out color codes. We at the OBMUA, as a utility company, are not exempt from requesting mark-outs either! You may have even observed us applying the white marking paint in areas of proposed excavation for a new installation or replacement of our own underground equipment so the other of utility companies can identify our proposed excavation areas and apply their color coded markings as accordingly. However, in certain emergency cases when we must immediately dig into the ground to repair a broken OBMUA water main or sewer line, we can alert the other utility companies of our emergency and begin our emergency excavation immediately. In these emergency cases we have defined procedures to follow.
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What are your office hours?
Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. (Certain Holidays Excluded)
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How often are we invoiced?
You are invoiced quarterly for usage during the previous quarter for water, and the current month and two months in advance for sewer. Bills are mailed quarterly to residences and monthly to businesses.
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Can I pay my bills at the office or must I send it to the PO Box address in Laurence Harbor, NJ.?
You can pay your bills at 71 Boulevard West, Cliffwood Beach or 15 Throckmorton Lane, Old Bridge. Bills can also be paid at any branch office of Amboy Bank or mailed to PO Box 1006 Laurence Harbor, NJ 08879. Outside drop boxes are also provided for your convenience to drop off payments after hours.
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Can I pay my bills over the phone?
The MUA cannot accommodate our customers with payment by phone. However, you may stop in at either of our offices located at 71 Boulevard West, Cliffwood Beach or 15 Throckmorton Lane, Old Bridge and pay by cash, check or money order. Mailing your payment is also an option. Never mail cash.
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Do you take credit card payments?
Yes. Please look at the upper left-hand side of our web page under Pay My Bill.
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Can you automatically bill my credit card each month?
Currently we have no plans but, this option may be available in the future.
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How can I change the name on this account?
The MUA requests written documentation such as a deed, death or marriage certificate in order for all name changes to be made.
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Do you provide a senior citizen discount?
If you qualify for the Senior Citizens Property Tax Deduction through Old Bridge Township Tax Assessor’s Office you will automatically qualify for 20% off of your base water and sewer bill with the OBMUA. Those residents who are disabled veterans may also apply through the Township Tax Assessor’s Office.
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I will be away on vacation can I pay my bill in advance?
Yes, you can pay your bill in advance.
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Can I view my account via the internet?
At present we do not provide this capacity, however, we are always examining the possibility of additional technologies. Although there are no current plans for this option, it may become available in the future.
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Can I pay my bill via the internet?
At present we do not provide this capacity, however you can use your “bill pay” feature on your online banking web site.
How to create an on-line account to see your balance due and/or pay your OBMUA bill
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