Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • October 5, 2011 Area Ridgewood Water Company rates could increase 5% by John Koster The Ridgewood Water Company could increase its water rates to customers in Glen Rock, Midland Park, Wyckoff, and Ridgewood by five percent if the initiative for a rate increase is approved by the Ridgewood Village Council in November. The proposed increase would bring the total increase since 2010 to 31 percent. Ridgewood Water Company officials assert that the prices for Ridgewood Water Company water remain comparable to other utilities in northern Bergen County and the water quality is superior. Wyckoff, Glen Rock, and Midland Park, have already taken the Ridgewood Water Company to court over the increases. Wyckoff, Glen Rock, and Midland Park have charged that Ridgewood used water rate money collected from the other three towns in the utility grid to pay for police and fire services along with the expenses of staffing and maintaining the water utility. Ridgewood officials have denied any legal improprieties and stated that the legal actions will merely cost both sides more taxpayer money. Water use by customers decreased in August due to heavy rainfall which made lawn watering unnecessary for many customers. A watering restriction had been in effect for most of the summer with oddeven regulations (those with odd-numbered addresses were permitted to water on oddnumbered days of the month; those with even-numbered addresses watered on evennumbered days of the month) and no sprinkler watering on Mondays. On Aug. 28, Hurricane Irene led to flooding on the first floor of the Ridgewood Village Hall. Residents have been invited to tour the first floor on Oct. 3 and then attend a special council meeting to discuss whether the first floor of the building should be written off as office space and relegated to functions, such as rest rooms, that would not be compromised by future flooding.