A "tagging system" that the Centre Region Council of Governments hopes will avoid a possible increase in refuse collection fees comes under scrutiny today at COG's public services commission meeting.

Taking a cue from the New Jersey municipality of High Bridge, which implemented a successful program a year ago, COG has been looking seriously into the possibility of implementing a similar system since last January, said committee Vice Chairwoman Janet Sulzer.

Under the tagging system, COG would set a weekly bag or can allotment, and residents would purchase that number of tags or stickers at a flat quarterly rate, Sulzer said.

Residents also would be able to purchase additional stickers at a higher cost per tag from the municipal government if their refuse output exceeds the weekly allotment, she said.

COG members cite the impending shortage of Centre Region landfill space as the impetus for the plan, Sulzer said.

She voiced doubts that a decision will be reached at today's meeting, since this will be the first time the entire committee will have the opportunity to examine all of the information from High Bridge.

Also at tomorrow's meeting, COG members will consider consolidating the Centre Region's water suppliers, in a memo presented by COG's Planning Commission.

"At the minimum we need better coordination - some method to have the authorities communicate," said Planning Director Robert Bini.

The possibility of some form of consolidation was introduced in October 1988, and water providers in and around the Centre Region expressed interest at a November meeting, Bini said.

"The biggest problem is an overall lack of coordination and management of the area's water resources," Bini said.

The area needs protection against the possibility of another drought like the one that occurred last summer as well as needing the water for growth, Bini said.