[Adopted 11-13-1972 by Ord. No. 12-72 (Ch. 18, Part 1, of the 1988 Code)]
The purpose of this article is to establish procedures for the use and maintenance of holding tanks designed to receive and retain sewage whether from residential or commercial uses, and it is hereby declared that the enactment of this article is necessary for the protection, benefit and preservation of the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of this Township.
Unless the context specifically and clearly indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms used in this article shall be as follows:
AUTHORITY
Bethlehem Township Municipal Authority, a Pennsylvania municipal authority.
HOLDING TANK
A watertight receptacle which receives and retains sewage and is designed and constructed to facilitate ultimate disposal of the sewage at another site. Holding tanks include but are not limited to the following:
A. 
CHEMICAL TOILETA toilet using chemicals that discharge to a holding tank.
B. 
RETENTION TANKA holding tank where sewage is conveyed to it by a water-carrying system.
C. 
VAULT PIT PRIVYA holding tank designed to receive sewage where water under pressure is not available.
IMPROVED PROPERTY
Any property within the Township upon which there is erected a structure intended for continuous or periodic habitation, occupancy or use by human beings or animals and from which structure sewage shall or may be discharged.
OWNER
Any person vested with ownership, legal or equitable, sole or partial, of any property located in the Township.
PERSON
Any substance that contains any of the waste products or excrement or other discharge from the bodies of human beings or animals and any noxious or deleterious substance being harmful or inimical to the public health, or to animal or aquatic life or to the use of water for domestic water supply or for recreation.
TOWNSHIP
Bethlehem Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
The Authority is hereby authorized and empowered to undertake within the Township the control and methods of holding tank sewage disposal and the collection and transportation thereof.
The Authority is hereby authorized and empowered to adopt such rules and regulations concerning sewage which it may deem necessary from time to time to effect the purposes herein.
All such rules and regulations adopted by the Authority shall be in conformity with the provisions herein, all other ordinances of the Township and all applicable laws and applicable rules and regulations of administrative agencies of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The Authority shall have the right and power to fix, alter, charge and collect rates, assessments, and other charges in the area served by its facilities at reasonable and uniform rates as authorized by applicable law.
The collection and transportation of all sewage from any improved property utilizing a holding tank shall be solely by or under the direction and control of the Authority, and the disposal thereof shall be made only at such site or sites as may be approved by the Department of Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The owner of an improved property that utilizes a holding tank shall:
A. 
Maintain the holding tank in conformance with this article or any ordinance of this Township, the provisions of any applicable law, and the rules and regulations of the Authority and any administrative agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania;
B. 
Permit only the Authority or anyone acting under the direction of the Authority to collect, transport and dispose of the contents therein.
[Amended 8-15-1988 by Ord. No. 8-88]
Any person who violates any provisions of § 202-8 shall, upon conviction thereof by summary proceedings, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $300 and costs, and in default of said fine and costs, to undergo imprisonment in the Northampton County Prison for a period not in excess of 90 days.
In addition to any other remedies provided in this article, any violation of § 202-8 shall constitute a nuisance and may be abated by the Township or the Authority by either seeking appropriate equitable or legal relief from a court of competent jurisdiction.