[Adopted 3-17-1986 by Ord. No. 197-86; amended in its entirety 11-7-2011 by Ord. No. 407-11]
[Amended 12-15-2014 by Ord. No. 424-14]
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 the Township.
Unless the context specifically and clearly indicates otherwise, the meanings of terms used in this article shall be used as follows:
AUTHORITY
Easttown Municipal Authority.
CCHD
Chester County Health Department.
DEP
Department of Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
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.[1]
OWNER
Any person vested with ownership, legal or equitable, sole or partial, of any property located in the Township.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, company, association, corporation or other group or entity.
SEWAGE
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 animals or aquatic life or to the use of water for domestic water supply or for recreation.
SEWER SYSTEM
All facilities owned by the Authority and leased to the Township for the collection and disposal of sewage in and for the Township.
[1]
Editor's Note: The former definition of "municipality," which immediately followed this definition, was repealed 12-15-2014 by Ord. No. 424-14
The use of temporary holding tanks may be permitted by the Township to provide an interim or temporary method of sewage disposal under circumstances where a connection to the sewer system has been approved by the Authority and DEP but is delayed by judicial proceedings or an administrative order or directive of DEP which limits connections to the sewer system. The use of a temporary holding tank may be permitted by the Township, provided that the minimum criteria set forth herein are met:
A. 
Based on the Township's official sewage facilities plan (the "537 Plan"), the property should be connected to the sewer system, but the connection to the sewer system is prohibited by judicial proceedings or by an administrative order or directive of DEP which limits connections to the sewer system for an interim time frame.
B. 
Regulations issued by DEP permit the use of a temporary holding tank.
C. 
The property is otherwise suitable for a holding tank.
D. 
All holding tanks shall be constructed and maintained in conformance with the provisions of this article and Title 25 of the Pennsylvania Code, as may be amended and supplemented from time to time.
E. 
All holding tanks shall be installed below grade.
A. 
The Board is authorized and empowered to adopt such rules and regulations concerning the use of temporary holding tanks which it may deem necessary from time to time.
B. 
The Board shall retain the right, but not the obligation, to undertake any of the duties or responsibilities of the property owner that are imposed in this article in the event that the property owner fails to comply with any of the provisions of this article. Any costs incurred by the Township to enforce the provisions of this article, including reasonable attorney fees, shall be chargeable against the property owner. If the property owner fails to reimburse the Township for such costs, the Township may file a municipal lien against the property in accordance with the Municipal Claims and Tax Liens Law.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 7101 et seq.
All rules and regulations adopted by the Board shall be in conformity with the provisions herein, all other ordinances of the Township, and all applicable laws and rules and regulations of the administrative agencies of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including the DEP and the Chester County Health Department.
The Township and Authority shall have the right and power to fix, alter, charge and collect rates, assessments and other charges in the area served by the sewer system at reasonable and uniform rates as authorized by applicable law.
The collection and transportation of all sewage from any improved property utilizing a temporary holding tank shall be done solely pursuant to the licensing provisions established by the CCHD. The Township shall receive and review pumping receipts from holding tanks on a semiannual basis and may conduct inspections for holding tanks as necessary to ensure compliance with this article.
The owner of a property that utilizes a holding tank shall:
A. 
Install and maintain the holding tank in conformance with this article, any other applicable ordinance of the Township, the provisions of any applicable law and the rules and regulations of the Authority, the Board, the CCHD and the DEP.
B. 
Require a duly licensed sewage disposal contractor to inspect the holding tank on an annual basis and provide a written report of such inspection to the Township.
C. 
Permit only a duly licensed sewage disposal contractor to collect, transport, and dispose of the contents stored in the holding tank.
D. 
Submit to the Township on an annual basis an executed contract for the maintenance of the holding tank with a duly licensed sewage disposal contractor. Such contract shall be renewed or replaced and kept in full force and effect during the entire period in which a holding tank is utilized. Failure to maintain such a contract or submit the contract to the Township shall cause an immediate revocation of the holding tank permit.
E. 
Submit to the Township on a semiannual basis pumping receipts from holding tanks.
F. 
Within 60 days of notice from the Authority that it may allow connection of the property to the sewer system, the property owner must fill the holding tank with an approved material and remove and properly dispose of the tank.
G. 
Execute and record an operations and maintenance agreement in the form which is attached hereto as Exhibit A,[1] which shall be recorded against the property and shall be a covenant running with the land. The operations and maintenance agreement shall require the property owner to post financial security with the Township in an amount necessary to guarantee sufficient funds for all anticipated pumping for at least six months and to cover the Township's administrative, engineering and inspection fees incurred in connection with enforcing this article.
[1]
Editor's Note: Exhibit A is included as an attachment to this chapter.
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this article shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before a Magisterial District Judge under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be guilty of a summary offense and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution, including reasonable attorneys' fees. In default of payment thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days. Each day or portion thereof that such violation continues or is permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense, and each section of this article that is violated shall also constitute a separate offense.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
In addition to any other remedies provided in this article, any violations of the provisions of this article shall constitute a nuisance and shall be abated by the Township or the Authority by either seeking appropriate equitable or legal relief from a court of competent jurisdiction.