Borough of Bridgeport, PA Article I Sewer Connections

[Adopted 10-5-1964 by Ord. No. 270, approved 10-5-1964 (Ch. 124, Art. I, of the 1975 Code)]

§ 442-1 Definitions.

As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:[1]

BOROUGH

The Borough of Bridgeport, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, or the duly constituted and elected municipal authorities thereof.

OCCUPIED BUILDING

Each single-dwelling unit, household unit, flat or apartment unit, store, shop, office, business or industrial unit or family unit contained within any structure erected and intended for continuous or periodic habitation, occupancy or use by human beings or animals and from which structure sanitary sewage is or may be discharged.

PERSON

Any individual, firm, company, association, society, corporation or group.

PROPERTY ACCESSIBLE TO THE SEWER SYSTEM

Improved property which adjoins, abuts on or is adjacent to the sewer system or is benefited thereby.

SANITARY SEWAGE

The normal water-carried household and toilet wastes from residences, business buildings, institutions and commercial and industrial establishments.

SEWER SYSTEM

The present public sanitary sewer collection system, together with appurtenant facilities and sewage treatment plant about to be constructed for the Borough, and any improvements, additions or extensions that hereafter may be made thereto by the Authority or the Borough or to any part or parts of any or all thereof.

[1] Editor's Note: The former definition of “authority” which immediately followed, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

§ 442-2 Connection to accessible sewer system required.

A. All persons owning any occupied building now erected upon property accessible to the sewer system shall, at their own expense, connect such building with the sewer system within 45 days after notice from the Borough to such persons requiring such connection.

B. All persons owning any property accessible to the sewer system upon which an occupied building is hereafter erected shall, at the time of the erection of such building and at their own expense, connect the same with the sewer system.

C. All persons owning any occupied building upon property which hereafter becomes accessible to the sewer system shall, at their own expense, connect such building with the sewer system within 45 days after notice to do so from the Borough.

D. Where more than one occupied building, as hereinbefore defined, is contained in a separate structure, a single common connection to the lateral of the sewer system shall be permitted for accommodating all units contained in such structure, except that separate connections shall be required for each semidetached or row-type house or structure.

§ 442-3 Use of other system prohibited.

It shall be unlawful for any person owning any property accessible to the sewer system to erect, construct, use or maintain or cause to be erected, constructed, used or maintained any privy, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or other receptacle on such premises or otherwise for receiving sanitary sewage after the expiration of the particular period specified in § 442-2 hereof or otherwise at any time to erect, construct, use or maintain any pipe, conduit, drain or other facility for the discharge of sanitary sewage into the gutters of the Borough, the storm sewers of the Borough or upon public or private property or otherwise, except into the sewer system.

§ 442-4 Use of other systems deemed a nuisance; abatement authorized.

Any person who erects, constructs, uses or maintains a privy, cesspool, sinkhole or septic tank on any property accessible to the sewer system or otherwise erects, constructs, uses or maintains any pipe, conduit, drain or other facility for the discharge of sanitary sewage in violation of this chapter shall be deemed and shall be declared to be erecting, constructing and maintaining a nuisance, which nuisance the Borough is hereby authorized and directed to abate in the manner provided by law.

§ 442-5 Connections to comply with applicable standards.

No connection shall be made to the sewer system, except in compliance with the ordinances and resolutions, as well as such rules and regulations as may from time to time be enacted, adopted, approved or promulgated by the Borough or the Authority.

§ 442-6 Issuance of order to comply.

After the expiration of the particular periods specified in § 442-2, if any owner of an occupied building on property accessible to the sewer system shall have failed to connect such property with the sewer system as required by said § 442-2, the Borough shall cause to be served on the owner of such property so failing to connect to said sewer system and also upon the occupants of the building in question a copy of this chapter and a written or printed notice requiring such connection to be made, and such notice shall further state that its requirements shall be complied with within 45 days from the date thereof.

§ 442-7 Violations and penalties.

[Amended 8-12-1975 by Ord. No. 419, approved 8-15-1975; 3-14-1989 by Ord. No. 507, approved 3-14-1989]

Any person who shall be convicted of a violation of any of the provisions of this article before any Magisterial District Judge shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 and costs of prosecution or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed 30 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. The continuation of such violation for each successive day shall constitute a separate offense, and the person or persons allowing or permitting the continuation of the violation may be punished as provided above for such separate offense.