[Adopted 2-17-2004 by Ord. No. 1-04]
No home, residence, building or other contributor to the Washington Township sewage conveyance or treatment facilities shall make, allow or have a connection of roof downspouts, sump pump, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, unpolluted industrial water or cooling water, directly or indirectly, into said conveyance or treatment facilities.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any owner of real property in Washington Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, whose property is connected to the Township's public sanitary sewer system/public water system, to sell, convey, assign, or transfer any real property, or for any person to facilitate the sale, conveyance, assignment or transfer of any real property, by deed, agreement of sale or otherwise, or for any person not already an owner thereof to acquire an interest in any such real estate, without first securing a certificate of inspection issued by Washington Township's Code Enforcement Officer, henceforth identified as the "Officer," or his designee, with respect to the real property being transferred, certifying that an inspection has been performed relative to all of the rules and regulations of the Township relative to tapping into, discharging into, or connection with the Township's public sanitary sewer system and, if applicable, tap-in, metering and connection with the Township's public water system.
B. 
Any such inspection and certificate as may be issued by the Township shall be pursuant to the inspection and is not intended to be an express or implied warranty or guarantee against the presence of any items of violation or noncompliance that were not apparent to the Township Officer or his designee.
An application for a certificate of inspection shall be made to the Township's Officer, or his designee, on forms furnished by the Township and shall be accompanied by a fee in such amount as the Council of Washington Township sets, from time to time, by resolution or by ordinance, including any such resolution at the annual Township Council reorganization meeting. The fee for the application and inspection required for a certificate of inspection, upon the effective date of the article, shall be $100 for both sewer and water inspections or $50 each if only a sewer or water inspection is required. The fee for each reinspection that may be required of the Inspector shall be $100 for both sewer and water reinspections or $50 each if only a sewer or water reinspection is required. In addition, should the Township's Officer or his designee determine that additional services or tasks are necessary to perform the inspection, and out-of-pocket expenses are incurred by the Township, the owner shall be responsible to pay said additional costs within 30 days of receipt of the invoice for said additional out-of-pocket expenses.
Upon receipt of a properly completed application for a certificate of inspection, the Township's Officer or his designee shall, within 10 calendar days, physically inspect the real property to be transferred, and shall determine its compliance with the Township rules and regulations relative to its connection to the public sanitary sewer system and public water system. If the Officer, as aforementioned, determines compliance, he shall immediately issue a certificate of inspection authorizing the transfer of the real estate. If the Officer determines noncompliance, he shall separately set forth each violation or items of noncompliance and the required remedial action in order for a certificate of inspection to be issued and shall promptly forward a copy of his findings to all parties in interest. Upon notification of the remedial action having been completed, the Officer shall, within two working days, reinspect the real estate to be transferred and, if in compliance, shall immediately issue a certificate of inspection. If upon reinspection the Officer determines that all necessary remedial action has not occurred, he shall identify that remedial action still required and shall promptly forward a copy of his findings to all parties in interest. No certificate of inspection shall be issued until all remedial action shall have been completed in a manner satisfactory to the Officer.
All customers of the Washington Township sewage system or Edinboro sewage system with sewage generated in Washington Township shall allow Washington Township, or its designees, access to any and all structures being provided such sewer and/or water services for the purpose of inspection to determine compliance under this article.
Any person or persons aggrieved by a decision of the Officer may, within 30 days of being so aggrieved, file a written appeal of said decision to the Council of Washington Township. Said appeal shall be in writing and set forth, in reasonable detail, the proportionate decision by the Officer to which exceptions taken, the reason for the exception being taken and the proposed remedy. Upon receipt of an appeal, the Council of Washington Township within 30 calendar days of receipt shall permit a hearing to be conducted during a regularly scheduled Township Council meeting. All appeal hearings shall be conducted in accordance with the local agency law.
[Amended 9-3-2019 by Ord. No. 2-19]
The violation of any provision of this article shall be punishable in the manner set forth in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article III, §§ 1-24 and 1-25 or as the same shall be amended or replaced from time to time; provided, however, that a violation of § 105-43 shall not result in an action for injunctive relief unless the violation is such as to constitute a "substantial violation" as defined in Act 99 of 2000, 68 P.S. § 1081 et seq., so as to prevent the issuance of a certificate of use and occupancy.