[Adopted 4-14-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-3]
Unless the context specifically and clearly indicates otherwise,
the meaning of terms used in this article shall be as follows:
The extension from the sewage drainage system of any structure
to the lateral of a sewer.
A grant of limited use of private land for a public or quasi-public
purpose.
Any property within this 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 sanitary
sewage and/or industrial wastes shall be or may be discharged.
Any solid, liquid or gaseous substance or form of energy
rejected or escaping in the course of any industrial, manufacturing,
trade or business process or in the course of the development, recovery
or processing of natural resources, as distinct from sanitary sewage.
That part of the sewer system extending from a sewer to the
curbline or, if there shall be no curbline, to the property line;
or if no such lateral shall be provided, then "lateral" shall mean
that portion of or place in a sewer which is provided for connection
of any building sewer.
Any shed, fence, pool, swing set, playhouse, tree, shrub
or any other object that limits access or repairs to the sewer system.
Any person vested with ownership, legal or equitable, sole
or partial, of any property located in this Township.
Any individual, partnership, company, association, society,
corporation or other group or entity.
Land legally dedicated for public purposes, including, but
not limited to, a street, alley or interior walk.
Normal water-carried household and toilet wastes from any
improved property.
Any pipe or conduit constituting part of the sewer system
used or usable for sewage collection purposes.
All facilities as of any particular time, for collecting,
pumping, treating and disposing of sanitary sewage and industrial
wastes, situate in or adjacent to this Township and owned or leased
to this Township for operation and use.
Any street, road, lane, court, public square or alley.
The Township of Union, Washington County, Pennsylvania, a
Pennsylvania municipal corporation, acting by and through its Board
of Supervisors or, in appropriate cases, acting by and through its
authorized representatives.
A.
The owner of any improved property abutting on or adjoining any street,
court or easement or right-of-way, highway, road or alley in which
there is a sewer shall connect such improved property with such sewer,
in such manner as the Township may require, within 60 days after notice
to such owner from the Township to make such connection, for the purpose
of the discharge of all sanitary sewage and industrial wastes from
such improved property, subject to such terms, conditions, limitations
and restrictions as shall be established herein or otherwise shall
be established by the Township from time to time; provided, however,
that upon written request of the owner the Township may excuse such
connection where: 1) the distance from the building to the lateral
exceeds 150 feet; or 2) the grade and elevation between the building
sewer and the lateral make connection infeasible.[1]
B.
All sanitary sewage and industrial wastes from any improved property, after connection of such improved property with a sewer shall be required under Subsection A, shall be conducted into a sewer, subject to such limitations and restrictions as shall be established herein or otherwise shall be established by this Township from time to time.
C.
No person shall place or deposit or permit to be placed or deposited upon public or private property within this Township any sanitary sewage or industrial wastes in violation of Subsection A. No person shall discharge or permit to be discharged to any natural outlet within this Township any sanitary sewage or industrial wastes in violation of Subsection A, except where suitable treatment has been provided which is satisfactory to the Township.
D.
No privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle shall be used and maintained at any time upon any improved property which has been connected to a sewer or which shall be required under Subsection A to be connected to a sewer. Every such privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle in existence shall be abandoned and, at the discretion of the Township, shall be cleansed and filled at the expense of the owner of such improved property and under the direction and supervision of the Township, and any such privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle not so abandoned by the said owner of such improved property and, if required by this Township, cleansed and filled, shall constitute a violation of this article, for which such owner shall be liable in accordance with the provisions of § 211-19 hereof.
E.
No privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle
at any time shall be connected with a sewer.
F.
No person shall connect or cause to be connected with any sewer,
directly or indirectly, any roof water, groundwater or surface water,
sump pumps and floor drains, steam exhaust, boiler blowoff, sediment
drip or any pipe carrying or constructed to carry hot water or acid,
germicide, grease, brewery mash, gasoline, naphtha, benzine, oil or
any other substance detrimental to the sewers or to the operation
of the sewer system.
G.
The notice by this Township to make a connection to a sewer, referred to in Subsection A, shall consist of a written or printed document requiring the connection in accordance with this article and specifying that such connection shall be made within 60 days from the date such notice is given. Such notice may be given at any time after a sewer is in place which can receive and convey sanitary sewage and industrial wastes for treatment and disposal from the particular improved property. Such notice shall be served upon the owner either by personal service or by registered mail or by such other method as at the time may be permitted by law.[2]
A.
No person shall uncover, connect with, make any opening into or use,
alter or disturb in any manner any sewer or any part of the sewer
system without first obtaining a permit, in writing, from the Township.
No person shall place any obstruction in or change the elevation or
grade of the surface of any right-of-way in which any sewer or any
part of the sewer system is located without first obtaining a permit,
in writing, from the Township.
B.
Application for a permit required under Subsection A above shall be made by the owner of the improved property served or to be served. No person shall make or cause to be made a connection of any improved property with a sewer until such person shall have fulfilled each of the following conditions:
(1)
Such person shall have notified the Secretary of this Township of
the desire and intention to connect to a sewer.
(3)
Such person shall have given the Secretary of this Township at least
48 hours' notice of the time when such connection will be made so
that this Township may supervise and inspect the work of connection
and necessary testing.
(4)
Such person shall have furnished satisfactory evidence to the Secretary
of this Township that any tapping fee charged and imposed against
the owner of each improved property who connects such improved property
to a sewer has been paid.
C.
Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, each improved property
shall be connected separately and independently with a sewer through
a building sewer. Grouping of more than one improved property on one
building sewer shall not be permitted except under special circumstances
and for good sanitary reasons or other good cause shown and then only
after special permission of this Township, in writing, shall have
been secured, and subject to such rules, regulations and conditions
as may be prescribed by this Township.
D.
All costs and expenses of construction of a building sewer and all
costs and expenses of connection of a building sewer to a sewer shall
be borne by the owner of the improved property to be connected, and
such owner shall indemnify and save harmless this Township from all
loss or damage that may be occasioned, directly or indirectly, as
a result of construction of a building sewer or of connection of a
building sewer to a sewer. Any person who shall violate any provision
of this article or rules and regulations adopted hereunder shall also
be liable for any and all damages suffered and expenses incurred by
this Township as a result of such violation. Said damages and expenses
shall be collected by an action or actions at law or in equity. The
right to seek damages and expenses shall exist completely separate
and independent of the right to seek criminal penalties, and both
rights may be pursued simultaneously or sequentially.[1]
E.
A building sewer shall be connected to a sewer at the place designated
by this Township and where the lateral is provided and shall be subject
to all terms and conditions of any plumbing code enacted by the Township.
The invert of a building sewer at the point of connection shall be
at the same or a higher elevation than the invert of the sewer. A
smooth, neat joint shall be made, and the connection of a building
sewer to the lateral shall be made secure and watertight.
F.
If the owner of any improved property abutting on or adjoining any street, court, easement or right-of-way, highway, road or alley in which there is a sewer, after 60 days' notice from this Township in accordance with § 211-16A, shall fail to connect such improved property as required, this Township may make such connection and may collect from such owner the costs and expenses thereof by the filing of a municipal lien against the property, an action in assumpsit or such other legal proceeding as may be permitted by law.[2]
A.
Where an improved property, at the time connection to a sewer is
required, shall be served by its own sewage disposal system or device,
the existing house sewer line shall be broken on the structure side
of such sewage disposal system or device and attachment shall be made,
with proper fittings, to continue such house sewer line as a building
sewer.
B.
No building sewer shall be covered until it has been inspected and
approved by this Township. If any part of a building sewer is covered
before so being inspected and approved, it shall be uncovered for
inspection at the cost and expense of the owner of the improved property
to be connected to a sewer.
C.
Every building sewer of any improved property shall be maintained
in a sanitary and safe operating condition by the owner of such improved
property.
D.
Every excavation for a building sewer shall be guarded adequately
with barricades and lights to protect all persons from damage and
injury. Streets, sidewalks and other public property disturbed in
the course of installation of a building sewer shall be restored,
at the cost and expense of the owner of the improved property being
connected, in a manner satisfactory to this Township.
E.
If any person shall fail or refuse, upon receipt of a notice of this
Township, in writing, to remedy any unsatisfactory condition with
respect to a building sewer within 10 days of receipt of such notice,
this Township may refuse to permit such person to discharge sanitary
sewage and industrial waste into the system until such unsatisfactory
condition shall have been remedied to the satisfaction of this Township.
This Township may also, if necessary, remedy such unsatisfactory condition
and may collect from such owner the costs and expenses thereof by
the filing of a municipal lien against the property, an action in
assumpsit or such other legal proceedings as may be permitted by law.
F.
This Township reserves the right to adopt, from time to time, such
rules and regulations as it shall deem necessary and proper relating
to connections with a sewer and the sewer system, which rules and
regulations, to the extent appropriate, shall be construed as part
of this article.
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. 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.
