Words used in the singular include the plural and words used
in plural include the singular. The word "building" shall be construed
as if followed by the words "or parts thereof." The word "may" is
permissive; the words "shall" and "will" are mandatory.
The following words and terms, when used in this Part, shall
have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise:
A component of an individual or community sewage system where
liquid from a treatment tank seeps into the soil; it consists of an
aggregate-filled area containing piping for the distribution of liquid
and the soil or sand/soil combination located beneath the aggregate.
This area can also consist of a drip irrigation or spray irrigation
field.
A mechanically aerated treatment tank that provides aerobic
biochemical stabilization of sewage prior to its discharge to an absorption
area.
A system employing the use of demonstrated technology as
outlined in the most current alternate technology listings by the
PADEP.
A landowner, as herein defined, or agent of the landowner,
who has filed an application for an operation and maintenance agreement.
Acronym for the Bucks County Department of Health, the local
agency in the County of Bucks responsible for enforcing the rules
and regulations of the PADEP regarding sewage facilities, Pa. Code
Title 25 Chapters 71, 72, and 73, promulgated thereunder.
Any structure, either temporary or permanent, having walls
and a roof, designed or used for the shelter of any person, animal
or property, and occupying more than 100 square feet of area.
A covered pit with open-jointed lining which receives the
sewage or other organic wastes directly from a building drain or building
sewer. It retains solids and allows liquid wastes to pass through
the bottom and sides. This is an antiquated system which predates
PADEP Chapter 73 regulations and does not adequately protect the public
health.
Within a given group of buildings and/or lots, the use, where
feasible, of on-lot disposal systems (OLDS), and for lots not suitable
for OLDS, the incorporation of the sewage from two or more of the
unsuitable lots into a community sewage system in order to meet the
sewage treatment/disposal needs of the area.
Any system, whether publicly or privately owned, for the
collection of sewage from two or more lots and for the treatment or
disposal of the sewage on one or more of the lots, or at any other
site.
A community sewage system that employs any of the several
types of aggregate-filled sewage effluent absorption areas installed
below original soil grade level, or, in the case of an elevated sand
mound, installed above original grade with ultimate percolation into
the original soil. This can also be a drip irrigation field.
The combination of two or more community systems.
Financial security posted by the property owner or agent
of the property owner and held by the Township or a third party (under
an agreement with the Township) for the purpose of guaranteeing that
the construction of a sewage system is completed and properly done.
Any of several types of aggregate-filled sewage effluent
absorption areas installed below original soil grade level, or, in
the case of an elevated sand mound, installed above original grade
with ultimate percolation into the original soil.
Any landowner, agent of such landowner or tenant with the
permission of such landowner who makes or causes to be made a subdivision
or land development.
A type of above-ground absorption area consisting of a level
layer of sand between the surface of the natural soil and an aggregate
distribution area to ensure adequate renovation of sewage effluent.
Any method of sewage disposal not described in the PADEP
Title 25 rules and regulations, but authorized by the PADEP for the
purpose of testing and observation, as well as the most current alternate
systems guidance by the PADEP.
Funds guaranteed or held in escrow accounts in federal or
common charted lending institutions or irrevocable letters of credit
issued by such institution.
A watertight receptacle, whether permanent or temporary,
which receives sewage via a water-carrying system and retains sewage
and is designed and constructed to facilitate ultimate disposal of
the sewage at another facility.
A nonprofit or for-profit corporation controlled by a board
of directors which administers bylaws and rules and regulations governing
all and/or common areas in a residential development.
An individual sewage system which serves a single dwelling
and which treats and disposes of sewage using a system of piping,
treatment tanks and soil renovation through spray irrigation.
A system of piping, tanks, or other facilities serving a
single lot and collecting and disposing of sewage in whole or in part
into the soil or into any waters of the Commonwealth or by means of
conveyance to another site for final disposal.
Any liquid, gaseous, radioactive, solid or other substance
resulting from manufacturing, industry or other operations which is
not sewage. The term shall include all such substances whether or
not generally characterized as waste. These shall not be discharged
to any on-lot disposal system.
Any of the several different types of sewage stabilization
ponds or oxidation ponds employed to treat sewage by aerobic and/or
anaerobic decomposition. Lagoons are generally followed by land application
or stream discharge of effluent.
The improvement of one lot or two or more contiguous lots,
tracts or parcels of land for any purpose involving:
A group of two or more residential or nonresidential buildings,
whether proposed initially or cumulatively, or a single nonresidential
building on a lot or lots regardless of the number of occupant or
tenure, including any additions to existing nonresidential buildings
or conversions of residential to nonresidential buildings with additions;
or
The division or allocation of land or space, whether initially
or cumulatively, between or among two or more existing or prospective
occupants by means of, or for the purpose of, streets, common areas,
leaseholds, condominiums, building groups or other features; or
A subdivision of land.
An individual or community on-lot sewage system with design
capacity to discharge subsurface sewage flows that are in excess of
10,000 gallons per day. These systems require a water quality management
permit issued by PADEP.
A part of a subdivision or a parcel of land used as a building
site or intended to be used for building purposes, whether immediate
or future, which would not be further subdivided.
An entity, either private or public, formed for the purpose
of managing water and/or wastewater facilities. Types of management
agencies include municipal authorities, municipal governing bodies,
private corporations, private engineering or technical service firms,
etc.
A city, incorporated town, township or borough.
Limiting the expansion of centralized wastewater facilities
by encouraging on-lot disposal systems (OLDS) where feasible and economical.
A comprehensive plan for the provision of adequate sewage
systems adopted by a municipality or municipalities possessing authority
over the provision of such systems and submitted to and approved by
the Department as provided by the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act
537,[1] and Chapter 71, Rules and Regulations, promulgated thereunder.
A method of managing on-lot sewage disposal systems (OLDS)
which has as its general goal the installation of sound OLDS and the
assurance that new and existing OLDS are properly operated and maintained.
A system of piping, tanks and/or other components serving
a residence or establishment, usually on a single lot, by collecting,
treating and disposing of sewage in whole or in part into the soil
or into waters of this Commonwealth.
An agreement regulating the operation and maintenance of
an OLDS.
Acronym for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection, which is a cabinet-level agency with broad authorities
granted by legislation to protect Pennsylvania's many environmental
resources. The PADEP is responsible for overseeing the plans, designs,
and construction of wastewater treatment facilities throughout the
state.
Financial security accompanied by a written promise to pay
the Township a sum of money to secure the performance of an installed
sewage system. The purpose of such a performance bond is to guarantee
proper function, operation and maintenance of such a system for a
specified period of time.
Any individual, partnership, company, association, corporation
or other group or entity.
A network of piping within an absorption area such as an
elevated sand mound, through which treated sewage effluent is pumped
to assure equal distribution throughout the absorption area.
Method by which a property owner verifies that his/her on-lot
sewage system has been cleaned to remove septage.
The legal, beneficial, equitable owner or owners of land,
including the holder of an option or contract to purchase (whether
or not such option or contract is subject to any conditions), a lessee
(if he is authorized under the lease to exercise the rights of the
landowner), or any other person having a proprietary interest in land.
A for-profit or nonprofit corporation controlled by a board
of directors which administers bylaws and rules and regulations governing
all lots and/or common area (open space) in a nonresidential development
such as an industrial park.
That part of an OLDS management program which, through an
on-lot system inspection process, seeks to ensure that individual
and community sewage systems are operated and maintained properly.
A structure occupied or intended to be occupied by not more
than two families on a tract of land of 10 acres or more.
Pennsylvania Statute 53 (53 P.S. § 65101 et seq.)
outlining laws relating to townships of the second class. The act,
as amended, became effective July 1, 1947.
A type of subsurface absorption area that is more adaptable
to limited space than are standard trench systems.
The residual scum and sludge pumped from septic systems.
A sewage treatment tank that provides for anaerobic decomposition
of sewage prior to discharging effluent to an absorption area.
A substance that contains the waste products or excrement
or other discharge from the bodies of human beings or animals; a substance
harmful to the public health, to animal or aquatic life, or to the
use of water for domestic water supply or for recreation; or a substance
which constitutes pollution under the Clean Streams Law (35 P.S. §§ 691.1
through 691.1001).
The Bucks County Department of Health official who issues
and reviews permit applications and conducts such investigations and
inspections as are necessary to implement Chapter 71 (Administration
of Sewage Facilities Planning Program) and Chapter 73 (Standards for
Sewage Disposal Facilities).
A type of absorption area consisting of two or more trenches
which are 12 to 36 inches deep, one to six feet wide, a maximum of
100 feet long and adequately spaced apart to allow for the uniform
spreading of effluent over the entire absorption area.
Any of the several types of sewage systems which ultimately
dispose of treated effluent into the surface waters of the Commonwealth.
Such systems require a permit from the PADEP.
The division or redivision of a lot, tract or other parcel
of land into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other divisions
of land, including changes in existing lot lines for the purpose,
whether immediate or future, of lease, transfer of ownership or building
or lot development; provided, however, that the subdivision by lease
of land for agricultural purposes into parcels of more than 10 acres,
not involving any new street or easement of access or residential
dwellings, shall be exempted.
Upper Makefield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
A permanent or intermittent stream, river, brook, creek,
run, channel, swale, pond, lake or other body of water, whether natural
or man-made, for gathering or carrying surface water.
Rivers, streams, creeks, rivulets, impoundments, ditches,
watercourses, storm sewers, lakes, dammed water, ponds, springs and
all other bodies or channels of conveyance of surface and underground
water or any of their parts, whether natural or artificial, within
or on the boundaries of this Commonwealth.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 750.1 et seq.
