[Adopted 12-11-2017 by Ord. No. 17-08]
A. 
As used in this article, the following words shall have the meaning indicated, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
CESSPOOL
An underground container designed and intended for the temporary storage of wastewater and water-carried wastes.
GRINDER PUMP SYSTEM
A system of pipes, pumps and other facilities designed and intended to assist in the collection and conveyance of wastewater and water-carried wastes from the interior of a structure to the sanitary sewer system serving the property. A grinder pump system shall be designed so as to collect and convey wastewater and water-carried wastes from and through the interior plumbing of a structure to a holding tank that is part of the grinder pump system. Once the wastewater and water-carried waste within the holding tank reaches a specified level, a pump will activate that grinds any and all waste into fine slurry, and then pumps the wastewater and water-carried wastes to the sanitary sewer system serving the property.
NOTICE
Any written notice provided for or required under this article may be made and/or delivered either by personal service made at the subject property, or by registered mail, return receipt requested, sent to the last known address of the property owner.
SANITARY SEWER
A system of pipes and other collection and conveyance facilities designed and intended to transport or convey wastewater and water-carried wastes, including but not limited to human water-carried wastes, from both residential and nonresidential structures to sanitary sewage treatment and disposal facilities.
SANITARY SEWER LATERAL
A pipe or pipes designed and intended to transport or convey wastewater and water-carried wastes (excluding surface drainage water) from the interior of a structure and connecting into the sanitary sewer system serving the property.
SEPTIC TANK
See cesspool.
STORM SEWER
A system of pipes and other collection and conveyance facilities designed and intended to transport or convey only surface drainage waters to stormwater collection and management facilities and/or to drainage channels, tributaries, creeks, streams, lakes, and/or ponds.
SURFACE DRAINAGE WATERS
Diffuse waters originating from rain, sleet, melting snow or other similar natural sources, which runs off or from public and/or private property and public and/or private streets and into storm sewers, drainage channels, tributaries, creeks, streams, lakes, and/or ponds.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Middletown, its officers, directors, employees, designees, agents and assigns.
A. 
Every owner of improved property within the Township that abuts or adjoins any street, road, lane, alley, paper street, or any other public highway or right-of-way in which sanitary sewer collection and/or conveyance facilities are located, or that is otherwise accessible to such a sanitary sewer system, upon written notice of the availability of sanitary sewer collection and/or conveyance services and facilities from the Township and/or from the applicable municipal authority or other operator of the subject sanitary sewer system and/or facilities for the subject property, shall connect such property to the subject sanitary sewer collection and/or conveyance facilities and/or system in accordance with the rules and regulations of the applicable municipal authority or operator of such sanitary sewer system and/or facilities.
B. 
As sanitary sewer collection and/or conveyance services and facilities shall, from time to time, become available to improved properties within the Township limits for which such sanitary sewer systems or facilities are previously unavailable, or as unimproved properties already accessible to such a sanitary sewer systems become improved, then each and every owner of such properties, upon written notice of the availability of sanitary sewer collection and/or conveyance services and facilities from the Township and/or from the applicable municipal authority or other operator of the subject sanitary sewer system and/or facilities for the subject property, shall likewise connect such property to the subject sanitary sewer collection and/or conveyance facilities and/or system in accordance with the rules and regulations of the applicable municipal authority or operator of such sanitary sewer system and/or facilities.
C. 
Whenever the Township and/or applicable municipal authority or other operator of a sanitary sewer system located and operating within the Township shall have given such written notice as is set forth in this section to the owners of properties located within the Township, it shall thereafter be unlawful for the owner of that subject property to operate, employ, utilize, use or maintain upon that subject property a cesspool, septic tank, vault, privy or similar receptacle designed or intended for holding, storing and/or disposing of wastewater, water-carried waste, and/or human waste, and/or to connect and/or discharge any such cesspool, septic tank, vault, privy or similar receptacle into any sanitary sewer system or storm sewer system. No owner of an improved property within the Township shall construct and/or install a cesspool, septic tank, vault, privy or similar receptacle designed or intended for holding, storing and/or disposing of wastewater, water-carried waste, and/or human waste on, in or upon any property that abuts or adjoins any street, road, lane, alley, paper street, or any other public highway or right-of-way in which sanitary sewer collection and/or conveyance facilities are located, or any property that is otherwise accessible to such a sanitary sewer system.
No property owner shall contribute or discharge, or cause to be contributed or discharged, directly or indirectly, any pollutant, wastewater or water-carried waste that will interfere with the operation or performance of any sanitary sewer system. Any and all contributions and/or discharges into any sanitary sewer system shall comply, in all respects, with the current specifications, rules, and regulations of the Township and/or of the applicable municipal authority or operator of such sanitary sewer system and/or facilities for the same as may be in effect from time to time.
A. 
In any and all structures in which grease-laden waste is generated, including but not limited to structures containing restaurants, hotel kitchens, bars, factory cafeterias, school cafeterias, or other similar food preparation and/or grease-laden waste generating areas of the same, a grease interceptor shall be required to receive any and all drainage, wastewater and water-carried waste from any and all such areas of such structures. Food waste grinders shall not discharge to a building drainage system through a grease interceptor.
B. 
Grease interceptors shall be installed and maintained in an accessible location, and shall remain accessible and unobstructed at all times.
C. 
Grease interceptors shall be cleaned not less than two times per week, or at such frequency as may be determined necessary in the discretion of the Township and/or of the applicable municipal authority or operator of the sanitary sewer system and/or facilities serving the subject property. Property owners shall maintain an ongoing written log or record of all grease interceptor cleanings for a period of not less than 24 months.
D. 
Grease interceptors shall be subject to inspection at the discretion of the Township and/or of the applicable municipal authority or operator of the sanitary sewer system and/or facilities serving the subject property to insure compliance with this section. The Township may from time to time establish, by resolution, an annual fee associated with the inspection of grease interceptors.
E. 
For all properties and/or structures identified in this section, grease interceptors shall be required for all new or existing connections to the sanitary sewer system, which such connections shall also be in conformance with the International Building Plumbing Code, as adopted by the Township, without exception.
A. 
A property owner is solely responsible, in all respects, for the proper installation, operation, maintenance, repair and replacement of any and every sanitary sewer lateral located on a property.
B. 
No property owner may permit the discharge of stormwater into the sanitary sewer system, and all property owners shall maintain the sanitary sewer laterals connected to their buildings and structures in such fashion as to prevent the infiltration of stormwater into the sewer system.
C. 
All private building sewer laterals shall be fitted with vent caps which are manufactured to fit the type and size of vent pipe affixed to the lateral, and which shall provide a tight seal against the inflow of stormwater under high precipitation conditions. Vent caps must be set a minimum of four inches above grade, but not less than a height sufficient to preclude the flow of stormwater into the vent.
D. 
Cleanout caps on sanitary sewer laterals shall be appropriately fitted and secured to provide a tight seal against inflow of stormwater under high precipitation conditions.
E. 
All lateral joints shall be tight and all pipes shall be sound to prevent exfiltration by wastewater or infiltration by groundwater or stormwater.
F. 
A sanitary sewer lateral pipe shall be free of any structural defects, cracks, breaks, rodent holes, or missing portions thereof, and the grade or pitch of such lateral shall be uniform without sags or offsets.
G. 
Area drains, foundation drains, roof leaders, sump pumps or other direct connections into a sanitary sewer lateral that allow stormwater or groundwater to enter into that sanitary sewer lateral are prohibited.
H. 
Sanitary sewer laterals may flow by either gravity or by pressurized systems, such as a grinder pump system.
I. 
Sanitary sewer laterals and grinder pump systems shall be subject to inspection at the discretion of the Township and/or of the applicable municipal authority or operator of the sanitary sewer system and/or facilities serving the subject property to insure compliance with this section. Further, the Township may inspect or require proof of inspection of any building sewer lateral connection, in order to insure the integrity of the connection and compliance with this section, prior to the issuance of any use and occupancy permit for any property and/or any structure located thereupon. The Township may from time to time establish, by resolution, an annual fee associated with the inspection of sanitary sewer lateral connections.
Any person, organization, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this article shall, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a Magisterial District Judge in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $600, plus costs, and in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day or part of each day during which a violation occurs or continues. Each day that a violation of this article continues or each section of this article which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense. The sum herein forfeited shall be considered a penalty.