[Adopted 2-7-1994 by Ord. No. 219]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
- BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD)
- The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation
of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five days
at 20° C., expressed in milligrams per liter.
- BOROUGH
- The Borough of Stockertown, Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
- BUILDING DRAIN
- That part of the lowest horizontal piping of a drainage system
which receives the discharge from soil, waste, and other drainage
pipes inside the walls of the building and conveys it to the building
sewer, beginning five feet (1.5 meters) outside the inner face of
the building wall.
- BUILDING SEWER
- The extension from the building drain to the public sewer
or other place of disposal, also called "house connection."
- COMBINED SEWER
- A sewer intended to receive both wastewater and stormwater
or surface water.
- EASEMENT
- An acquired legal right for the specific use of land owned
by others.
- EDU
- An equivalent dwelling unit and corresponds to an average
daily wastewater flow of 225 gallons.
- EDU FEE
- The one-time fee charged at the time of connection to the
public sewer.
- FLOATABLE OIL
- Oil, fat, or grease in a physical state such that it will
separate by gravity from wastewater by treatment in an approved pretreatment
facility. Any wastewater shall be considered free of floatable fat
if it is properly pretreated and the wastewater does not interfere
with the collection system.
- GARBAGE
- The animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling,
preparation, cooking, and serving of foods.
- HAULER
- Any person who is engaged in the business of transporting
septage or holding tank waste.
- HOLDING TANK WASTE
- Wastewater removed from temporary storage tanks serving individual
or small groups of homes and businesses. It does not include industrial
waste.
- INDUSTRIAL WASTES
- The wastewater from industrial processes, trade, or business
as distinct from domestic or sanitary wastes.
- MAY
- Is permissive (see "shall").
- MONTHLY BILLING PERIOD
- One calendar month as shall be appropriate under the circumstances.
- NATURAL OUTLET
- Any outlet, including storm sewers and combined sewer overflows,
into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake or other body of surface or
groundwater.
- OFFICIAL SEWER SERVICE AREAS
- Those specific areas delineated in the Borough's Official
Act 537 Sewage Facilities Plan, as amended.
- OWNER
- Any person who is the occupant, tenant or holder of title
to any property served by the public sewer.
- PERSON
- An individual, a partnership, an association, a corporation,
a joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated association, a governmental
body, a political subdivision, a municipality, a municipal authority
or other group entity.
- pH
- The logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydrogen-ion concentration.
The concentration is the weight of hydrogen ions, in grams, per liter
of solution. Neutral water, for example, has a pH value of 7 and a
hydrogen-ion concentration of 10-7.
- PROPERLY SHREDDED GARBAGE
- The wastes from the preparation, cooking, and dispensing
of food that has been shredded to such a degree that all particles
will be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing
in public sewers, with no particle greater than 1/2 inch (1.27 centimeters)
in any dimension.
- PUBLIC SEWER
- A common sewer contained within sewer service area as defined
in the Borough's Official Act 537 Sewage Facilities Plan.
- QUARTER ANNUM PERIOD
- Each calendar quarter of each calendar year as shall be appropriate
under the circumstances.
- SANITARY SEWER
- A sewer that carries liquid and water-carried wastes from
residences, commercial buildings, industrial plants, and institutions
together with minor quantities of groundwater, stormwater, and surface
water that are not admitted intentionally.
- SEPTAGE
- Material removed from septic tanks serving individual or
small groups of homes and businesses. It does not include material
from septic tanks, holding tanks or other treatment units serving
industries, which is classified as industrial waste.
- SEWAGE
- The spent water of a community. The preferred term is "wastewater."
- SEWER
- A pipe or conduit that carries wastewater or drainage water.
- SEWER SERVICE FEE
- The annual sewer service charge, which will be billed quarterly.
- SHALL
- Is mandatory (see "may").
- SLUG
- Any discharge of water or wastewater which, in concentration
of any given constituent or in quantity of flow, exceeds for any period
longer than 15 minutes more than five times the average twenty-four-hour
concentration of flows during normal operation and shall adversely
affect the collection system and/or performance of the wastewater
treatment works.
- STORM DRAIN (sometimes termed STORM SEWER)
- A drain or sewer for conveying water, groundwater, subsurface
water, or unpolluted water from any source.
- SUSPENDED SOLIDS
- Total suspended matter that either floats on the surface
of, or is in suspension in, water, wastewater, or other liquids, and
that is removable by laboratory filtering as prescribed in "Standard
Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater" and referred
to as nonfilterable residue.
- TOXIC POLLUTANTS
- Any pollutant or combination of pollutants listed as toxic
in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations under the provisions
of the Clean Water Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-217).
- UNPOLLUTED WATER
- Water of quality equal to or better than the effluent criteria
in effect, or water that would not violate the quality standards of
the receiving water and would not be benefited by discharge to the
sanitary sewers and wastewater treatment facilities provided.
- WASTEWATER
- The spent water of a community. From the standpoint of source,
it may be a combination of the liquid and water-carried wastes from
residences, commercial buildings, industrial plants, and institutions,
together with any groundwater, surface water, and stormwater that
may be present.
- WASTEWATER FACILITIES
- The structures, equipment, and processors required to collect,
carry away, and treat domestic wastewater, septage and holding tank
waste, and industrial wastes, and to dispose of the effluent, including
the spray irrigation facilities.
- WASTEWATER TREATMENT WORKS
- An arrangement of devices and structures for treating wastewater,
septage, holding tank waste, industrial wastes, and sludge. Sometimes
it is synonymous with "waste treatment plant" or "wastewater treatment
plant" or "water pollution control plant."
- WATERCOURSE
- A natural or artificial channel for the passage of water
either continuously or intermittently.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, deposit, or permit
to be deposited any human or animal excrement, garbage, or objectionable
waste in any unsanitary manner on public or private property within
the Borough of Stockertown or in any area under the jurisdiction of
said Borough.
B.
It shall be unlawful to discharge to any natural outlet within the
Borough of Stockertown, or in any area under the jurisdiction of said
Borough, any wastewater or other polluted waters, except where suitable
treatment has been provided in accordance with subsequent provisions
of this article.
C.
Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct
or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other
facility intended or used for the disposal of wastewater.
D.
The owner(s) of all houses, buildings, or properties used for human
occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes, situated within
the Borough and abutting any street, alley, or right-of-way within
an official sewer service area in which there is now located or may
in the future be located a public sanitary sewer of the Borough or
situated upon a parcel of land located within 150 feet from the sewer
system, is hereby required at the owner's expense to install suitable
toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly
with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of
Borough ordinances, within 90 days after date of official notice to
do so.
[Amended 9-6-1995 by Ord. No. 225]
E.
It shall be unlawful for any construction within the floodplain as
defined by the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) to connect
to the public sewer system.
F.
It shall be unlawful for any new construction within an area designated
as a wetland to connect onto the public sewer system.
G.
It shall be unlawful for any new connections in excess of 200 feet
from the proposed sewer line or existing development to connect onto
the sewer system.
A.
Where a public sanitary sewer is not available under the provisions
of § 191-11D, the building sewer shall be connected to a
private wastewater disposal system complying with the provisions of
the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
B.
At such time as a public sewer becomes available to a property within
an official sewer service area, a direct connection shall be made
to the public sewer within 90 days after notice to do so in compliance
with this article, and any septic tanks, cesspools, and similar private
wastewater disposal facilities shall be cleaned of sludge and filled
with suitable material.
C.
All costs and expenses incidental to the installation and connection
of the building sewer shall be borne by the owner(s). The owner(s)
shall indemnify the Borough from any loss or damage that may directly
or indirectly be occasioned by the installation of the building sewer.
D.
A separate and independent building sewer shall be provided for every
building, except where the Borough may otherwise allow.
E.
Old building sewers may be used in connection with new buildings
only when they are found, on examination and test by the Borough,
to meet all requirements of this article.
F.
The size, slope, alignment, materials of construction of a building
sewer, and the methods to be used in excavating, placing the pipe,
jointing, testing, and backfilling the trench, shall all conform to
the requirements of the building and plumbing code or other applicable
rules and regulations of the Borough.
G.
Whenever possible, the building sewer shall be brought to the building
at an elevation below the basement floor. In all buildings in which
any building drain is too low to permit gravity flow to the public
sewer, sanitary sewage carried by such building drain shall be lifted
by an approved means and discharged to the building sewer.
H.
No person(s) shall connect roof downspouts, foundation drains, areaway
drains, or other sources of surface runoff or groundwater to a building
sewer or building drain which, in turn, is connected directly or indirectly
to a public sanitary sewer, unless such connection is approved by
the Borough for purposes of disposal of polluted surface drainage.
I.
The connection of the building sewer into the public sewer shall
conform to the requirements of the building and plumbing code or other
applicable rules and regulations of the Borough. All such connections
shall be made gastight and watertight and verified by proper testing.
Any deviation from the prescribed procedures and materials must be
approved by the Borough before installation.
J.
The applicant for the building sewer permit shall notify the Borough
when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection to
the public sewer. The connection and testing shall be made under the
supervision of the Borough.
K.
All excavations for building sewer installation shall be adequately
guarded with barricades and lights so as to protect the public from
hazard. Streets, sidewalks, parkways, and other public property disturbed
in the course of the work shall be restored in a manner satisfactory
to the Borough.
A.
No person(s) shall discharge or cause to be discharged any unpolluted
water, such as stormwater, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage,
or cooling water, to any sewer, except stormwater runoff from limited
areas. Stormwater may be polluted at times; it may be discharged to
the sanitary sewer only by permission of the Borough.
B.
Stormwater, other than that exempted under § 191-13A, and
all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to such sewers as
are specifically designated as storm sewers or to a natural outlet
approved by the Borough and other regulatory agencies. Unpolluted
industrial cooling water or process waters may be discharged, on approval
of the Borough, to a storm sewer or to a natural outlet.
C.
No person(s) shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the
following waters or wastes to any public sewers:
(1)
Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil, or other flammable or explosive
liquid, solid, or gas.
(2)
Any waters containing toxic or poisonous solids, liquids, or gases
in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other
wastes, to injure or interfere with any waste treatment process, constitute
a hazard to humans or animals, create a public nuisance, or create
any hazard in the receiving waters or spray irrigation facilities
of the wastewater facilities or treatment plant.
(3)
Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.5, or having any other
corrosive properties capable of causing damage or hazard to structures,
equipment, and personnel of the wastewater facilities.
(4)
Solid or viscous substances in quantities or of sizes capable of
causing obstruction to the flow in sewers, or other interference with
the proper operation of the wastewater facilities. Such substances
shall be, but shall not be limited to, ashes, bones, cinders, sand,
mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics,
wood, unground garbage, whole block, paunch manure, hair and fleshings,
entrails, and paper dishes, cups, milk containers, etc., either whole
or ground by garbage grinders.
D.
The following described substances, materials, waters, or wastes
shall be limited in discharges into municipal systems to concentrations
or quantities which will not harm either the sewers, wastewater treatment
process or equipment, which will not have an adverse effect on the
receiving stream or spray irrigation system, or which will not otherwise
endanger life, limb, and public property, or constitute a nuisance.
The Borough may set limitations lower than the limitations established
in the regulations below if in its opinion more severe limitations
are necessary to meet the above objectives. In forming its opinion
as to the acceptability, the Borough will give consideration to such
factors as the quantity of the subject waste in relation to flows
and velocities in the sewers, materials of construction of the sewers,
the wastewater treatment process employed, capacity of the wastewater
treatment plant and spray irrigation system, degree of treatability
of the waste in the wastewater treatment plant, and other pertinent
factors. The limitations or restrictions on materials or characteristics
of waste or wastewater discharged to the sanitary sewer which shall
not be violated without approval of the Borough are as follows:
(1)
Wastewater having a temperature higher than 150° F.
(2)
Wastewater containing more than 25 milligrams per liter of petroleum
oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oils, or produce of mineral oil origin.
(3)
Wastewater from industrial plants containing floatable oils, fat
or grease.
(4)
Any garbage that has not been properly shredded.
(5)
Any waters or wastes containing odor-producing substances exceeding
limits which may be established by the Borough.
(6)
Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration
as may exceed limits established by the Borough in compliance with
applicable state or federal regulations.
(7)
Quantities of flow, concentrations, or both which constitute a "slug"
as defined in § 191-10.
(8)
Waters or wastes containing substances which are not amenable to
treatment or reduction by the wastewater treatment processes employed,
or are amenable to treatment only to such degree that the wastewater
treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies
having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters or to the
spray irrigation system.
(9)
Any water or wastes which, by interaction with other water or wastes
in the public sewer system, release obnoxious gases, form suspended
solids which interfere with the collection system, or create a condition
deleterious to structures and treatment processes.
(10)
In addition, the following concentrations of chemical substances
shall not be exceeded in the sewage originating from any user of the
sewer system:
|
Arsenic |
(As) |
0.5 ppm |
|
Cadmium |
(Cd) |
0.5 ppm |
|
Cyanides |
(Cn) |
0.5 ppm |
|
Iron |
(Fe) |
5 ppm |
|
Trivalent chromium |
(Cr) |
3 ppm |
|
Hexavalent chromium |
(Cr) |
0.2 ppm |
|
Nickel |
(Ni) |
2 ppm |
|
Copper |
(Cu) |
1 ppm |
|
Zinc |
(Zn) |
2 ppm |
|
Lead |
(Pb) |
0.5 ppm |
|
Mercury (or compounds) |
(Hg) |
0.5 ppm |
E.
Alternatives for hazardous discharges.
(1)
If any water or wastes which contain the substances or possess the
characteristics enumerated in Subsection D of this section and which,
in the judgment of the Borough, may have a deleterious effect upon
the wastewater facilities, processes, equipment, receiving waters
or spray irrigation system, or which otherwise create a hazard to
life or constitute a public nuisance, are discharged or are proposed
to be discharged into the public sewers, the Borough may:
(a)
Reject the wastes and otherwise prevent recurrence of the waste
discharge;
(b)
Require pretreatment to an acceptable condition for discharge
to the public sewers;
(c)
Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge;
and/or
(d)
Require payment to cover added cost of handling and treating
the wastes.
(2)
When considering the above alternatives, the Borough shall give consideration
to the economic impact of each alternative on the discharger. If the
Borough permits the pretreatment or equalization of waste flow, the
design and installation of the plants and equipment shall be subject
to the review and approval of the Borough.
F.
Grease, oil, and sand interceptors shall be provided when, in the
opinion of the Borough, they are necessary for the proper handling
of liquid wastes containing floatable grease in excessive amounts,
as specified in Subsection D(3), or any flammable wastes, sand, or
other harmful ingredients; except that such interceptors shall not
be required for private living quarters or dwelling units. All interceptors
shall be of a type and capacity approved by the Borough and shall
be located where they are readily and easily accessible for cleaning
and inspection. In maintaining these interceptors the owner(s) shall
be responsible for the proper removal and disposal of the captured
material and shall maintain records of the dates and means of disposal
which are subject to review by the Borough. Any removal and hauling
of the collected materials must be performed by currently licensed
waste disposal firms.
G.
Where pretreatment or flow-equalizing facilities are provided or
required for any waters or wastes, they shall be maintained continuously
in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner(s) at his expense.
H.
When required by the Borough, the owner of any property serviced
by a building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable
structure together with such necessary meters and other appurtenances
in the building sewer to facilitate observation, sampling, and measurement
of the wastes. Such a structure, when required, shall be accessible,
safely located, and constructed in accordance with plans approved
by the Borough. The structure shall be installed at the expense of
the owner and shall be maintained by the owner so as to be safe and
accessible at all times.
I.
The Borough may require a user of sewer services to provide information
needed to determine compliance with this article. These requirements
may include:
(1)
Peak wastewater discharge rate and volume over a specified time period.
(2)
Chemical analyses of wastewaters.
(3)
Information on raw materials, processes, and produce affecting wastewater
volume and quality.
(4)
Quantity and disposition of specific liquid, sludge, oil, solvent,
or other materials important to sewer use control.
(5)
A plot plan of sewers on the user's property showing sewer and
pretreatment facility location.
(6)
Details of wastewater pretreatment facilities.
(7)
Details of systems to prevent and control the losses of materials
through spills to the municipal sewer.
J.
All measurements, tests, and analyses of the characteristics of waters
and wastes to which reference is made in this article shall be determined
in accordance with the latest edition, of "Standard Methods for Examination
of Water and Wastewater," published by the American Public Health
Association. Sampling methods, location, times, durations, and frequencies
are to be determined on an individual basis subject to approval of
the Borough.
K.
No statement contained in this article shall be construed as preventing
any special agreement or arrangement between the Borough and any industrial
concern whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character
may be accepted by the Borough for treatment.
No person(s) shall maliciously, willfully, or negligently break,
damage, destroy, uncover, deface, or tamper with any structure, appurtenance
or equipment which is a part of the wastewater facilities. Any person(s)
violating this section shall be subject to immediate arrest under
charge of disorderly conduct.
A.
The Borough inspectors and other duly authorized employees of the
Borough, bearing proper credentials and identification, shall be permitted
to enter all properties for the purposes of inspection, observation,
measurement, sampling, and testing pertinent to discharge to the community
system in accordance with the provisions of this article.
B.
The Borough inspectors and other duly authorized employees are authorized
to obtain information concerning industrial processes which have a
direct bearing on the kind and source of discharge to the wastewater
collection system. An industry may withhold information considered
confidential, however, it must establish that the revelation to the
public of such information might result in an advantage to competitors.
C.
While performing the necessary work on private properties referred
to in § 191-5A above, the Borough inspectors and other duly
authorized employees of the Borough shall observe all safety rules
established by the owner and applicable to the premises; and the owner
shall be held harmless for injury or death to the Borough employees;
and the Borough shall indemnify the owner against loss or damage to
the owner's property by Borough employees and against liability
claims and demands for personal injury or property damage asserted
against the owner and growing out of the gauging and sampling operation,
except as such may be caused by negligence or failure of the owner
to maintain safe conditions as required in § 191-13H.
D.
The Borough inspectors and other duly authorized employees of the
Borough bearing proper credentials and identification shall be permitted
to enter all private properties through which the Borough holds a
duly negotiated easement for the purposes of, but not limited to,
inspection, observation, measurement, sampling, repair, and maintenance
of any portion of the wastewater facilities lying within said easement.
All entry and subsequent work, if any, on said easement, shall be
done in full accordance with the terms of the duly negotiated easement
pertaining to the private property involved.
A.
The Borough is authorized to require the payment of an EDU charge
as a condition precedent to connecting to the public sewer. All EDU
fees, penalties, sewer service fees and charges collected shall be
used for the operation, maintenance, replacement and/or debt service
of the wastewater facilities.
B.
The annual sewer service charge shall be assessed to each service
unit or house connection; the amount of said charge to be in accordance
with the Borough's resolution on sewer rules and regulations;
said charge to be due and payable quarterly.
C.
Residential units shall pay an annual sewer service fee based on
the actual number of dwelling units on the property. All nonresidential
or mixed uses (a mixture of residential and commercial or industrial
uses on the same property) shall be required to install meters on
their water supply line. For these properties, the annual sewer service
fee will be based on the actual water usage as provided for in the
Borough's sewer user regulations.
D.
The Borough reserves the right to establish said rates and charges
by its resolution on sewer rules and regulations and to increase or
decrease said rates and charges from time to time by further regulation
and to establish different classifications as to rates.
E.
All rates and/or charges referred to in this article shall constitute
a lien on the real estate served and shall be collectible in the same
manner as Borough taxes or by suit at law.
F.
Bills will be rendered quarterly and are payable 30 days after date.
All bills unpaid for 30 days shall be subject to a penalty of 5% of
the total bill.
G.
All sewage service may be discontinued for any premises for which
the sewage bill remains unpaid for a period of 60 days after the bill
is rendered. If any expenses are incurred by the Borough through the
discontinuance of sewage service, service shall not be reinstated
until the costs of discontinuance have been paid.
H.
When sewer service has been discontinued from any premises for any
reason, or for any violation of the Borough's rules, a charge
will be made for restoring service in the amount of the actual cost
of reconnecting sewage service except, however, that the minimum charge
shall be $100.
A.
Any person found to be violating any provision of this article except
§ 191-15 shall be served by the Borough with written notice
stating the nature of the violation and providing a reasonable time
limit for the satisfactory correction thereof. The offender shall,
within the period of time stated in such notice, permanently cease
all violations.
B.
Any person who shall continue any violation beyond the time limit
provided for in § 191-17A shall be guilty of a misdemeanor,
and on conviction thereof shall be fined in the amount not exceeding
$1,000/day for each violation. Each day in which any such violation
shall continue shall be deemed a separate offense.
C.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall
become liable to the Borough for any expense, loss, or damage occasioned
the Borough by reason of such violation.
D.
Proper officers of this Borough are authorized and directed to do
all things and take all legal action necessary, including the filing
of municipal claims, shutting off water service, or any other action,
in accordance with law, to enforce collection of sewer rates and charges
established and imposed hereby and otherwise to carry out provisions
hereof.
A.
From time to time, in accordance with law, and by appropriate ordinance
or resolution, the Borough of Stockertown may adopt such additional
rules and regulations as it may deem desirable, beneficial or necessary
for the use and operation of the sewer system and wastewater treatment
works in the collection and treatment of sewage, septage, and holding
tank waste from the Borough's consumers.
B.
Any such rules and regulations shall be construed in conjunction
with provisions hereof and shall become effective upon the date fixed
by this Borough upon adoption thereof.
C.
Any changes, modifications or amendments to this article shall be
in accordance with requirements of a Second Class Borough, including
but not limited to necessary public notices.
This article shall become effective in accordance with provisions
of applicable Pennsylvania laws; provided, however, that as provided
in this article, the provisions hereof shall be applicable with respect
to the sewer system on and after January 1, 1994, and shall become
applicable.
It is declared that enactment of this article is necessary for
the protection, benefit and preservation of the health, safety and
welfare of inhabitants of this Borough.
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