[Adopted 12-15-2004 by Ord. No. 202]
The purpose of this article is to establish
procedures for the installation, use and maintenance of sewage grinder
pumps and any associated force mains or low-pressure laterals. It
is hereby declared that the enactment of this article is necessary
for the protection, benefit and preservation of the health, safety
and welfare of the inhabitants of Worcester Township.
Unless the context specifically and clearly
indicates otherwise, the meanings of terms used in this article shall
be as follows:
Worcester Township's Official Plan as defined in the Pennsylvania
Sewage Facilities Act, Act of January 24, 1966, P.L. 1535 (1965),
No. 537, as amended, 35 P.S. §§ 750.1-750.20a ("Sewage
Facilities Act" or "Act 537").
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Any electric-motor-driven, submersible, centrifugal pump
capable of macerating all material found in normal domestic sanitary
sewage, including reasonable amounts of objects such as plastics,
sanitary napkins, disposable diapers, rubber and the like, to a fine
slurry, and pumping this material through a small diameter discharge.
Any property within Worcester 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
sewage shall or may be discharged.
A change in Worcester Township's Act 537 Plan to provide
for additional or newly identified future or existing sewage facilities
needs, as defined fully in Section I of the Sewage Facilities Act,
35 P.S. § 750.1.
Any person vested with ownership, legal or equitable, sole
or partial, of any property located in Worcester Township.
Any substance that contains any of the waste products or
excrement or other discharge from the bodies of human beings or animals
and any noxious or deleterious substance being harmful or inimical
to the public health, or to animal or aquatic life or to the use of
water for domestic water supply or for recreation or any substance
which constitutes pollution under the Clean Stream Law, 35 P.S. §§ 691.1
through 691.1001, as amended.
Worcester Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
The connection of existing properties or proposed
new land development to an existing or proposed sewerage system through
the use of sewage grinder pumps, their associated force mains, or
low-pressure laterals shall occur only after an official plan revision
to the Township's Act 537 Plan, approved by both the Township and
Department, designates that the proposed properties be served by such
a connection.
A.
The Township is hereby authorized and empowered to
adopt such rules and regulations concerning sewage which it may deem
necessary from time to time to affect the purposes herein.
B.
The Township is hereby authorized and empowered to
take such other actions as are necessary, including but not limited
to entering into agreements with property owners that assure proper
operation and maintenance of sewage facilities within the Township's
borders, including but not limited to sewage grinder pumps and any
associated force mains or low-pressure laterals.
A.
The Township shall exercise its powers and legal authority
set forth herein, and under all applicable statutes, ordinances, and
other laws to affect the purposes of this article.
B.
The Township may enter into an agreement with each
property owner proposing to install or who has installed a sewage
grinder pump or low-pressure sewage system to assure the short- and
long-term operation and maintenance, use, service, repair or replacement
of such systems.
C.
All grinder pumps and low-pressure sewer systems (and
the installation, use, operation, maintenance, service, repair and
replacement thereof) shall comply with the rules and regulations of
the Township in effect from time to time.
D.
All grinder pumps and low-pressure sewer systems shall
be connected to the sewage collection and conveyance system in full
compliance with the rules and regulations of the Township in effect
from time to time.
E.
The Township shall establish minimum standards for
the type of grinder pumps to be utilized within the Township. The
standards shall include specific models and manufacturers in order
to maintain a consistency of equipment so that maintenance and replacement
parts will be easily obtainable.
F.
The Township shall bear no responsibility for the
purchase, installation, use, operation, maintenance, service, repair,
or replacement of the grinder pump and/or its low-pressure force main
or lateral, except as otherwise set forth herein.
A.
Each property owner served by a grinder pump shall
bear full responsibility for providing, installing, using, operating,
maintaining, servicing, repairing and replacing his/her grinder pump
and/or its low-pressure force main or lateral, unless otherwise set
forth herein.
B.
Each property owner served by a grinder pump shall
have full responsibility for using the pump consistent with the manufacturer's
instructions and shall avoid introducing into the sewerage system
materials that may damage the impellers on the pump, including but
not limited to items designated as biodegradable in septic tanks.
C.
Each property owner sewed by a grinder pump shall
cease operations during any period when the grinder pump and/or low-pressure
system serving a property is inoperable for more than 24 hours. Ceasing
operations shall mean stopping all internal activities which would
generate water flows to the grinder pump, including any activities
which would utilize water. This includes, but is not limited to, showering,
washing of clothes, and flushing toilets.
D.
Where the low-pressure force main or lateral is shared
between property owners, they shall submit to the Township a declaration
of easements, covenants and restrictions in recordable form setting
forth the agreement of each benefited property owner with respect
to the installation, use, operation, maintenance, service, repair
and replacement of the low-pressure sewer system, which agreement
shall bind all future property owners. Following the approval of the
low-pressure system by all applicable agencies, the Township will
not issue a permit for its installation until evidence is presented
that the agreement has been recorded in the Recorder of Deeds' office
of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
In addition to any other remedies provided in this article, any violation of §§ 122-59 and 122-60 of this article shall constitute a nuisance and shall be abated by the Township by either seeking mitigation of the nuisance or appropriate equitable or legal relief from a court of competent jurisdiction.
