The use of septic tanks, cesspools, wells and
other like means of sewage disposal in the Township of Marple where
Township sewers have been completed and are ready for the public use
are hereby declared to be a menace to the public health; said menace
to be removed by abandoning the use of such septic tanks, cesspools,
wells and other like means of sewage disposal, and connecting the
entire sewage drainage system of every house or building separately
and independently with the Township sewer, where such sewer exists,
as hereinafter provided.
Whenever any sewer constituting a branch of
the Township sewerage system has been completed and is ready for the
public use, it shall be the duty of the Township Secretary to cause
a printed or written notice of the completion of such sewer, together
with a copy of this article, to be served either by personal service
or by registered mail upon the owner of each property adjoining or
adjacent to said sewer; such notice to state that it is the duty of
such owners to cause the buildings erected on their premises and requiring
sewage drainage and situated within 150 feet of such sewer to be connected
therewith at their own expense.
[Amended 6-12-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-10]
It shall be the duty of every owner of property
adjoining or adjacent to any such sewer, within 60 days of the service
of such notice as aforesaid, or in the case of the erection of a new
building on any such premises after the sewer has been made ready
for the public use, then within 60 days from the completion of such
new building, to cause each old or new building thereon erected and
requiring sewage drainage and located within 150 feet of such sewer,
to be separately and independently connected therewith unless special
permission to the contrary shall have been granted by the Board of
Commissioners of the Township, provided that all connections shall
be made in accordance with all acceptable codes and ordinances.
[Amended 6-12-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-10]
Upon the failure of any owner of property adjoining
or adjacent to the Township sewer, who has been duly notified as hereinbefore
provided to cause any building or buildings erected on such property
to be connected with the Township sewer, to comply with the provisions
of this article, the Secretary shall report such failure to the Board
of Township Commissioners, and if the Board shall then so direct,
the Secretary shall cause such owner's property to be entered upon
and the necessary connections made, and upon completion of the work
for the same, shall render a bill covering the cost of said work to
the owner of such property. All such bills shall be payable within
30 days of the date thereof. It shall be the duty of the Township
Secretary upon the expiration of 30 days after said bills have been
rendered to the owners of such property, to refer all bills remaining
unpaid to the Township Solicitor, who shall thereupon take the necessary
action to effect the collection of such unpaid bills, including the
filing of municipal liens, as provided by law. In addition to the
foregoing remedy, any person, firm or corporation violating this article
or any part thereof shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable
by a fine of not more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution, and
in default of payment of such fine and costs by imprisonment for not
more than 30 days.