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Borough of Norristown, PA
Montgomery County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (9) Index
[Adopted 1-3-1989 as Ord. No. 89-1]
[Amended 8-4-1992 by Ord. No. 92-18]
The legislative intent of this article is to raise sewer connection fees for all new connections for commercial, industrial and residential properties and for residential property conversions to a realistic cost amount consistent with the past capital and future capital expenditures for the construction and improvement of the Norristown wastewater treatment plant and the sewage transportation system.
[Amended 8-4-1992 by Ord. No. 92-18]
A tapping fee is hereby imposed on each equivalent dwelling unit (EDU), as such term is defined herein, which connects to the sewer system. An EDU shall generally be equal to a water usage of three hundred fifty (350) gallons per day. The tapping fee shall be comprised of a collection component and a capacity component in accordance with Pennsylvania Act 209 of 1990[1] and shall be equal to two thousand five hundred twenty-seven dollars ($2,527.) for each EDU. The tapping fee of two thousand five hundred twenty-seven dollars ($2,527.) per EDU shall consist of a capacity part of one thousand two hundred ninety dollars ($1,290.) per EDU and a collection part of one thousand two hundred thirty-seven dollars ($1,237.) per EDU. All EDU's calculated for this article  shall be rounded to the next higher number.
A. 
Residential uses.
(1) 
Single-family dwellings. Single-family dwellings shall have a sewer tapping fee of one (1) EDU.
(2) 
Multiple-family dwellings. Duplexes, apartment buildings, garden apartments and other multiple-dwelling properties shall require sewer tapping fees of one (1) EDU per dwelling unit.
(3) 
Conversions. There is an additional fee for properties already connected to the sewer system where there are alterations, renovations, changes of use and/or expansion of an existing structure or property.
(a) 
Any single-family dwelling which is converted to two (2) or more dwelling units shall require a sewer tapping fee of one (1) EDU for each additional dwelling unit.
(b) 
Any duplex, apartment building, garden apartment or other multiple-dwelling property which is expanded and/or enlarged to provide for additional dwelling units shall require a sewer tapping fee of one (1) EDU for each additional dwelling unit.
B. 
Commercial and industrial uses. Sewer tapping fees for commercial and industrial uses shall be calculated as follows:
(1) 
Space calculation:
Use
Area of Unit
(square feet)
Number of EDU's
Warehouse
20,000
1.00
Light industrial
(sanitary waste only)
5,000
1.00
Retail store
5,000
1.00
Commercial and/or office
5,000
1.00
Motel/hotel room
1 unit
0.25
Auto service station
 1 pumping island
2.00
Nursing home room
1 unit
0.25
Hospital room
1 unit
0.50
(2) 
Volume calculation [one (1) EDU equals three hundred fifty (350) gallons per day]:
Use
Gallons Per Day
Restaurant
15 per seat
Bar/cocktail area (additional)
5 per seat
Hairdresser
50 per chair
Self-service laundry
500 per washer
Movie theater (no food)
3 per seat
Doctor's office
175 per examining room
Dentist's office
175 per chair
Bowling alley
175 per alley
Public/private school
15 per person
Day-care school
15 per person
Funeral home
350 per viewing room
(3) 
(Reserved)[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection B(3), Maximum sewer connection fees, was repealed 8-4-1992 by Ord. No. 92-18.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10501-A.
A. 
It shall be unlawful to construct, enlarge, alter or change the occupancy of a building or structure without first filing an application with the code official, in writing, and obtaining the required permit pursuant to this article.
B. 
The application for a sewer connection fee permit shall be submitted in such form as the code official prescribes and shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee as set forth in this article.
C. 
The application for a permit shall be accompanied by two (2) copies of plans and specifications, drawn to scale, with sufficient clarity and detailed dimensions to show the nature and character of the proposed structure. In addition, two (2) copies of the site plan showing the size and location of any new construction and all existing structures shall be submitted. The site plan shall indicate the location of any proposed sewage disposal system. All technical data and soil data required by the proposed sewage disposal system shall be submitted with the site plan.
A. 
The code official shall enforce all provisions of this article and other related codes and shall act on any question relative to any application for a permit pursuant to the terms of this article. The code official shall receive applications and issue permits for the sewer connections pursuant to this article and other related ordinances and shall inspect the premises for which such permits have been issued and enforce compliance with the provisions of this article and other related codes.
B. 
The code official shall issue all necessary notices or orders to remove illegal or unsafe conditions, to require the necessary safeguards during construction, to require adequate safety facilities and to ensure compliance with all requirements of the General Laws of Norristown for health, safety and general welfare of the public.
C. 
The code official shall make all the required inspections or the code official shall accept reports of inspection by approved agencies or individuals, and all reports of such inspections shall be in writing and certified by a responsible officer of such approved agency or by the responsible individual. The code official is authorized to engage suchexpert opinion as deemed necessary to report upon unusual technical issues that arise, subject to the approval of the borough administration.
D. 
The "code official," as referred to in this article, shall be the Borough Plumbing Inspector.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to erect, construct, alter, extend, repair, remove, demolish or otherwise change any existing sanitary sewer system without complying with this article and other related articles.
B. 
Any person, firm or corporation violating any provisions of this article shall be cited for a violation of this article and if, after a hearing before any District Justice, found in violation of this article shall be ordered to pay a fine of not more than $600 plus costs of prosecution, and in default of payment of such fine and costs, to undergo imprisonment in the county jail for a term of not more than 30 days. Each day that a violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense.
[Amended 9-1-1992 by Ord. No. 92-19]