[Adopted 4-30-1971 by Ord. No. 1971-5 (Ch. 18, Part 3A, of
the 1990 Code)]
Unless the context specifically and clearly
indicates otherwise, the meanings of terms and phrases used in this
article shall be as follows:
AUTHORITY
Swatara Township Authority, a Pennsylvania municipality authority.
BUILDING SEWER
The extension from the sewage drainage system of any structure
to the lateral of a sewer.
IMPROVED PROPERTY
Any property located within this 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
sanitary sewage and/or industrial wastes shall be or may be discharged.
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
Any solid, liquid or gaseous substance or form of energy
rejected or escaping in the course of any industrial, manufacturing,
trade or business process or in the course of the development, recovery
or processing of natural resources, as distinct from sanitary sewage.
LATERAL
That part of the sewer system extending from a sewer to the
curbline or, if there shall be no curbline, to the property line,
or, if no such lateral shall be provided, then "lateral" shall mean
that portion of, or place in, a sewer which is provided for connection
of any building sewer.
OWNER
Any person vested with ownership, legal or equitable, sole
or partial, of any improved property.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, company, association, society,
corporation or other group or entity.
SANITARY SEWAGE
Normal water-carried household and toilet wastes from any
improved property, including such groundwater, surface water or stormwater
as may be present.
SEWER
Any pipe or conduit constituting a part of the sewer system
used or usable for sewage collection purposes.
SEWER SYSTEM
All facilities, as of any particular time for collecting,
pumping, treating and/or disposing of sanitary sewage and/or industrial
wastes, situate in the Rutherford Heights Sewer District of Swatara
Township, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania, or adjacent to this Township
and owned, maintained and operated by the Authority, or owned by the
Authority and leased to this Township for operation and use.
TOWNSHIP
Swatara Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, a political
subdivision, acting by and through its Board of Commissioners or,
in appropriate cases, by and through its authorized representatives.
[Amended 4-11-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-1]
A. Penalty for violation. Any person who shall violate
this article shall be liable, upon summary conviction for a first
offense and upon summary conviction for each subsequent offense, to
a fine of not less than $15 nor more than $1,000, together with costs
of prosecution in each case; and/or to imprisonment for a term not
to exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation shall continue shall
be deemed and shall be taken to be a separate offense and shall be
punishable as such.
B. Recovery of fine and costs. Fines and costs imposed
under provisions of this article shall be enforceable and recoverable
in the manner at the time provided by applicable law.
Purpose of article. 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 Township.
[Adopted 6-8-1977 by Ord. No. 1977-5 (Ch. 18, Part 3B, of
the 1990 Code)]
[Amended 10-12-1994 by Ord. No. 1994-10]
Unless the context specifically and clearly
indicates otherwise, the meanings of terms and phrases used in this
article containing the rates, rules and regulations for the Rutherford
Heights Sewer District shall be as follows:
APPLICANT
The owner of the property to be connected to the sewer system
or his duly authorized representative.
AUTHORITY
The Swatara Township Authority which has been created by
the Board of Commissioners of Swatara Township.
BUILDING SEWER
The extension from the building drain to the public sewer.
COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT
A structure or a portion thereof intended to be used wholly
or in part for the purpose of carrying on a trade, industry, business
or profession or for social, amusement, religious, educational, charitable
or public use.
EASEMENT
An acquired legal right for the specific use of land owned
by others.
ENGINEER
The individual or engineering firm duly appointed by the
Authority.
MANAGER
That person responsible for the management of the sewer system
appointed by the Authority or Township.
PERSON
Any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company,
association, society or group.
SERVICE LATERAL
That part of the sewer system from the main or manhole to
the curbline or property line when there is no curbline.
SEWER CUSTOMER
A.
As used hereinafter means the persons, whether
owner or tenant, contracting for service to a property as hereinafter
classified:
(1)
A building under one roof and occupied by one
family or commercial establishment.
(2)
A combination of buildings in one common enclosure,
occupied by one family or commercial establishment.
(3)
One side of a double house occupied by one family
or commercial establishment even though plumbing fixtures be used
in common.
(4)
Each apartment unit or dwelling unit in a building
having more than one dwelling unit, including condominium unit.
(5)
Each dwelling unit, apartment, office, commercial
establishment in a building containing more than one such units.
(6)
Each mobile home or trailer occupied by one
family or commercial establishment.
B.
If a bill is sent to a tenant, it is for the
convenience of the owner who shall remain primarily liable for the
bill.
SEWER RENTAL
That quarterly charge for direct or indirect use of the sewer
system of the Authority.
SEWER SYSTEM
The main sewers and appurtenances that are constructed by
and/or under the control of the Authority.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Swatara, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, or
the duly constituted and elected authorities thereof.
WATER COMPANY
That municipal or private water company supplying water service
to the sewer customer.
[Amended 4-11-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-1; 6-13-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-2; 6-12-1991 by Ord. No. 1991-8; 11-13-1991 by Ord. No. 1991-11; 10-12-1994 by Ord. No. 1994-10; 1-16-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-2]
A. No unauthorized person(s) shall uncover, make any
connections with or opening into, use, alter or disturb any public
sewer or appurtenance thereof of the Swatara Township Authority without
first obtaining a written permit from the Authority and paying the
connection fee and tapping fee required at that time. Any permit shall
be null and void five years from the date of issuance. If a permit
has been issued before adoption of this article, then the permit shall
be good for five years from the adoption of this article. No building
sewer can be installed unless construction has been commenced on a
building.
B. The owner(s) or his agent shall make application on
a special form furnished by the Authority and shall pay a connection
fee and tapping fee before the permit is issued. The connection fee,
which shall also cover the cost of inspection, shall be $326 for each
residential unit or equivalent dwelling unit (EDU). The tapping fee
shall be $1,110 for each residential unit or equivalent dwelling unit
(EDU), which shall be computed from a capacity charge of $875, a collection
charge of $235, a special purpose charge of $0, and customer facility
charge, if applicable. For other than a residential unit, an EDU shall
be based on design criteria of 215 gallons per day. Any nonresidential
use shall have an engineer’s certification as to estimated flows
on which to base the tapping fee. The Authority shall have the power
to bill the owner or sewer customer for additional tapping fees based
on flows for the first year of operation if the certification of estimated
flows is lower than actual flows. The connection and tapping fees
listed above have been calculated in accordance with the provisions
of Act 57 of 2003 (53 Pa.C.S.A. § 5607). The calculations
are attached hereto as an appendix entitled "Rutherford Heights Sewer
District Connection and Tapping Fee Calculations."
[Amended 6-8-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-4; 7-12-2006 by Ord. No.
2006-3]
C. All costs and expenses incidental to the installation
and connection of the building sewer shall be borne by the owner(s)
who shall be responsible for installation and connection. If the owner(s)
shall refuse to install and connect the building sewer, the Authority
shall have the right, inter alia, to install and connect the building
sewer and to impose a customer facilities fee for the cost of such
installation against the owner(s). The owner(s) shall indemnify the
Authority from any loss that may directly or indirectly be occasioned
by the installation of the building sewer. All building sewers and
service laterals shall be maintained by and at the sole expense of
the property owner(s).
D. A separate and independent building sewer shall be
provided for every building whether constructed as a detached unit
or as one of a pair or row, but a single building sewer will be permitted
to serve a school, factory, an apartment house or other permanent
multiple-unit structure whose individual units may not be subject
to separate ownership, or will be subject to separate ownership as
a condominium unit. Where one building stands at the rear of another
or on interior lots that may in the future be subdivided and no separate
building sewer can be provided to the rear building, the front building
sewer may be extended to the rear building, provided that an easement
at least 10 feet in width with plan attached showing the common building
sewer line, is recorded in the Recorder of Deeds Office and Dauphin
County, Pennsylvania, listing the property owner of the front parcel
as grantor and the property owner of the rear parcel, even though
it is the same as the owner of the front parcel, as grantee.
E. Only persons, firms or corporations who have demonstrated
by past performance to the satisfaction of the Authority that they
are qualified and capable of performing plumbing work in accordance
with good plumbing practice may install building sewers which connect
to the sewer mains. All such persons must register with the Authority
giving name, key personnel, address and phone number, and a list of
approved firms shall be maintained by the Authority.
F. The size, slope, alignment, materials of construction and the methods to be used in excavating, placing of pipe, jointing and backfilling the trench shall all conform to the requirements of §
231-15 of these rates, rules and regulations.
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 make connections of 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. Any
person, partnership or corporation who shall allow such connections
shall be responsible for damages and the cost of repairs, together
with legal costs.
I. 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 Township.
J. The applicant for the building sewer permit shall
notify the Authority when the building sewer is ready for inspection
and prior to backfill. If a portion of the building sewer is to be
backfilled before completion for the convenience of the applicant
and more than one inspection is required, the Authority or its agent
making the inspections may collect from the applicant reasonable additional
inspection charges. The applicant or plumber must be present for all
inspections and shall have their copy of the permit available at that
time.
K. Employees and agents of the Authority 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 public system in accordance
with the provisions of these rates, rules and regulations.
L. Persons, firms or corporations intending to excavate
for construction, repair or reconstruction of building sewers must
comply with all requirements of Pennsylvania Act 172 of 1986, Pennsylvania
One Call Utility Line Protection Law. This Act requires notification
at least 72 hours (three days) in advance of digging. Telephone: 1-800-242-1776.
[Amended 10-12-1994 by Ord. No. 1994-10]
A. Building sewer pipe and fittings may be any of the
following materials not less than four inches in internal diameter:
(1) Ductile iron soil pipe and fittings, medium weight
01 heavier.
(2) Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) type PSP sewer pipe and fittings,
or type PSM, or type 1, schedule 40.
B. Jointing materials for the various types of pipe shall
be as follows:
(1) Ductile iron - rubber gaskets, or lead and jute properly
caulked.
(2) Polyvinyl chloride - solvent or gasket.
C. The pipe shall be installed at a minimum grade of
1.0% with straight alignment and utilizing proper fittings for required
bends. The pipe shall be bedded with minimum of four inches of crushed
stone. Lines shall be properly backfilled with a minimum of three
feet of cover. Surface cleanouts shall be installed as necessary to
limit the distance from sewer main to cleanout or cleanout to cleanout,
to not more than 70 feet. Cleanouts shall be constructed by using
a "Y" fitting in the run of pipe with a forty-five-degree bend and
riser to the ground surface. The riser pipe must be provided with
a standard screw type cleanout plug. The riser and plug must be the
same pipe size as the lateral. Cleanouts placed in all traffic areas
must be protected by curb boxes. Where connection is made directly
to a manhole, the building sewer must enter the manhole on top of
the pad and a suitable nonshrink grout channel must be provided to
direct the flow to the manhole channel. The opening for the lateral
must be core bored into the manhole and the connection to the manhole
must be made with an approved type adaptor.
D. Street, curb, sidewalk and driveway surfaces must
be protected from damage by excavating equipment at all times by the
use of rubber pads or wood planks. Any damage to the street or curbing
will be the applicant's responsibility to repair.
E. If any voids are created under the street paving,
the excavation shall be extended to the surface to permit proper backfilling
and tamping. The base course and surfacing must be replaced within
24 hours, and it shall be the applicant's responsibility to fill and
repave any subsequent settling of the street surface.
F. All excess materials on the streets and sidewalks
must be removed promptly from the site and the area broomed clean.
G. Wherever, in the opinion of a representative of the
Authority, the trenching conditions require either a specific type
of pipe, jointing material or encasement in concrete, such materials
as they may direct shall be installed to protect the property owner
and/or the Township or Authority.
H. The construction of building sewers and laterals shall,
at all times, be subject to inspection by the Authority, or its representatives.
Any defects must be corrected before backfilling may proceed.
I. Backfilling to a height of one foot above the top
of the pipe must be with crushed stone.
J. Connection to mains where no branch fitting has been
previously provided shall be made with an approved saddle-type fitting
designed for the size and material of the sewer main. The sewer main
and the bell of the saddle must be supported with concrete.
K. Construction and materials shall be in accordance
with Authority specifications.
[Amended 10-12-1994 by Ord. No. 1994-10]
A. No person(s) shall discharge or cause to be discharged
any unpolluted waters such as stormwater, groundwater, roof runoff
subsurface drainage into the public sewers of the Authority.
B. No person(s) shall discharge or cause to be discharged
any of the following described water or wastes to any public sewer:
(1) Any gasoline, benzine, naphtha, fuel oil, or other
flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas.
(2) Any water 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 a hazard in the receiving waters of wastewater treatment
plants.
(3) Having a pH lower than 6.5 or higher than 9.0 or having
any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to
structures, equipment or personnel of the wastewater treatment plants.
(4) Solid or viscous substances in quantities or of such
size capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers or other
interference with the proper operation of the wastewater facilities,
such as but not limited to ashes, bones, cinders, sand, mud, straw,
shavings, metals, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, unground
garbage, whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails,
paper cups and dishes, milk containers, etc., either whole or ground
by garbage grinders.
(5) Having a temperature higher than 150° F.
(6) Containing iron, chromium, copper, zinc, cyanide or
similar objectionable or toxic substances.
(7) Wastewater containing more than 25 milligrams per
liter of petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oils, or product
of mineral oil origin.
(8) Wastewater from industrial plants containing floatable
oils, fat or grease.
(9) Quantities of flow that exceed for any period of duration
longer than 15 minutes more than five times the average twenty-four-hour
concentration, or flows that would adversely affect the sewer system
and/or performance of the wastewater treatment facilities.
(10)
Any flow which shall constitute an industrial
waste, hazardous waste or toxic waste discharge as defined by EPA
or DEP.
C. Waters or wastes which may have a deleterious effect
upon the sewers or wastewater treatment facilities.
(1) If any waters or wastes are discharged or proposed to be discharged to the public sewers, which waters contain the substances or possess the characteristics enumerated in Subsection
B, and which, in the opinion of the Authority representative, may have a deleterious effect upon the sewers or wastewater treatment facilities or receiving waters or which otherwise create a hazard to life or constitute a public nuisance, or constitute an industrial waste, hazardous waste or toxic waste discharge as defined by EPA or DEP, the Authority may:
(b)
Require pretreatment to an acceptable condition.
(c)
Require control over quantities and rates of
discharge.
(d)
Require payment to cover added cost of handling
and treating the wastes not covered by existing sewer charges.
(2) If the Authority permits the pretreatment or equalization
alternatives, the design of the facilities shall be subject and approval
of the Authority staff and/or Engineer.
D. Grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be provided
when, in the opinion of the Authority, they are necessary except that
such interceptors shall not be required for private living quarters.
All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the Authority.
The owner(s) shall be responsible for the maintenance of these interceptors
and the proper removal and disposal of captured material and shall
maintain records of the dates, and means of disposal which are subject
to review by the Authority.
E. The Authority may require a user of sewer service
to provide information needed to determine compliance with these rates,
rules and regulations, including but not limited to wastewater rates
of flow, chemical analyses, raw materials processes and products affecting
wastewater and quantities and disposition of specific liquids and
materials important to sewer use control.
[Amended 10-12-1994 by Ord. No. 1994-10]
A. In cases where an extension of the sewer system is
required to serve one or more dwelling units or other building(s)
to be constructed by an individual or developer, application for such
extension must be made on a special form provided by the Authority.
B. The completed application, together with plot plan
showing proposed construction and appropriate filing fee made payable
to the Authority, must then be submitted to the Authority Manager.
C. The Authority's representative will prepare a feasibility
sewer report and cost estimate, review these with the developer and
submit them to the Authority for approval in concept.
D. Upon approval by the Authority, the developer must
enter into an extension agreement with the Authority providing for:
(1) Review of plans and specifications by Authority representatives.
(2) Approval by state and local agencies.
(3) Installation in compliance with Authority's specifications
and inspection during construction by Authority.
(4) Escrow deposit by developer to cover costs of Subsection
D(1),
(2) and
(3) above, plus legal fees and cost of construction if construction is by contractor engaged by Authority; or 10% of estimated construction costs if constructed by developer's contractor or own forces subject to approval by the Authority.
(5) Refund to developer of any unexpended monies after
acceptance of extensions or additional escrow deposit to cover any
actual costs incurred over and above the initial deposit.
(6) Transfer of title of public sewer extensions to Authority
for operation and maintenance.
(7) Other provisions as may be appropriate to protect
the Authority's interests.
[Amended 11-12-1986 by Ord. No. 1986-7; 4-11-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-1; 10-12-1994 by Ord. No. 1994-10; 1-16-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-2]
A. Sewer rentals and charges are hereby imposed as follows:
[Amended 12-12-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-12; 1-14-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-1; 12-9-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-15]
(1) Single-family residential unit containing plumbing
for kitchen or for toilet facilities, whether a house, apartment unit
or mobile home: a sewer rental of $94 per quarter.
(2) Home occupation. Whenever a business enterprise is
conducted within a dwelling unit, the quarterly sewer rental shall
be $140.
(3) Commercial, industrial, institutional or other user:
a quarterly sewer rental computed on the basis of $5.50 per 1,000
gallons of actual water used in the previous quarter, as reflected
by the Water Company meter records. The minimum quarterly billing
for this category of user shall be $140.
[Amended 12-8-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-7]
B. If use of classification of any property should change
within any quarter, the difference in sewer rental, prorated on a
monthly basis to the nearest calendar month, will be charged or credited,
as the case may be, in the bill for the succeeding quarter.
C. Other sewer charges. A sewer connection fee and tapping fee are imposed as established from time to time by the Board of Commissioners, payable at the time a written permit is obtained from the Authority to connect with the sanitary sewer system. This connection fee is the same fee referred to in §
231-14B of these rules.
[Amended 6-8-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-4]
D. Bills for the sewer rentals shall be mailed by the
Swatara Township Authority Manager to the property owners at least
15 days before the beginning of the penalty period. No bills for rentals
shall be sent to other than a tenant or owner. Said sewer rentals
are payable at par each January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1
of each year and are subject to a five-percent penalty if not paid
on or before January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 15 of each
quarter. These rates are for three months, the payment due January
1 being for the three months ending December 31, the payment due April
1 being for the three months ending March 31, and the payment due
July 1 being for the three months ending June 30, and the October
1 payment being for the three months ending September 30. If not paid
by the quarterly billings of April 1 and October 1, a new penalty
of 5% of the unpaid balance shall be added each April 1 and October
1, that the bill remains unpaid until paid in full. The sewer rentals
herein provided shall be collected and enforced in a manner provided
by law for the assessment and collection of charges and the enforcement
of municipal liens under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
in such cases made and provided.
E. If any person, partnership or corporation shall connect a drain or pipe with any Swatara Township Authority sewer without having first received a permit and paid the tapping fee and connection charge, if any, or if any owner or occupier of premises in said district who has obtained a permit and made connection with the Swatara Township Authority sewer shall permit any person, partnership or corporation to make an attachment to or connect with his, her or its drain or sewer leading into the Swatara Township Authority sewer so as to drain any other property than for which a permit was granted, such person, partnership or corporation shall pay the amount of the sewer rental due from the date the said public sewer became available for connection at the rate set forth in Subsection
A and shall be liable to pay in addition thereto the tapping fee as set forth in Subsection
C and a penalty charge of $200 for failure to abide by these rates, rules and regulations.