[Adopted 12-2-1976 (Ch. 83, Art. III, of the 1979 Code)]
A. 
Definitions. Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms used in this article shall be as follows:
BOD (denoting "biochemical oxygen demand")
The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter in five days at 20° C., expressed in milligrams per liter, as determined in accordance with the latest issue of APHA's Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater or by a method acceptable to the Maryland Department of the Environment and other agencies having jurisdiction.[1]
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.
COMBINED SEWER
A sewer receiving both surface runoff and sewage.
DEPARTMENT
The Department of Public Works of the Town of Manchester.[2]
DIRECTOR
The Director of Public Works and Parks or the Director's designee of the Town of Manchester.[3]
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. A wastewater shall be considered free of floatable fat if it is properly pretreated and the wastewater does not interfere with the collection system.[4]
GARBAGE
Solid wastes from the domestic and commercial preparation, cooking and dispensing of food and from the handling, storage and sale of produce.
HAZARDOUS WASTE
Any waste or combination of waste that poses substantial danger to human beings, plants and animals. Specifically, a waste shall be considered hazardous if it poses one or more of the following characteristics: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, toxicity and radioactivity.[5]
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
Waterborne solids, liquids or gaseous wastes resulting from discharged, permitted to flow or escaping from any industrial, manufacturing, or food processing operation or processes or from the development of any natural resource or any mixture of these with water or domestic sewage as distinct from normal domestic sewage.[6]
INTERFERENCE
An inhibition or disruption of the wastewater treatment works or wastewater treatment plant operations or its processes or sludge processes, use or disposal which causes either a violation of any requirement of the wastewater treatment works' discharge permit or damage to sewer systems and threats to wastewater treatment works' workers and public health, safety and comfort.
[7]
NATURAL OUTLET
Any outlet into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake or other body of surface water or groundwater.
PARTS PER MILLION
A weight-to-weight ratio, in wastewater, parts per million value multiplied by the factor of 8.345 shall be equivalent to pounds per million gallons of water; or a weight-to-volume ratio, as one milligram per liter is equal to one part per million in wastewater.[8]
PERSON
Any individual, firm, company, association, society, public or private corporation, the state or other entity whatsoever.
pH
The logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydrogen ions concentration expressed in moles per liter. It shall be determined by one of the procedures outlined in Standard Methods.[9]
PLUMBING INSPECTOR
The duly designated Plumbing Inspector of the Town of Manchester, Maryland, or Carroll County, Maryland, government.[10]
POTW
Publicly owned treatment works.[11]
PRETREATMENT
Treatment of wastewaters from sources before introduction into the wastewater treatment works.[12]
PROPERLY SHREDDED GARBAGE
The wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food that have 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 sewer in which all owners of abutting properties have equal rights and which is controlled by public authority.
QUALIFIED ANALYST
Any person or independent laboratory who has demonstrated competency in wastewater analysis by having analyzed satisfactorily a minimum of three reference wastewater samples as supplied upon request by the approving authority.[13]
SANITARY SEWER
A sewer which carries sewage and to which stormwater, surface water and groundwater are not intentionally admitted.
SEWAGE
A combination of water-carried wastes from residences, business buildings, institutions and industrial establishments, together with such groundwater, surface water and stormwater as may be present.
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT
Any arrangement of devices and structures used for treating sewage.
SEWAGE WORKS
All facilities for collecting, pumping, treating and disposing of sewage.
SEWER
A pipe or conduit for carrying sewage.
SLUDGE
Solid or semisolid materials removed from the liquid wastewater stream or wastewater treatment plant.[14]
SLUG
Any discharge of water, sewage or industrial waste which in concentration of any given constituent or in quantity of flow exceeds, for any period of duration longer than 15 minutes, more than five times the average twenty-four-hour concentration of flows during normal operation.
STANDARD METHODS
The examination and analytical procedures set forth in the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater.[15]
STORM DRAIN (sometimes termed "storm sewer")
A sewer which carries stormwater and surface water and drainage, but excludes sewage and industrial wastes, other than unpolluted cooling water.
SUPERINTENDENT
The Director of Public Works and Parks of the Town of Manchester or his authorized deputy, agent or representative.
SUSPENDED SOLIDS
Solids that either float on the surface of or are in suspension in water, sewage or other liquids and which are removable by laboratory filtering.
TOTAL KJELDAHL NITROGEN (TKN)
The sum of free ammonia and organic nitrogen compounds as determined in Standard Methods.[16]
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.[17]
WASTEWATER FACILITIES
The structure, equipment and processes required to collect, carry away and treat domestic and industrial wastes and discharge the effluent and treat, utilize or dispose of sludges resulting from collection and treatment of these wastes.[18]
WASTEWATER TREATMENT WORKS
An arrangement of devices and structures for treating wastewater and sludge.[19]
WATERCOURSE
A channel in which a flow of water occurs, either continuously or intermittently.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[2]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[3]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[4]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[5]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[6]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[7]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[8]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[9]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[10]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[11]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[12]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[13]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[14]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[15]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[16]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[17]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[18]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[19]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
B. 
Word usage. "Shall" is mandatory; "may" is permissive.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, deposit or permit to be deposited in any unsanitary manner on public or private property within the Town or in any area under the jurisdiction of said Town any human or animal excrement, garbage or other objectionable waste.
B. 
It shall be unlawful to discharge to any natural outlet within the Town or in any area under the jurisdiction of said Town any sewage 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 sewage.
D. 
The owners of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes, situated within the Town and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located or may in the future be located a public sanitary sewer of the Town, are hereby required at their expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein and to connect such facilities directly with the proper sanitary sewer in accordance with the provisions of this article within 180 days after date of official notice to do so.
E. 
All privies, privy vaults, cesspools, septic tanks and drains on properties connected with a sanitary sewer shall be abandoned as soon as possible and in no case later than 30 days after the connection of such properties to such sanitary sewer, and left in such way that they cannot again be used or injuriously affect the public health; and all wells that are found, by the Town or any public health authority having jurisdiction, to be polluted or a menace to health shall likewise be abandoned and closed.
F. 
Privies, privy vaults, cesspools, septic tanks, drains and polluted wells abandoned and closed pursuant to this section shall be subject to inspection by the Director of Public Works and Parks and by any public health authority having jurisdiction, and the owner of the property upon which any inspection shall be made shall be subject to such remedial action as may be prescribed by such inspector to assure that such closed and abandoned facility will not constitute a hazard to the public health or safety.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
A. 
No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof without first obtaining a written permit from the Town.
B. 
All costs and expense incident to the installation and connection of the building sewer shall be borne by the owner. The owner shall indemnify the Town from any loss or damage that may directly or indirectly be occasioned by the installation of the building sewer.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 83-21C, regarding mobile homes and trailer units, which followed this subsection, was deleted at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
C. 
Old building sewers may be used in connection with new buildings only when they are found, on examination and test by the Town, to meet all the requirements of this article.
D. 
The size, slope, alignment, materials of construction of a building sewer and the methods to be used in excavating, placing of the pipe, jointing, testing and backfilling the trench shall all conform to the specifications of Carroll County, Maryland, as in force from time to time and such other state and federal regulations as may be applicable.
[Amended 11-14-1995 by Ord. No. 99]
E. 
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.
F. 
No person shall make connection of roof downspouts, exterior foundation drains, areaway drains or other sources of surface runoff or groundwater to a building drain which in turn is connected directly or indirectly to a public sanitary sewer.
G. 
The connection of the building sewer into the public sewer shall conform to the specifications of Carroll County, Maryland, as in force from time to time, and such other state and federal regulations as may be applicable. All such connections shall be made gas tight and watertight, utilizing approved pipe material, Y-saddles and/or saddle hub tees or as directed by the Town. All connections of building sewer into the public sewer shall be performed by persons authorized by the Town. The prescribed procedures and materials must be approved by the Town before installation.
[Amended 11-14-1995 by Ord. No. 99]
H. 
The applicant for the building sewer permit shall notify the Town when the building sewer connection is ready for inspection. The connection shall be made under the supervision of the Town's inspector.
[Amended 11-14-1995 by Ord. No. 99]
I. 
All excavations for building sewer installations 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 Town.
J. 
Each individually owned premises shall have its own individual service connection.
See Article I of this chapter, entitled "Discharges Into Sanitary Sewers," enacted May 13, 1969.
No unauthorized person shall maliciously, willfully or negligently break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface or tamper with any structure, appurtenance or equipment which is a part of the sewage works.
A. 
The Town and duly authorized employees or representatives of the Town bearing proper credentials and identification shall be permitted to enter all properties for the purpose of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling and testing in accordance with the provisions of this article. The Town or its representatives shall have no authority to inquire into any processes, including metallurgical, chemical, oil, refining, ceramic, paper or other industries, beyond that point having a direct bearing on the kind and source of discharge to the sewers or waterways or facilities for waste treatment.
B. 
While performing the necessary work on private properties referred to in Subsection A above, the Town's duly authorized employees or representatives of the Town shall observe all safety rules applicable to the premises established by the company.
C. 
The Town and other duly authorized employees or representatives of the Town bearing proper credentials and identification shall be permitted to enter all private properties through which the Town 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 sewage works 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 properties involved.
[Amended 6-13-1989 by Ord. No. 61; 11-14-1995 by Ord. No. 99; 5-14-2002 by Ord. No. 140; 5-13-2008 by Ord. No. 183; 6-11-2024 by Ord. No. 261]
An excise tax is hereby imposed upon the privilege of connecting to the Town's sewer system in the amount of $3,150 per connection. The inspection fee for each connection is $100.
[Amended 4-2-1979 by Ord. No. 11; 2-10-1987 by Ord. No. 41; 6-13-1989 by Ord. No. 61; 11-14-1995 by Ord. No. 99; 5-26-1999 by Ord. No. 121; 5-14-2002 by Ord. No. 140; 5-13-2008 by Ord. No. 183; 6-9-2009 by Ord. No. 195; 6-11-2024 by Ord. No. 261]
A. 
From and after the effective date of this section, in any instance in which the Town shall furnish sewer service to any building, dwelling, apartment, living unit or other building or structure as herein set forth, a special benefit assessment is hereby levied and imposed for the purpose of capital improvements and maintenance of the sewer collection and treatment system, payable prior to the issuance of a building permit in accordance with current practices, upon the owner or owners of such property or properties to be serviced, in the amount or amounts as follows:
Type
Charge
Dwellings and dwelling units
Each single-family dwelling unit or each unit in a multifamily dwelling unit
$5,000
Schools and colleges, including dormitories (students and staff)
1 to 100 persons
$5,550
100 to 250 persons
$8,500
250 to 400 persons
$11,500
400 to 1,000 persons
$19,500
Each additional 400 persons or fraction thereof over 999
$10,500
Hospitals, care and nursing homes
1 to 20 beds
$5,500
20 to 60 beds
$7,500
Each additional bed over 59
$300
Hotels and motels
1 to 10 rooms
$4,500
10 to 50 rooms
$5,900
Each additional room over 49
$325
Commercial (retail, wholesale, business offices)
Minimum: includes building containing up to 6,000 square feet total floor space
$4,700
Next 4,000 square feet
$0.50 per square foot
Next 10,000 square feet
$0.30 per square foot
All over 20,000 square feet
$0.25 per square foot
B. 
In any instance in which an existing structure is altered to connect to additional dwelling units, commercial units or business offices, there shall be imposed a special benefit assessment of $1,500 for each dwelling unit added and $1,000 for each business office added.
C. 
In any instance in which an industrial or commercial structure is altered to add additional square footage, there shall be imposed a special benefit assessment in accordance with the schedule hereinbefore set forth. Expansion of existing structures shall be allowed credit for previously paid special benefit assessments in all types of uses except dwellings and dwelling units and planned unit developments.
D. 
In any instance in which a school or college expands existing structures or constructs new buildings for nonresidential use, there shall be imposed a special benefit assessment in accordance with the item in the schedule entitled "Commercial." In the instance where a school or college adds or expands its residential buildings, a benefit assessment shall be imposed in accordance with the item in the schedule entitled "Dwellings and dwelling units," or, in the event of construction of dormitories, the item in the schedule entitled "Schools and colleges, including dormitories" shall be applicable.
E. 
In situations where no specified category is provided for in this section, the Public Utilities Committee shall determine the applicable special benefit assessment to be charged, but in no case shall such charges exceed those existing in Subsection A of this section.
[Amended 6-13-1989 by Ord. No. 61; 6-12-1990 by Ord. No. 64; 5-12-1992 by Ord. No. 72; 8-26-1992 by Ord. No. 77; 1-13-1992 by Ord. No. 78; 1-12-1993 by Ord. No. 82; 11-29-1993 by Ord. No. 88; 4-26-1995 by Ord. No. 95; 8-3-1998 by Ord. No. 115; 5-28-2001 by Ord. No. 132]
A. 
Rates generally; metered service (based on water meter readings); effective date. The following quarterly rates and charges for metered service shall be in effect as of July 1, 2024:
[Amended 5-8-2012 by Ord. No. 210; 6-3-2014 by Ord. No. 219; 5-9-2017 by Ord. No. 228; 5-8-2018 by Ord. No. 233; 5-14-2019 by Ord. No. 239; 5-10-2022 by Ord. No. 253; 5-9-2023 by Ord. No. 256; 6-11-2024 by Ord. No. 261]
(1) 
Residential rates per unit:
(a) 
$6 per thousand gallons; plus
(b) 
$57 per residential unit.
(2) 
Commercial rates, including retail and business, hotels and motels, apartments, hospitals and care homes, schools and colleges and industrial rates:
(a) 
$6 per thousand gallons; plus for the first unit:
[1] 
$57 for a unit with a five-eighths-inch meter;
[2] 
$72 for a unit with a one-inch meter;
[3] 
$81 for a unit with a one-and-one-half-inch meter;
[4] 
$92 for a unit with a two-inch meter;
[5] 
$132 for a unit with a four-inch meter;
[6] 
$172 for a unit with a six-inch meter;
(b) 
Plus $57 for each additional unit.
(3) 
The outside-of-Town rate shall be two times the above Town rates.
B. 
The source of water for every building, dwelling, apartment, living unit or other structure discharging waste, water, sewage or other liquid or fluid substances into the Town's sanitary sewer system shall be metered.
C. 
The owner of any building, dwelling, apartment, living unit or other structure who can reasonably demonstrate that he uses a substantial amount of water that is not discharged into the Town's sanitary sewer system shall have the privilege of applying to the Town for permission to install a separate water meter to measure the water not discharged into the sanitary sewer system. For all such water, the owner shall not be charged a sewer rate as established in Subsection A above. All costs and expenses relating to the installation of such a separate water meter shall be paid by the property owner.
D. 
Fees, when payable. All excise taxes, inspection fees and special benefit charges and assessments must be paid before any use and occupancy permit will be issued.
[Added 11-14-1995 by Ord. No. 99]
[Amended 11-14-1995 by Ord. No. 99]
In any instance in which the owner of any building, dwelling, apartment, living unit or other structure desires to suspend his water and sewer services for a period exceeding 60 days, he may do so by written application made at least five days prior to the cutoff date. Whenever service has been suspended for any reason a charge shall be made for the actual cost of restoring service.
[Amended 4-2-1979 by Ord. No. 11; 4-29-1987 by Ord. No. 46]
A. 
Any person found to be violating any provision of this article, except § 173-25, shall be served by the Town 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. 
Continuation of a violation beyond the time limit provided for in such notice shall be deemed an infraction. The penalty shall be $500 for each such offense. Each day the violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense.
[Amended 6-9-2009 by Ord. No. 195]