The purpose of this article is to establish
procedures for the use and maintenance of existing and new holding
tanks designed to receive and retain sewage, whether from residential
or commercial uses, and 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 this municipality.
Unless the context specifically and clearly
indicates otherwise, the meanings of terms used in this article shall
be as follows:
AUTHORITY
The Supervisors of Potter Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania.
HOLDING TANK
A watertight receptacle, whether permanent or temporary,
which receives and retains sewage conveyed by a water-carrying system
and is designed and constructed to facilitate the ultimate disposal
of the sewage at another site.
IMPROVED PROPERTY
Any property within the 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.
MUNICIPALITY
The Township of Potter, Beaver County, Pennsylvania.
OWNER
Any person vested with ownership, legal or equitable, sole
or partial, of any property located in the Township.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, company, association, corporation
or other group or entity.
SEWAGE
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.
The Authority is here authorized and empowered
to undertake within the Township the control and methods of holding
tank use, sewage disposal and sewage collection and transportation
thereof.
The Authority is hereby authorized and empowered
to adopt such rules and regulations concerning sewage which it may
deem necessary from time to time to effect the purposes herein.
All such rules and regulations adopted by the
Authority shall be in conformity with the provisions herein, all other
ordinances of the Township, and all applicable laws, and applicable
rules and regulations of administrative agencies of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania.
The Authority shall have the right and power
to fix, alter, charge and collect rates, assessments, and other charges
in the area served by its facilities at reasonable and uniform rates
as authorized by applicable law. The Authority shall have the right
and power to require a bond or escrow account sufficient to insure
the costs of future operation and maintenance of the holding tanks
under local ordinances.
The owner of an improved property that utilizes
a holding tank shall:
A. Maintain the holding tank and dispose periodically
of its contents in conformance with this article or any ordinance
of this Township, the provisions of any applicable law, and the rules
and regulations of the Authority and any administrative agency of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
B. Permit only the Authority or its agent to inspect
holding tanks on an annual basis.
C. Permit only the Authority or its agent to approve
the methods of collection, transportation, and disposal of the contents
therein.
[Amended 11-14-2001 by Ord. No. 88]
A. Any person who violates any provision of this article
shall be subject to all of the following:
(1) Shall be guilty of a summary criminal offense.
(2) Shall, upon conviction, pay the criminal penalty specified in Subsection
C.
(3) Shall, upon conviction, be subject to imprisonment specified in Subsection
D.
B. Each day that a violation is continued shall constitute
a separate offense.
C. The criminal penalty for a violation of this article
shall be as follows:
(1) For a first offense, a sum not less than $200 nor
more than $500.
(2) For a second or subsequent offense, a sum of not less
than $500 nor more than $1,000.
D. The penalty of imprisonment for a violation of this
article shall be as follows:
(1) For a first offense, a period not more than 10 days.
(2) For a second or subsequent offense, a period not less
than five days nor more than 30 days.
In addition to any other remedies provided in this article, any violation of §
159-11 above shall constitute a nuisance and shall be abated by the municipality or the Authority by either seeking mitigation of the nuisance or appropriate equitable or legal relief from a court of competent jurisdiction.