For the purposes of this article any term, which is not defined
herein, shall have that meaning attributed to it under the Sewage
Facilities Act and the regulations promulgated thereto.
ABSORPTION AREA
A component of an individual or community sewage system where
liquid from a treatment tank seeps into the soil; it consists of an
aggregate-filled area containing piping for the distribution of liquid
and the soil or sand/soil combination located beneath the aggregate.
ACT
The Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (35 P.S. §§ 750.1
to 750.20).
ACT 537 PLAN (OFFICIAL PLAN)
A comprehensive plan for the provision of adequate sewage
systems adopted by Schuylkill Township that has been submitted to
and approved by the Department as provided by the Act and Chapter
71 (relating to administration of sewage facilities program).
AGGREGATE
Course material manufactured from stone, gravel or slag,
having Type B characteristics as described in Department of Transportation
specifications, Form 408, Section 703.3, Table B, and uniform size
and grading equivalent to American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials No. 57, as described in Form 408, Section
703.3, Table C.
AUTHORIZED AGENT
The sewage enforcement officer, designated as the Chester
County Health Department ("Health Department") or other person or
entity appointed by the Schuylkill Township Board of Supervisors to
administer this article.
BOARD
The Board of Supervisors, Schuylkill Township, Chester County,
Pennsylvania.
CHESTER COUNTY SEPTAGE MANAGEMENT DATABASE
The electronic database maintained by the Chester County
Health Department for monitoring activities related to the management
of on-lot individual sewage disposal systems.
COMMUNITY ON-LOT SEWAGE SYSTEM
A community sewage system which uses a system of piping,
tanks or other facilities for collecting, treating, and disposing
of sewage into a soil absorption area, retaining tank or by spray
irrigation.
COMMUNITY SEWERAGE SYSTEM
Any system, whether publicly or privately owned, for the
collection of sewage or industrial waste of a liquid nature from two
or more lots, and the treatment and/or disposal of the sewage or industrial
waste on one or more lots or at any other site.
DEPARTMENT
The Department of Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania or DEP.
EXPERIMENTAL SEWAGE SYSTEM
A method of on-lot sewage treatment and disposal not described
in this title which is proposed for the purpose of testing and observation
and approval by DEP.
INDIVIDUAL ON-LOT SEWAGE SYSTEM
An individual sewage system which uses a system of piping,
tanks or other facilities for collecting, treating or disposing of
sewage into a soil absorption area or spray field or by retention
in a retaining tank.
INDIVIDUAL SEWAGE SYSTEM
A system of piping, tanks or other facilities serving a single
lot and collecting and disposing of sewage in whole or in part into
the soil or into a waters of this commonwealth or by means of conveyance
to another site for final disposal.
INDUSTRIAL WASTE
A liquid, gaseous, radioactive, solid or other substance,
which is not sewage, resulting from manufacturing or industry or other
plant or works and mine drainage, silt, coal mine, solids, rock, debris,
dirt and clay from coal mines, coal collieries, breakers or other
coal processing operations. The term includes substances whether or
not generally characterized as waste.
LOT
A parcel of land under single and separate ownership or described
by an approved and still valid subdivision plan recorded in the office
of the Recorder of Deeds of Chester County.
MALFUNCTION
A condition which occurs when an on-lot sewage disposal system
discharges sewage onto the surface of the ground, into groundwaters
of this commonwealth, into surface waters of this commonwealth, backs
up into a building connected to the system or in any manner causes
a nuisance or hazard to the public health or pollution of groundwater
or surface water or contamination of public or private drinking water
wells. Systems shall be considered to be malfunctioning if any condition
noted above occurs for any length or time during any period of the
year.
OFFICIAL SEWAGE FACILITIES PLAN
A comprehensive plan for the provision of adequate sewage
systems, adopted by the Board and approved by the Department, as provided
by the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act. Also known as the "Act 537 Plan."
PERSON
Any individual, association, public or private corporation,
for profit or not for profit, partnership, firm, trust, estate, department,
board, bureau or agency of the United States or the commonwealth,
political subdivision, municipality, district, authority, or any other
legal entity whatsoever which is recognized by law as the subject
of rights and duties. The term "person" shall include the members
of an association, partnership or firm and the officers of any local
agency or municipal, public or private corporation for profit or not
for profit.
REHABILITATION
Work done to modify, alter, repair, enlarge or replace an
existing on-lot sewage disposal system.
RETAINING TANK
A watertight receptacle which receives and retains sewage
and which is designed and constructed to facilitate the ultimate disposal
of the sewage at another site. The term includes the following:
A.
CHEMICAL TOILETA permanent or portable nonflushing toilet using chemical treatment in the retaining tank for odor control.
B.
COMPOSTING TOILETA device for holding and processing human and organic kitchen waste employing the process of biological degradation through the action of microorganisms to produce a stable, humus-like material.
C.
HOLDING TANKA tank, whether permanent or temporary, to which sewage is conveyed by a water-carrying system.
E.
PRIVYA tank designed to receive sewage where water under pressure is not available.
F.
RECYCLING TOILETA device in which the flushing medium is restored to a condition suitable for reuse in flushing.
SEWAGE
A substance that contains the waste products or excrement
or other discharge from the bodies of human beings or animals; a substance
harmful to the public health, to animal or aquatic life, or to the
use of water for domestic water supply or for recreation; or a substance
which constitutes pollution under the Act of June 22, 1936 (P.L. 1987,
No. 394, 35 P.S. §§ 691.1 through 691.1001), known
as the "The Clean Streams Law," as amended.
SEWAGE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (SEO)
A person certified by the Certification Board of the PA Department
of Environmental Protection who is employed by the County Health Department.
Such person is authorized to conduct investigations and inspections,
review permit applications and sewage facilities planning modules,
issue or deny permits and do all other activities as may be provided
for such person in the Sewage Facilities Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and this
article or any other ordinance adopted by the Township.
SEWAGE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
Any area or areas of the Township designated in the Official
Act 537 Plan adopted by the Board as an area for which a sewage management
program is to be implemented. For Schuylkill Township, said district
shall include the entire Township except those areas specifically
served by public sewers.
SEWAGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
A comprehensive set of legal and administrative requirements
encompassing the requirements of this article, the Sewage Facilities
Act, the Clean Streams Law, the regulations promulgated thereunder
and such other requirements adopted by the Board or the Health Department
to effectively enforce and administer this article.
SMALL FLOW TREATMENT FACILITY
An individual or community sewerage system designed to adequately
treat sewage flows not greater than 2,000 gallons per day (gpd) for
final disposal using a stream discharge or other disposal methods
approved by the Department of Environmental Protection.
SUBDIVISION
The division or redivision of a lot tract or other parcel
of land into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other divisions
of land, including changes in existing lot lines. The enumerating
of lots shall include as a lot that portion of the original tract
or tracts remaining after other lots have been subdivided therefrom.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Schuylkill, Chester County, Pennsylvania.
TREATMENT TANK
A watertight tank designed to retain sewage long enough for
satisfactory bacterial decomposition of the solids to take place.
The term includes the following:
A.
AEROBIC SEWAGE TREATMENT TANKA mechanically aerated treatment tank that provides aerobic biochemical stabilization of sewage prior to its discharge to an absorption area.
B.
SEPTIC TANKA treatment tank that provides for anaerobic decomposition of sewage prior to its discharge to an absorption area.
WATER OF THIS COMMONWEALTH
Rivers, streams, creeks, rivulets, impoundments, ditches,
watercourses, storm sewers, lakes, dammed water, ponds, springs and
other bodies or channels of conveyance of surface and underground
water, or any of their parts, whether natural or artificial, within
or on the boundaries of this commonwealth.
From the effective date of this article, its provisions shall
apply in any portion of the Township identified as having individual
or community on-lot sewage systems. Within such an area or areas,
the provisions of this article shall apply to all persons owning any
property serviced by an individual or community on-lot sewage disposal
system or small-flow treatment facility and to all persons installing
or rehabilitating individual or community on-lot sewage disposal system
or small-flow treatment facilities.
Only normal domestic wastes shall be discharged into any individual
or community on-lot sewage disposal system, including wastes listed
in Section 73.11(c) of Title 25. The following shall not be discharged into the system:
B. Automobile oil and other nondomestic oil.
C. Toxic or hazardous substances or chemicals, including, but not limited
to, pesticides, disinfectants (excluding household cleaners), acids,
paints, paint thinners, herbicides, gasoline and other solvents.
D. Clean surface water or groundwater, including water from root or
cellar drains, springs, basement sump pumps and french drains.
The Township, upon written notice from a Sewage Enforcement
Officer that an imminent health hazard exists due to failure of the
property owner to maintain, repair or replace an on-lot sewage disposal
system as provided under the terms of this article, shall have the
authority to perform, or contract to have performed, the work required
by the sewage Enforcement Officer. The owner shall be charged for
the work performed and, if necessary, a lien shall be entered therefor
in accordance with law.
Any person failing to comply with any provisions of this article
may be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $300 and not more
than $2,500 for each violation and, in addition, may be assessed the
cost of damages caused by such violation and the cost of correcting
such violation. Each day of noncompliance shall constitute a separate
offense.