City of Harrisburg, PA Chapter 9-507 Sewer Connections Inside City

[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Harrisburg by Ord. No. 19-1984; amended by Ord. No. 21-1992. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]

CROSS-REFERENCES

Abandoned sewer lines: see Ch. 9-105.

City may charge a reasonable tapping fee: see Third Class City Code § 3202 (53 P.S. § 38202).

Connections to sewer lines: see Ch. 9-501.

Sewer connections: see Ch. 6-303.

§ 9-507.1 Tapping fee. [1]

A tapping fee as authorized by 53 Pa.C.S.A. § 5607(d)(24)(i)(C) and imposed by The Harrisburg Authority shall be charged against the owner of any improved property whenever such owner shall connect any such improved property with the sewer system. The amount of each tapping fee payable with respect to the connection of each such improved property to the sewer system shall be determined in accordance with the following:

Part	Fee (per equivalent dwelling unit)
Capacity	$347
Collection:	$0
Special purpose:	$0
Reimbursement:	$0
Total:	$347

A. The capacity component represents a pro rata fee on the cost of treatment plant and conveyance facilities.

B. The City does not intend to impose a charge for the collection portion at this time.

C. The special purpose portion of the tapping fee pertains only to facilities that directly benefit specific customers and will be imposed only when applicable. The City retains the power to impose such when it is applicable.

D. The reimbursement portion of the tapping fee is computed on a case-by-case basis as applicable.

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1-303).

§ 9-507.2 Connection fee.

A. A connection fee will be charged as authorized by 53 Pa.C.S.A. § 5607(d)(24)(i)(A) and imposed by The Harrisburg Authority. The amount of the connection fee for connection of each such improved property to the sewer system shall be:[1]

(1) The City's actual expenditure to its duly designated inspector for the inspection of the materials and work required to connect the improved property to the sewer system to assure compliance with the City's specifications, rules and regulations governing such physical connection; and

(2) The City's actual cost of connecting the City's main to the property line of the improved property, if such connection is performed by the City.

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1-303).

B. The initial amounts of such items shall be estimated by the City's staff based upon its experience and bona fide projections and shall be paid by the owner of the improved property at the time application is made to the City to connect such property to the sewer system or at such other time satisfactory to the City. Upon completion of the actual connection, the City shall make an analysis of its actual expenditures in making such inspection as specified in Subsection A(1) above and the costs incurred in making such connection as specified in Subsection A(2) above and shall thereafter adjust the connection fee that was previously collected either upward or downward based upon such analysis. Any additional amount due from the owner of the improved property shall be payable immediately upon notice thereof to the owner by or on behalf of the City. Upon determination of a refund due, such amount shall be paid promptly by the City to the owner of the improved property.

§ 9-507.3 Customer facilities fee.

A. A customer facilities fee will be charged as authorized by 53 Pa.C.S.A. § 5607(d)(24)(i)(B) and imposed by The Harrisburg Authority. The amount of the customer facilities fee for connection of each such improved property to the sewer system shall be:[1]

(1) The City's actual expenditure to its duly designated inspector for the inspection of the materials and work required to connect the improved property to the sewer system to assure compliance with the City's specifications, rules and regulations governing such physical connection; and/or

(2) The City's actual cost of connecting the property from the property line to the proposed dwelling or building to be served, if such connection is performed by the City.

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1-303).

B. The initial amount of such costs shall be estimated by the City's staff based upon its experience and bona fide projections and shall be paid by the owner of the improved property at the time application is made to the City to connect such property to the sewer system or at such other time satisfactory to the City. Upon construction of the customer facilities, the City shall make an analysis of its actual expenditures in making such inspection as specified in Subsection A(1) above and the costs incurred in making such construction as specified in Subsection A(2) above and shall thereafter adjust the customer facilities fee that was previously collected either upward or downward based upon such analysis. Any additional amount due from the owner of the improved property shall be payable immediately upon notice thereof to the owner by or on behalf of the City, and any refund due shall be paid promptly by the City to the owner following such determination.

§ 9-507.4 Procedure for computing tapping fee.

A. The amount of each tapping fee payable with respect to each new connection of a property to the sewer system shall be equal to the product of the number of EDUs multiplied by the applicable rate set forth in § 9-507.1 above.

B. The amount of tapping fee payable with respect to a property previously connected to the sewer system which is improved, expanded, constructed, reconstructed, or otherwise modified, so as to increase the expected flow of sanitary sewage or industrial waste from that property beyond what flowed from the property prior to such modification, shall be equal to the amount of EDUs after such improvement, expansion, construction, reconstruction or other modification, less the amount of EDUs prior to such improvement, expansion, construction, reconstruction, or other modification, multiplied by the applicable rate set forth in § 9-507.1 above.

C. At the time an owner applies for a building permit or certificate of use or a sewer connection permit, said owner shall complete and file with the City a form supplied by the City, which form shall require a comprehensive statement indicating the proposed use and the number of projected EDUs to be connected to the sewer system.

D. The basis for these projections must be documented and signed by an expert in the field and the owner.

E. Upon verification of the accuracy of this form by the City or its designee, the fee will be calculated based on the above formula. The owner will be responsible for immediate remittance of the amount of that calculation to the City or to such other person so designated by the City.

F. If the owner's actual usage of said sewer system exceeds the number of EDUs assessed as provided in Subsection C, that additional fee for said excess usage must be paid by the owner to the City.

§ 9-507.5 Repair of leaks or breaks.

A. It shall be the duty of the owners or occupants of all premises within the City to repair all leaks or breaks that may occur in the sanitary sewer or storm drain pipes connecting their respective premises with the City sewer mains within 72 hours after service of notice to do so by the Director DPW or a designee, which notice shall be considered properly served when left with an adult person either residing upon the premises or responsible for the management of the improved property.

B. If any owner or occupant fails, refuses or neglects to comply with the notice hereinbefore mentioned, the Director DPW or a designee may proceed forthwith to make or have made the necessary repairs and collect the cost thereof from the owner or occupant of the premises in question according to law.

C. All pipe repairs and pavement restoration must be acceptable to the Director DPW or a designee.

D. Prior to the start of repairs, the property owner must:

(1) Engage the services of a plumber licensed to perform work in the City;

(2) Obtain the necessary street cut permit from the Bureau of Engineering; and

(3) Obtain a plumbing permit from the Codes Administrator.

E. Any collateral damage caused in part or in total by the sewer lateral pipes shall be repaired or replaced at the expense of the owner of the improved property. Said damage includes, but is not limited to:

(1) Subsurface erosion of road base;

(2) Collapse of road surface;

(3) Undermining of sidewalks causing misalignment of the sidewalk surface;

(4) Undermining of utility lines causing breakage;

(5) Collapse or settlement of utility lines; and

(6) Any other damage which may be caused due to erosion of the soil substructure which occurred as a result of the damaged pipes.

§ 9-507.6 Connection requirements. [1]

All connections with the public sewers in the City shall be made in a workmanlike manner by plumbers legally licensed. The connections shall be made in the presence of a City inspector and in accordance with applicable rules and regulations of the Department of Public Works.

[1] Editor's Note: This section derives from Ord. No. 131-1923.

§ 9-507.99 Enforcement and penalty.

A. For failure of the owner to pay any part of a fee when said amount is due and owing, interest will be assessed on the outstanding indebtedness at the rate of 1 1/2% per month.

B. Failure to pay such fees may result in the City pursuing enforcement measures, which include any manner that is appropriate under the law.

C. Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be subject to the penalty and enforcement provisions of Chapter 9-511, including the right of the City to disconnect service.