The purpose of this article is to provide for and regulate the
use, maintenance and removal of a holding tank to prevent the residents
and inhabitants of the Township of Bridgewater from danger and harm
due to inadequate or malfunctioning of an on-site septic system; to
permit the development of lands with the use of a holding tank under
carefully controlled and regulated circumstances; to regulate the
use and maintenance of said holding tank in conformity with the law,
statutes, and regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and
the Department of Environmental Protection; and to provide a temporary
alternative to discontinuing otherwise lawful land use by the inhabitants
and by the owners in the Township of Bridgewater.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
ACT
The Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, 35 P.S. § 750.1
et seq., as from time to time amended.
BOARD
The Board of Supervisors of the Township, or Councilmen of
the Borough.
DEPARTMENT
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection or
its successor state agency.
DISPOSAL SITE
A suitable facility for the final disposition of human and
animal sewage and wastes, which facility shall have been and remains
approved for such purposes by the Department.
HOLDING TANK
A watertight receptacle which receives and retains sewage
and is designed and constructed to facilitate ultimate disposal of
the sewage at another site. The term shall include:
B.
RETENTION TANKA holding tank to which sewage is conveyed by a water-carrying system; and
C.
PRIVYA holding tank designed to receive sewage where water under pressure is not available.
HOLDING TANK CLEANER
A municipality, county, municipal authority or person, natural
or legal entity, including the holding tank owner, who removes the
contents of a holding tank for the purpose of disposing of the sewage
at another site.
LANDOWNER
The natural person or persons, partnership, corporation or
legally existing organization who owns legal and equitable title to
the land for which a holding tank permit is sought or issued.
LOT
A parcel of land under single ownership, regardless of acreage.
In the event the subject lands are a portion of a larger parcel of
ground, the larger parcel of ground shall be considered as the lot.
MUNICIPALITY
The Township of Bridgewater, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.
OFFICER
The duly appointed Sewage Enforcement Officer of the municipality.
REGULATIONS
The regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection, Pa. Code Title 25, Subpart C, Chapters 71 and 73, as adapted,
and all future regulations of the Department pertaining to holding
tanks.
SEWAGE
Any substance that contains any of the waste products, excrement
or other discharge from the bodies of human beings or animals and
noxious or deleterious substances 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 or which constitutes pollution
under the Clean Streams Law.
A holding tank may be used, subject to the provisions of this
article, to serve as temporary sewage disposal from the existing structures
within the Township of Bridgewater where on-lot sewage disposal facilities
are not feasible due to unsuitability of soils; for a temporary sewage
disposal from existing structures where a malfunction in the presently
installed on-site sewage treatment system cannot be suitably repaired
or replaced due to unsuitability of soils; or temporarily serve for
sewage disposal for new construction in the area of the Township for
which a revision to the Township's official sewage facilities
plan has been approved by the Department.
This article shall be and become effective after enactment,
when approved in writing by the Department of Environmental Protection.