Exciting enhancements are coming soon to eCode360! Learn more 🡪
Borough of Emmaus, PA
Lehigh County
By using eCode360 you agree to be legally bound by the Terms of Use. If you do not agree to the Terms of Use, please do not use eCode360.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Ord. 367, 1/4/1960, Art. 1; as amended by Ord. 1071, 7/6/2010]
Unless the context specifically and clearly indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms used in this Part shall be as follows:
AUTHORITY
Emmaus Municipal Authority, a Pennsylvania municipality authority.
BUILDING SEWER
The extension from the sewer drainage system of any structure to the lateral of a sewer.
BOROUGH
The Borough of Emmaus, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, a Pennsylvania municipal corporation, acting by and through its Council or, in appropriate cases, acting by and through its authorized representatives.
IMPROVED PROPERTY
Any property within this Borough 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 sanitary sewage and/or industrial wastes shall be or may be discharged.
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
Any solid, liquid or gaseous substance or form of energy rejected or escaping in the course of any industrial, manufacturing, trade or business process or in the course of the development, recovery or processing of natural resources, as distinct from sanitary sewage, including such ground, surface or storm water as may be present.
LATERAL
That part of the sewer system extending from a sewer to the curb line or, if there is no curb line, to the property line. The Borough shall be responsible for any required maintenance or repair of the lateral, unless the maintenance or repair is necessitated by an illegal discharge from the building sewer or root growth or other intrusion that enters the sewer system through the building sewer or at the connection of the building sewer to the lateral, in which instances the property owner shall be responsible for such maintenance and repair.
OWNER
Any person vested with ownership, legal or equitable, sole or partial, of any property located in this Borough.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, company, association, society, corporation or other group or entity.
SANITARY SEWAGE
Normal water-carried household and toilet wastes from any improved property, including such ground, surface or storm water as may be present.
SEWER
Any pipe or conduit constituting a part of the sewer system used or usable for sewage collection purposes.
SEWER SYSTEM
All facilities, as of any particular time, for collecting, pumping, treating and disposing of sanitary sewage and industrial wastes, situate in or adjacent to this Borough and owned by the Authority and leased to this Borough for operation and use.
STREET
Any street, road, lane, court, alley and public square.
[Ord. 367, 1/4/1960, Art. 2; as amended by Ord. 371, 5/2/1960, § 1]
1. 
The owner of any improved property abutting on or adjoining any street in which is a sewer shall connect such improved property therewith, in such manner as this Borough may require, within 60 days after notice to such owner from this Borough to make such connection, for the purpose of discharge of all sanitary sewage and industrial wastes from such improved property, subject to such limitations and restrictions as shall be established herein or otherwise shall be established by this Borough, from time to time.
2. 
All sanitary sewage and industrial wastes from any improved property, after connection of such improved property with a sewer shall be required under Subsection 1, shall be conducted into a sewer, subject to such limitations and restrictions as shall be established herein or otherwise shall be established by this Borough, from time to time.
3. 
No person shall place or deposit or permit to be placed or deposited upon public or private property within this Borough any sanitary sewage or industrial wastes in violation of subsection 1.
No person shall discharge or permit to be discharged to any natural outlet within this Borough any sanitary sewage or industrial wastes in violation of subsection 1, except where suitable treatment has been provided which is satisfactory to this Borough.
4. 
No privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle shall be used and maintained at any time for the disposal of sanitary sewage or industrial wastes upon any improved property which has been connected to a sewer.
Every such privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle in existence shall be abandoned as a disposal for sanitary sewage and industrial wastes and, at the discretion of this Borough, shall be cleansed and filled under the direction and supervision of this Borough; and any such privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle not so abandoned and, if required by this Borough, cleansed and filled, shall constitute a nuisance and such nuisance may be abated as provided by law, at the expense of the owner of such improved property.
5. 
No privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle at any time shall be connected with a sewer.
6. 
The notice by this Borough to make a connection to a sewer, referred to in subsection 1, shall consist of a copy of this Part, including any amendments at the time in effect, and a written or printed document requiring the connection, and may be given at any time after a sewer is in place which can receive and convey sanitary sewage and industrial wastes for treatment and disposal from the particular improved property.
[Ord. 367, 1/4/1960, Art. 3; as amended by Ord. 1027, 7/2/2007]
1. 
No person shall uncover, connect with, make any opening into or use, alter, or disturb, in any manner, any sewer or the sewer system with out first obtaining a permit, in writing, from the Borough. In addition, any building floor drain shall have gravity or pump discharge completely independent of the sanitary sewer system, except where the entire finished floor is at an elevation above the finish grade around the exterior of the building. No person shall make connection of roof downspouts, exterior foundation drains, area drains, or other sources of surface runoff or groundwater to a building sewer or building drain, which, in turn, is connected directly or indirectly to a public sanitary sewer.
2. 
Application for a permit required under § 18-103(1) shall be made by the owner of the improved property to be served.
3. 
No person shall make or cause to be made a connection of any improved property with a sewer until such person shall have fulfilled each of the following conditions:
A. 
Such person shall have notified the Borough Manager of the desire and intention to connect to a sewer.
B. 
Such person shall have applied for and obtained a permit as required by § 18-103(1).
C. 
Such person shall have given the Borough Manager at least 24 hours' notice of the time when such connection will be made so that this Borough may supervise and inspect the work of connection and necessary testing.
4. 
Except as otherwise provided in this § 18-103, each improved property shall be connected separately and independently with a sewer through a building sewer. Grouping of more than one improved property on one building sewer shall not be permitted, except under special circumstances and for good sanitary reasons or other good cause shown, but then only after special permission of this Borough, in writing, shall have been secured.
5. 
All costs and expenses of construction of a building sewer and all costs and expenses of connection of a building sewer to a sewer shall be borne by the owner of the improved property to be connected; and such owner shall indemnify and save harmless this Borough from all loss or damage that may be occasioned, directly or indirectly, as a result of construction of a building sewer or of connection of a building sewer to a sewer.
6. 
Materials for a building sewer, jointing materials and methods of installation shall be in accordance with requirements of § 18-104 and shall be subject to approval of this Borough.
7. 
The permit required by § 18-103(1) shall be displayed prominently upon the improved property to be connected to a sewer at all times during construction of the building sewer and connection of the building sewer to a sewer.
8. 
A building sewer shall be connected to a sewer at the lateral. No person shall make a connection directly to or tamper with, in any manner, a sewer.
The invert of a building sewer at the point of connection to a lateral shall be at the same or a higher elevation than the invert of the sewer. A smooth, neat joint shall be made and the connection of a building sewer to a lateral shall be made secure and watertight. Special fittings for connection of a building sewer to a lateral may be used only after approval of this Borough has been secured.
9. 
If the owner of any improved property abutting on or adjoining any street in which is a sewer, after 60 days' notice from this Borough, in accordance with § 18-102(1), shall fail to connect such improved property, as required, this Borough may make such connection and may collect from such owner the costs and expenses thereof by a municipal claim, an action in assumpsit or such other legal proceedings as may be permitted by law.
[Ord. 367, 1/4/1960, Art. 4; as amended by Ord. 371, 5/2/1960, §§ 2, 3; and by Ord. 675, 11/17/1986]
1. 
Building sewers shall be no less than four inches in diameter.
2. 
Pipe used in a building sewer shall be one of the following types:
A. 
Cast iron soil pipe - "medium" weight.
B. 
Vitrified clay sewer pipe - "standard strength".
C. 
Cement asbestos sewer pipe.
D. 
2.0 Plastic Vinyl Chloride (PVC) pipe.
3. 
Uniform bearing shall be provided along the entire length of a building sewer; and all joints of a building sewer shall be watertight and rust-proof. No cement mortar joints shall be used. When hot-poured joints are used, the trench shall be free of water.
4. 
Where an improved property, at the time of securing a permit under § 18-103(1) to connect to a sewer, shall be served by its own sewage disposal system or device, the existing house sewer line shall be broken on the structure side of such sewage disposal system or device and attachment shall be made, with proper fittings, to continue such house sewer line, as a building sewer, undiminished in inside diameter, but not less than four inches, to the lateral.
5. 
A building sewer to serve one improved property may occupy the same trench as a building sewer to serve the next adjoining improved property; Provided, however, that the common trench is on or immediately adjacent to the common property line and such joint occupancy is by mutual agreement of the owners concerned.
6. 
Cast iron soil pipe of a building sewer laid in a trench must be supported properly at each joint. When vitrified clay sewer pipe or cement asbestos sewer pipe is used in a building sewer, the entire length of such pipe, as well as the joint, must have uniform bearing. Vitrified clay sewer pipe in a building sewer may be laid only in virgin soil and may not be laid in fill.
7. 
Fittings in a building sewer shall conform to the type of pipe used in construction.
8. 
Changes in direction in a building sewer must be made by use of "Y" branches or of 1/8 or 1/16 bends. Caulking or lead or poured joints to angles of less than a 1/16 bend equivalent only shall be permitted.
9. 
Fittings or connections in a building sewer which have an enlargement, chamber or recess with a ledge, shoulder or reduction of pipe area that shall offer any obstruction to flow shall not be allowed.
10. 
Joints in cast iron soil pipe in a building sewer shall be paced with oakum in the bell and spigot terminations and thereafter shall be filled with molten lead to a depth of at least one inch and not to be depressed more than 1/8 inch below the rim of the hub. The lead then must be caulked in place. No paint, varnish or other coating shall be permitted on the jointing material until after the building sewer has been tested and approved as provided in § 18-104(17-19).
11. 
Bell and spigot joints in vitrified clay sewer pipe in a building sewer shall be packed with oakum, jute or hemp at the base and thereafter shall be poured with hot compound as required for the purpose. Such hot compound shall be poured against dry surfaces having a bond strength of no less than 100 pounds per square inch, shall not soften at temperatures up to 160° F., shall not be soluble in the waste to be carried by the building sewer and shall be root repellent. Each such joint shall be poured completely in one continuous operation and shall not be tested until at least one hour after completion of such pouring. Mechanical joints of plastic or synthetic, rubberlike materials, commonly known as compression joints, may be used with approval of this Borough.
12. 
Joints in cement asbestos sewer pipe in a building sewer shall be made with sleeve couplings of the same composition as the pipe and shall be sealed with rubber rings.
13. 
Joints between cast iron soil pipe and vitrified clay sewer pipe in a building sewer shall be made by inserting the cast iron soil pipe into the bell of the vitrified clay sewer pipe. Such joints shall be made as provided in § 18-104(11) dealing with hot poured joints.
14. 
A building sewer shall be provided with a horizontal trap, known as an interceptor trap, of not less than four inches inside diameter, of cast iron equivalent to cast iron soil pipe. Such trap shall be provided with a vent and clean-out openings, each to be at a level at least equal to the finished grade level and to be provided with vent cowls. Lines from such trap to such finished grade level shall be of the same size and material as the building sewer.
15. 
The interceptor trap required under § 18-104(14) shall be located at a point to be determined and approved by the Borough Plumbing Inspector in accordance with rules and regulations applicable thereto as adopted by Borough. Such trap and its vent shall be on the property side of the curb.
16. 
The slope or grade of a building sewer, when the inside diameter is four inches or more, shall be no less than 1/4 inch per foot of length and shall be downward in the direction of flow; Provided, however, that when cement asbestos sewer pipe shall be used the slope may be reduced but shall be not less than 1/8 inch per foot of length.
17. 
This Borough shall observe all testing of a building sewer. All equipment and material required for testing shall be furnished by the owner of the improved property to be connected to a sewer.
In the event a building sewer is not approved by this Borough, a further test or tests shall be made following completion of necessary corrections. A fee of $5 will be charged by this Borough for observation of each test subsequent to the initial test.
18. 
No building sewer shall be covered until it has been inspected, tested, as provided in § 18-104(17), and approved. If any part of a building sewer is covered before so being inspected, tested and accepted, it shall be uncovered for inspection and testing at the cost and expense of the owner of the improved property to be connected to a sewer.
19. 
Every building sewer shall be tested by filling the same with water, completely, so that every section shall be tested with not less than a ten-foot head of water. Water shall be kept in the building sewer for 15 minutes before inspection starts and no leakage shall be observable at the time of inspection.
Upon approval of the test of a building sewer by this Borough a certificate of approval will be issued to the owner of the improved property to be connected to a sewer.
20. 
Whenever this Borough has reason to believe any building sewer has become defective, such building sewer shall be subject to test and inspection. Defects found upon such test and inspection, if any, shall be corrected as required by this Borough, in writing, at the cost and expense of the owner of the improved property served through such building sewer.
21. 
Every building sewer of any improved property shall be maintained in a sanitary and safe operating condition by the owner of such improved property.
22. 
Every excavation for a building sewer shall be guarded adequately with barricades and lights to protect all persons from damage and injury. Streets, sidewalks and other public property disturbed in the course of installation of a building sewer shall be restored, at the cost and expense of the owner of the improved property being connected, in a manner satisfactory to this Borough.
[Ord. 367, 1/4/1960, Art. 5; as amended by Ord. 675, 11/17/1986]
1. 
Any person who has been engaged regularly in the performance of plumbing work in this Borough for a period of one year prior to enactment of this Part shall be deemed competent to obtain a permit. Any other person seeking to obtain a permit shall exhibit such evidence of competency as this Borough may require, from time to time.
2. 
Any person not possessing a permit shall not perform any plumbing work upon any improved property which is connected to a sewer or which is to be connected to a sewer.
3. 
Any improved property upon which plumbing work is performed by a person not possessing a permit will not be approved for connection to a sewer.
[Ord. 367, 1/4/1960, Art. 6]
1. 
If any person shall fail or refuse, upon receipt of a notice of this Borough, in writing, to remedy any unsatisfactory condition with respect to a building sewer, within 60 days of receipt of such notice, this Borough may refuse to permit such person to discharge sanitary sewage and industrial wastes into the sewer system until such unsatisfactory condition shall have been remedied to the satisfaction of this Borough.
2. 
This Borough reserves the right to refuse to any person the privilege of connection of any improved property to a sewer, or to compel discontinuance of use of a sewer by any person, or to compel the pretreatment of industrial wastes, in order to prevent discharge into the sewer system of wastes which may be deemed by this Borough to be harmful to the sewer system or to have a deleterious effect on sewage treatment processes.
3. 
This Borough reserves the right to adopt, from time to time, additional rules and regulations as it shall deem necessary and proper relating to connections with a sewer and the sewer system, which additional rules and regulations, to the extent appropriate, shall be and shall be construed as part of this Part.
[Ord. 367, 1/4/1960, Art. 7; as amended by Ord. 675, 11/17/1986]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this Part 1 shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $300; and/or to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days. Every day that a violation of this Part 1 continues shall constitute a separate offense.