[Adopted 5-24-1971 by Ord. No. 71-8 (Ch. 190, Art. I, of the 1985 Code)]
A. 
Word usage. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future, words in the plural number include the singular number, words in the singular number include the plural number, and the masculine includes the feminine. The word "shall" as used herein is mandatory and the word "may" is permissive.
B. 
Definitions. For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meaning given herein, unless the context specifically indicates otherwise:
ASTM
The American Society for Testing Materials.
AUTHORITY
The Bergen County Sewer Authority that maintains the district sewer system into which the Township sewer system shall connect.
BOARD OF HEALTH
The Advisory Board of Health of the Township of Washington or any officer, employee or agent designated by the Advisory Board of Health to act in the matter on behalf of the Board.
BOD (denoting "BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND")
The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five days at 20° C., expressed in parts per million by weight.
BUILDING DRAIN
The lowest horizontal piping of a plumbing system that receives the discharge from soil and waste pipes and conveys it to the building sewer.
BUILDING SEWER
That part of the sewerage system beginning five feet outside the inner face of the building wall which receives the discharge from the building drain and conveys it to the house connection.
CONTRACTOR or PLUMBING CONTRACTOR
A plumber.
GARBAGE
Solid wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food and from the handling, storage and sale of produce.
HOUSE CONNECTION
That part of the sewerage system that runs from the main sewer to the curbline and includes all necessary fittings, all as shown on connection location plans.
HOUSE CONNECTION LOCATION
An acceptable plan showing existing house sewer lines.
INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL WASTE
The liquid waste from industrial and commercial processes as distinct from sanitary sewage.
INTERCEPTOR
A device designed and installed so as to separate and retain deleterious, hazardous or otherwise undesirable matter such as grease, oil or sand from normal wastes and permit only normal sewage or liquid wastes to discharge into the disposal terminal.
MAIN SEWER or PUBLIC SEWER
The sewers laid in the street or sewer easement in which all owners of abutting properties have rights and which is controlled by the Township of Washington.
MUNICIPAL SEWER SYSTEM
The Township of Washington sanitary sewer system, including the entire network of public sewers in the Township and all appurtenances thereto.
NATURAL OUTLET
Any outlet into a stream, watercourse, pond, ditch, lake or other body of stormwater, surface water or groundwater.
PERSON
Any individual, firm, company, association, corporation, partnership, society or group, or any group or combination thereof.
pH
The logarithm to the base 10 of the reciprocal of the weight of hydrogen ions in grams per liter of solution.
PLUMBER
Any person, firm or company that practices plumbing, as defined below.
PLUMBING
The practice of installing, maintaining, extending, repairing and altering plumbing systems. It shall also mean the installed plumbing system piping, materials, plumbing fixtures and appurtenances of such systems in connection with the following: sanitary drainage or storm drainage facilities, together with their venting systems, a public or private water supply system and fire protection systems within or adjacent to any building, structure or conveyance.
PLUMBING INSPECTOR
A person licensed and authorized to inspect plumbing pursuant to the provisions of New Jersey statutes pertinent thereto and who is in the employ of the Township of Washington.
PLUMBING SYSTEM
The sanitary and storm drainage facilities, together with their venting systems and plumbing fixtures, a public or private water supply system and the fire protection systems of any building, structure or conveyance to a point of connection to a public or private sewerage system, public or private water supply or other acceptable terminal.
PUBLIC SEWER
The same as "main sewer."
SANITARY SEWAGE
Ordinary nonindustrial sewage (but not including stormwater, groundwater and surface water), for example, sewage discharging from toilets, washbowls, bathtubs and like sanitary conveniences installed in dwellings, apartment houses and hotels, office and commercial buildings, factories and institutions.
SANITARY SEWER
A sewer that has been designed to carry sewage and not stormwater, surface water and groundwater.
SEWAGE
Any liquid waste containing animal, chemical or vegetable matter in suspension or solution.
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT
Any devices and structures used for treating sewage.
SEWAGE WORKS
All facilities for collecting, pumping and disposing of sewage.
SEWER
A pipe, conduit or any other method for carrying sewage.
SEWER ENGINEER
The person or firm of duly licensed engineers retained or appointed by the Township of Washington in connection with the design, construction and maintenance of the municipal sewer system.
SEWER INSPECTOR
The Sewer Inspector of the Township of Washington or his authorized agent.
SLOPE
The grade or pitch of a line of pipe in reference to a horizontal plane. It shall be expressed as the fall in feet per foot of length of pipe.
STORM SEWER or STORM DRAIN
A sewer, gutter, culvert, catch basin, inlet or like facility designed to carry stormwater, surface water or groundwater and not domestic sewage or industrial waste.
SUSPENDED SOLIDS
Solids that either float on the surface of or are in suspension in water, sewage or other liquids and which are removable by laboratory filtering.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Washington or any officer, employee or agent designated by the Township to act in the matter on behalf of the Township.
WATERCOURSE
A channel in which a flow of water occurs, either continuously or intermittently.
WYE PLANS
A plan prepared by the Sewer Engineer showing existing building sewer laterals.
Every owner of property upon which there is now or shall hereafter be erected or placed a house, building or other structure used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purpose, situated within the Township and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way or abutting on any other property so abutting and having access to such street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now or shall hereafter be installed any portion of the public sewer, is hereby required at his own cost and expense to:
A. 
Install suitable toilet facilities therein.
B. 
Connect such facilities and all sanitary sewerage facilities in such structure directly with the public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this article and in accordance with the requirements of the ordinances of the Township of Washington. The connection of such facilities to any other means of sewage disposal is hereby prohibited when said sanitary sewerage facilities become available and operable.
A. 
Such facilities and all sanitary sewerage facilities shall be installed and connection shall be made with the public sewer within one year after the date of official notice requiring such action. Official notice shall consist of notice published twice in a newspaper qualified to publish legal notices of the Township. The one-year period shall commence on the first day of the month next following the second publication of said notice. In addition, the Township may mail to every owner of property referred to in § 385-2 a copy of such notice or of the substance thereof, by ordinary mail addressed to the person listed as the owner on the tax assessment roles of the Township. Failure to mail or to receive such notice shall not impair or invalidate the legal effect of the published notice.
B. 
The time within which connection shall be made with the public sewer as above stated may be extended from time to time as shall be determined by the Advisory Board of Health. Such extension shall only be granted when the Advisory Board of Health is satisfied that extraordinary conditions of hardship have been presented and that the public health will not be endangered or jeopardized by the granting of the extension requested. Requests for extension shall be in writing upon forms provided by the Advisory Board of Health for such purpose. If the Advisory Board of Health denies any request for extension, appeal may be taken to the Council within 30 days of receipt of letter of denial, which shall be sent certified mail, return receipt requested. The Township Council shall conduct a public hearing and afford the applicant a full opportunity to be heard. Hearing by the Council shall be conducted within 30 days of the receipt of the notice of appeal.
[Added 4-5-1976 by Ord. No. 76-4; amended 3-7-1977 by Ord. No. 77-7]
As public sewers become available to property presently being served by a private sewage disposal system, a direct connection shall be made to the public sewer pursuant to the terms of this article and any septic tanks, cesspools and/or similar private sewage disposal systems shall be abandoned. Steel tank systems shall be filled with earth or bank-run gravel immediately upon abandonment.
All costs and expense incident to the installation and connection of the house connection shall be borne by the owner.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Sections 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, which followed this section and which related to connections made by the Township, were repealed 4-5-1976 by Ord. No. 76-4.
[Amended 4-5-1976 by Ord. No. 76-4]
The Sewer Engineer shall file a complete set of connection or wye plans, including latest revisions, with the Board of Health. Where there is no house connection available, the property owner shall, prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy, apply to the Township to have a house connection installed from the main sewer to the curb at his own cost.
Each contractor or other person performing work on public property, other than a Township employee, shall be required to post a performance guaranty in the amount of 125% of the Sewer Engineer's estimate of the cost. Said performance guaranty shall be in such form as the Township shall subscribe. All work shall be adequately guarded with barricades, lights and other measures for protection of the public from hazard. All public property disturbed in the course of the work shall be restored in a manner satisfactory to the Plumbing Inspector.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to:
A. 
Place, deposit or permit to be deposited in an unsanitary manner upon public or private property within the Township, or in any area under the jurisdiction of said Township, any human or animal excrement, garbage, industrial or commercial waste, foul liquids or any other liquid or solid waste that is malodorous or unsanitary or otherwise objectionable.
B. 
Discharge or cause or permit to be discharged to any natural outlet, gutter, stream, ditch, culvert, catch basin or watercourse in the Township of Washington, or in any area under the jurisdiction of said Township, any sanitary sewage, industrial waste or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with the provisions of this article.
C. 
Uncover any portion of the public sewers or drains or the connection branches thereof, or open any manhole or flush tank, except with the written permission of the Plumbing Inspector.
D. 
Open any public street or place for the purpose of making a sewer connection, or make or cause to be made any connection with a house connection or branch of a public sewer, except under a special written permit signed by the Township allowing such specific connection to be made under the supervision of the Plumbing Inspector.
E. 
Make or cause or allow to be made any excavation within four feet of any public sewer, or blast any rock within 10 feet thereof, save with the express written permission of the Plumbing Inspector.
F. 
Use or cause or allow the use of any metal, mechanical or electrical cutters, eels or snakes or any other sewer cleaning apparatus within the Township of Washington without first having registered his or its name and place of business at the office of the Board of Health upon forms to be furnished by said Board and receiving its authorization. The fee for such registration shall be set forth in Chapter 212, Fees, per annum, payable in advance. Initial registration at the full fee shall be made during any calendar year for the balance of that year. The registration shall be renewed annually on or before December 31 of each year for the following calendar year. In addition to the payment of the fees herein provided, each registrant shall furnish a bond to the Board of Health with surety satisfactory to the Board, on the forms to be prescribed by the Board of Health, in the sum of $1,000 for the faithful performance of any sewer cleaning work done by him or it. The bond shall indemnify and save harmless said Township for any expense or costs paid by said Township in the correction or replacement due to his or its negligence or mistake or that of any person working under his or its direction in the performance of the work done.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
G. 
Break or cut or remove any pipe of the public sewer, or make or cause to be made any connection with such sewer except through the specific branch or branches allotted for the purpose, the allotment of such connection and its location to be designated by the Township.
H. 
Discharge or cause or permit the discharge into any portion of the public sewer, directly or indirectly, of any clear drainage, such as but not limited to swimming pools, heating or air-conditioning units, groundwater, surface water or rainwater from sidewalks, yards, areas, courts, roofs, cellars or any sump, cistern or tank overflow.
I. 
Discharge or cause or permit the discharge into the public sewer, directly or indirectly, of any drainage or overflow from cesspools, manure pits, privies or other receptacles storing or designed to store organic wastes.
J. 
Connect or cause or permit the connection with any main or public sewer, directly or indirectly, of any exhausts, boiler blowoffs, sediment drips or any pipes carrying or constructed to carry hot water, acids, dyes, brine, germicides, greases, brewery mash, gasoline, naphtha, benzine, oil or any other chemical, petrochemical or petroleum wastes, flammable or explosive liquids, industrial wastes, radioactive materials or any other substance detrimental to the sewers or their appurtenances or the operation of the Township or Authority sewer system or sewage disposal works.
K. 
Throw or deposit, or cause or allow to be thrown or deposited, into any fixture, vessel, receptacle, inlet or opening connected directly or indirectly with any portion of the public sewer, anything other than sewage, it being the intent to prohibit any straw, garbage, including garbage whether compacted or shredded by way of hand or mechanical or other device, wood, glass, feathers, tar, plastics, chemical or petrochemical products, vegetables, parings, ashes, cinders, rags or any other substance capable of causing either damage to the sewer or obstructions to the flow in the sewers, except feces, urine, necessary toilet papers and liquid slops; or allow any house sewer connection with a main or public sewer to be likewise connected with any privy vault, cesspool or underground drain or with any channel conveying water or filth except such soil pipes, house drains, house sewers and other plumbing works as shall have been duly inspected and approved by a Plumbing Inspector employed by the Township.
Except as hereinafter provided, no persons shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following-described waters or wastes to any public sewers:
A. 
Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 150° F.
B. 
Any liquid or vapor which may contain more than 100 parts per million by weight of fat, oil or grease.
C. 
Any gasoline, benzine, naphtha, fuel oil or any other chemical or petrochemical or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas.
D. 
Any liquid having a pH lower than 5.5 or higher than 9.0 or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structure, equipment and personnel of the Township or the Authority.
E. 
Any liquid containing toxic or poisonous substance in sufficient quantity to injure or interfere with any sewage treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals or create any hazard in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant.
F. 
Any liquid containing suspended solids of such character and quantity that unusual attention or expense is required to handle such matters at the sewage treatment plant.
G. 
Any noxious or malodorous gas or substance capable of creating a public nuisance.
Grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be provided when, in the opinion of the Plumbing Inspector, they are necessary for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing grease in excessive amounts or any flammable wastes, sand or other harmful ingredients, except that such interceptors shall not be required for one-family dwelling houses. All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the Plumbing Inspector and shall be located so as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection. Such grease and oil interceptors shall be constructed of impervious materials capable of withstanding abrupt and extreme changes in temperature. They shall be of a substantial construction, watertight and equipped with easily removable covers which, when bolted in place, shall be gastight and watertight.
A. 
No person shall introduce or cause or permit to be introduced into any public sewer liquids having:
(1) 
Five-day biochemical oxygen demand greater than 300 parts per million by weight; or
(2) 
More than 350 parts per million by weight of suspended solids; or
(3) 
Any quantity of substances having the characteristics described in § 385-9 hereof; or
(4) 
An average daily flow greater than 2% of the average daily sewage flow of the Township, unless approval therefor shall first have been procured from the Township.
B. 
Where necessary, in the opinion of the Township, the owner shall provide, at his expense, such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to reduce the biochemical oxygen demand to 300 parts per million by weight, or reduce the suspended solids to 350 parts per million by weight, or reduce objectionable characteristics of constituents to within the maximum limits provided for in § 385-9 hereof, or control the quantities and rates of discharge of such liquids. Plans, specifications and any other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the Township, the Authority and the Department of Health of the State of New Jersey, and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until said approvals are obtained in writing.
When required by the Plumbing Inspector, the owner of any property served by a house connection or building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable control manhole in the building sewer to facilitate observation, sampling and measurement of the waste. Such manhole location and design shall be approved by the Plumbing Inspector. The manhole shall be installed by the owner at his expense and shall be maintained by him so as to be safe and accessible at all times.
A. 
All measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of liquids to which reference is made in §§ 385-9 and 385-12 hereof shall be determined in accordance with Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Waste Water, published by the American Public Health Association, Inc., being the then-current edition thereof, a copy of which is hereby adopted and made a part hereof and is incorporated herein as fully as if set forth at length.
B. 
Three copies of said Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Waste Water have been placed on file in the office of the Township Clerk of the Township upon the introduction of this article and will remain on file there until final action is taken on this article for use and examination by the public. Upon adoption of this article, said copies shall remain on file in said office so long as said Article is in effect. In addition, three copies shall be placed on file and shall remain on file in the office of the Board of Health of the Township so long as said Article is in effect for use and examination by the public.
C. 
All such measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of the waters and wastes shall be determined at the control manhole provided for in § 385-14 hereof or upon suitable samples taken at said control manhole. In the event that no special manhole has been required, the control manhole shall be considered to be the downstream manhole in the public sewer nearest to the point which the building sewer is connected.
A. 
The Township may, by ordinance, establish a schedule of fees and charges in connection with the use, operation, maintenance and construction of the municipal sewer systems of the Township, to be imposed upon the owners of the properties served thereby at the rates set forth in such ordinance and any amendments and supplements thereto.
B. 
Said charges, rents and rates or fees shall be based upon, in addition to the above, all agreements entered into between the Township and the Authority relating but not limited to charges by the Authority to the Township for annual sewer flow.
C. 
Said charges, rents, rates or fees shall be included in and made a part of the general taxation to be paid by all owners of property served thereby.
The aforesaid charges for the use of public sewers shall draw the same interest from the date they become due as taxes upon real property and shall continue to do so until paid, and the Township shall have the same remedies for the collection thereof, with interest, costs and penalties, as it has by law for the collection of taxes upon real property.
A. 
No person shall break, damage, destroy, deface or tamper with any structure, appurtenance or equipment which is a part of the municipal sewer system. Any person violating this provision shall be prosecuted according to law.
B. 
Any person who, by reason of the violation of the provisions of this article or other improper use of the municipal sewer system or any of its branches, appurtenances or connections, shall cause damage to said municipal sewer or to the system of facilities of the Authority to which the Township sewer system is connected, shall be liable to the Township for all costs and expenses that may be incurred by the Township for the correction of any such damage. The Township shall have the right to recover such costs and expenses and the cost and expense of prosecuting its claim from any such person by appropriate action at law in a court of competent jurisdiction. The right of the Township to be reimbursed for any costs and expenses incurred shall be an additional remedy and such person shall also be subject to the penalties contained in this article for violation of its provisions.
In the administration of this article, the connections from the curb or street line onto private property shall be supervised and administered by the Board of Health of the Township, and all matters relating to sewers lying within the street or from the public sewer to curb shall be within the jurisdiction of the Mayor and Council.
A. 
Any person found to be violating any provision of this article shall be served by the Township with written notice as required herein stating the nature of the violation and providing a reasonable time limit for the satisfactory correction thereof. The offender shall, within the period of time stated in such notice, permanently cease all such violations.
B. 
Any person who shall continue any violation beyond the time limit provided for in Subsection A shall be punishable as provided in § 1-1 of Chapter 1, General Provisions. Each day in which any such violation shall continue shall be deemed a separate offense.
[Amended 4-5-1976 by Ord. No. 76-4; 6-3-1985 by Ord. No. 85-5]