[Ord. 245, 2/17/2009; as amended by Ord. No. 302, 7/25/2023]
For the purposes of this Part, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings herein indicated:
BUILDING SERVICE
Extension from the water system of any structure to the lateral
of a main.
DEVELOPMENT
Construction of one or more buildings, dwelling units or
other structures on one or more parcels of land or any use of property
or structures thereon for purposes requiring public water, such as
a golf course, park, or swimming pool.
IMPROVED PROPERTY
Any property within the Township of East Rockhill's Water
District upon which there is erected a structure intended for continuous
or periodic habitation, occupancy or use by human beings or animals.
INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENT
Any improved property located within the East Rockhill Water
District and used or intended for use, wholly or in part, for the
manufacturing, processing, cleaning, laundering or assembling of any
product, commodity or article.
MAIN
Any pipe or conduit constituting a part of the water system
used or usable for water distribution purposes.
OWNER
Any person vested with ownership, legal or equitable, sole
or partial, of any improved property.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, company, association, society,
trust, corporation, municipality, municipal authority or other group
or entity.
SERVICE LATERAL
A.
Part of the water system extending from a main to the curbline
or, if there shall be no curbline, extending to the property line;
or
B.
If no such lateral shall be provided, "lateral" shall mean that
portion of, or place in, a main which is provided for connection of
any building service.
WATER DISTRICT
The area within the Township, as defined in §
26-204 of this Part, in which the provisions of this Part apply.
WATER SYSTEM
All facilities, as of any particular time, for production,
transmission, storage and distribution of water in the Township of
East Rockhill owned, operated and maintained by the Perkasie Regional
Authority ("PRA").
[Ord. 245, 2/17/2009; as amended by Ord. No. 302, 7/25/2023]
1. The owner of any improved property within the Water District and abutting upon the water system may, in accordance with §
26-205 of this Part, connect such improved property to the water system upon approval by East Rockhill Township and subject to the rules and regulations of the PRA. For property owners within the Water District and abutting the water system who have private wells as of the effective date of this Part, the connection to the water system is not mandatory and shall be on a voluntary basis, unless connection to the public water system is required by the Township and/or the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection ("PADEP") because of health, safety and/or welfare concerns as set forth in §
26-206 of this Part. Connection to the water system shall be mandatory to new Development that qualifies for mandatory connection under §
26-205 of this Part.
2. Those properties required to connect to the public water system shall
connect such improved property with the water system within 60 days
after notice from the Township, or its designate, to make such connection.
Such notice may be given or served at any time after a main is in
place which can deliver water to the particular property. Such notice
shall be given or served upon the owner in accordance with the law.
The Township, and/or PRA with the Township's approval, after the 60
days' notice and a failure to connect, may construct such connection
and collect from such owner the costs and expenses thereof in any
manner permitted by law.
3. Those industries and farms which have their own supply of water for
uses other than human consumption may continue to use their own private
water supply for that purpose, provided that any wells or water supply
shall not be interconnected with the water system.
[Ord. 245, 2/17/2009; as amended by Ord. No. 302, 7/25/2023]
1. Water mains shall be constructed in such a manner so as to make adequate
water service available to each lot, building, structure or dwelling
within the Water District. In addition to complying with all Township
requirements, all construction of building mains and extensions shall
be performed in accordance with the terms of any agreements required
by the PRA and shall comply with the design standards, specifications,
rules and regulations of the PRA and the Township now in effect or
hereafter amended.
2. All costs and expenses of construction of a building service and
all costs and expenses of connection of a building service to the
water system shall be borne by the owner of the improved property
to be connected, unless otherwise agreed to by the PRA; and such owner
shall indemnify and shall save harmless the Township of East Rockhill
from all loss or damage that may occur directly or indirectly as a
result of construction of a building main or of connection of a building
main to the water system.
3. All mains and service laterals terminating either at the curbline
or property line with a curb stop shall be designed and built in accordance
with plans and specifications approved by the PRA and the Township.
Connections from the curb stop to the building shall be made by the
property owner or his designee and shall be constructed of materials
and in accordance with specifications approved by the PRA and the
Township. There shall be no fittings between the curb stop and the
building unless approved by the PRA and the Township. Grouping of
more than one improved property on one building service shall not
be permitted, except under special circumstances and for good cause
shown and only after permission from the Township and the PRA is received
in writing. All service lines from the curb stop to the building shall
be inspected by the PRA.
[Ord. 245, 2/17/2009; as amended by Ord. No. 302, 7/25/2023]
The Township of East Rockhill hereby establishes a Water District
for the purpose of providing water service to the improved and unimproved
properties requesting to receive and/or required to receive such water
service and located within the Water District. The Water District
shall encompass that area of East Rockhill Township as more specifically
identified in the shaded areas of yellow (Bethlehem Pike service area),
blue (existing water lines) and green (future water extension) on
the Water Service Area Map attached hereto and incorporated herein
as Exhibit A, and the Perkasie Regional Authority shall act as East
Rockhill Township's designated agent within said Water District in
the implementation and for the purposes of this Part. The provisions
of this Part shall not apply to areas which are within East Rockhill
Township but outside of this Water District, unless otherwise stated
herein. Additional areas may be added to this Water District from
time to time by separate resolution of the Board of Supervisors.
[Ord. 245, 2/17/2009; as amended by Ord. No. 302, 7/25/2023]
1. For property owners within the Water District and abutting the water system who have private wells as of the effective date of this Part, connection to the water system is not mandatory and shall be on a voluntary basis, unless connection to the public water system is required by the Township and/or PADEP because of health, safety and/or welfare concerns as set forth in §
26-206 of this Part.
2. Any new development within the Water District, excluding additions
and/or renovations to structures that have private wells as of the
effective date of this Part, and abutting the water system with a
proposed new structure within 150 feet of the right-of-way of the
main of the water system shall be required to connect to the water
system in accordance with this Part. The Township Board of Supervisors
may also require new development beyond 150 feet and/or not abutting
the water system to connect to the water system as part of the subdivision
and land development process if the Township Board of Supervisors
deems it appropriate.
3. Upon request by an owner for public water service, or submission
of any plan for new development in the Water District that includes
a request for public water service, or where the proposed development
or plan is required by the Township to have public water, the PRA
shall be notified of such request or application at the time such
application or request is submitted to the Township, whether by building
permit application or subdivision and land development application
or general request. The PRA shall advise the Township within 45 days
of receipt of such notice of a request for public water service whether
it is able to and/or will furnish water service to the property owner
or development requesting said connection. If the PRA agrees to provide
public water service to such property owner, the Township shall require,
as a condition of approval of the application or request, that the
PRA be the water service provider for the owner of the development
making the request.
4. Any property owner obtaining water service from the PRA shall pay
all applicable tapping and connection fees, water rates and other
charges to the PRA in accordance with the rules and regulations of
the PRA now in effect or hereinafter enacted, unless otherwise agreed
to by the PRA.
[Ord. 245, 2/17/2009; as amended by Ord. No. 302, 7/25/2023]
1. In the event of a health, safety and/or welfare concern, the Township
may adopt a resolution making the connection to the water system mandatory
for an identified property. The Township, with PRA's approval, may
require a property owner abutting the water system within the Water
District or outside the Water District to connect to the water system
when the Township determines that the connection is necessary to resolve
a public health, safety and/or welfare concern.
2. In situations where public water is extended at the request of the
Township by the PRA to address issues that are a threat to public
health, safety and welfare, the Township will require all occupied
properties fronting the public water extension that are the subject
of such a threat to public health, safety and welfare to connect to
the said water system, subject to the provisions in this Part, and
when deemed in the best interest of the public, have their private
wells properly sealed and abandoned.
3. If the owner of any improved property abutting upon the water system
is directed by the Township, with PRA's approval, to connect
to the water system due to a threat to public health, safety, and/or
welfare, the Township, and/or the PRA with the Township's approval,
after 90 days' notice and failure to connect, may construct such
connection and collect from such owner the costs and expenses thereof
in any manner permitted by law.
[Ord. 245, 2/17/2009]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision
of this Part shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to pay a fine
of no more than $1,000, and, in default of payment, to imprisonment
for a term not to exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation of this
Part continues shall constitute a separate offense.