[Ord. 902, 3/17/1999, § 1]
From and after the effective date of this Part, no person, firm,
corporation, property owner, lessee, occupier, developer or contractor
shall connect, or cause or permit to be connected, to the sanitary
sewers of the Borough of Ben Avon any rain leader, down spout, gutter,
parking lot drain, driveway drain, interior or exterior sump, french
drain, swimming pool drain, spring or other source or device capable
of carrying surface water, rain, stormwater or ground water into the
sanitary sewers of the Borough.
[Ord. 902, 3/17/1999, § 2]
1. From and after the effective date of this Part, no person, firm,
corporation, real property owner, lessee, occupier, developer or contractor
shall cause or permit discharge of surface water, rain, stormwater
or ground water into the sanitary sewers of the Borough.
2. From and after the effective date of this Part, it shall be the affirmative
duty of every real property owner to repair and maintain in water-tight
condition all sanitary sewer laterals from private structures located
upon the owner's real property to the public sanitary sewer located
in the Borough's right-of-way.
[Ord. 902, 3/17/1999, § 3]
1. The proper officers, employees and agents of the Borough, as appointed
or hired by Council from time to time, are hereby authorized and directed
to conduct periodic smoke and/or dye tests and such other appropriate
inspections, at public cost, of all existing structures located in
Ben Avon Borough, and all structures located in adjacent municipalities
with whom the Borough has a reciprocal inspection agreement and whose
sewer drains are known or reasonably suspected to be connected to
Ben Avon's sanitary sewers. Upon prior written notice to the
owner and occupant, such appropriate other inspections may include
an inspection and dye testing of plumbing fixtures and traps inside
any structure located in the Borough.
2. The purpose of the inspections shall be to determine that the structure
is in compliance with this Part and all regulations promulgated hereunder,
and all other ordinances, laws and regulations pertaining to sewer
systems and structures.
3. The Borough, or its agents, shall give at least seven days'
written notice of the inspection program and of the approximate date
of the inspections to be conducted.
4. All inspections shall be performed between the hours of 8:00 a.m.,
local time, and 5:00 p.m. local time, unless the owner or occupant
of the structure requests another time for the convenience of the
owner or occupant.
[Ord. 902, 3/17/1999, § 4]
Every owner, lessee or occupier of land within Ben Avon Borough
shall submit to smoke and/or dye testing under this Part.
[Ord. 902, 3/17/1999, § 5]
1. When illegal stormwater or surface water connections or conditions
have been discovered, all necessary remedial work to correct such
illegal connection shall be completed by the owner, lessee or occupier
of the premises, weather permitting, within 180 days of the date the
party receives notification of the illegal connection or condition.
Notice shall be by regular mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the
party at the property or at such other address for the party maintained
in the Borough records. Notice shall be deemed to have been received
seven days after mailing, unless returned by the Post Office.
2. When the weather shall not reasonably permit start or completion
of the remediation within 180 days of notice of the violation, the
Borough may extend the time for start or completion of the work provided
that the owner, lessee or occupier of the premises submits to the
Borough: (A) a written contract to complete the work from a licensed
master plumber, (B) good funds payable to the Borough in a sum equal
to 110% of the cost of the work called for in the contract, to be
held by the Borough as security for prompt and complete remediation
once the weather permits; and (C) a written license, on a form prepared
by the Borough, permitting the Borough or its authorized agents and
employees to enter upon the premises to complete the work if the owner,
lessee or occupier fails to do so after reasonable notice.
3. In the event that the necessary remedial work would create a severe
economic hardship for the owner, lessee or occupier of the premises,
application may be made to the Borough for an extension of up to an
additional six months to complete said remedial work. A severe economic
hardship shall occur when any person responsible for compliance with
this Part as to the particular premises has a level of income considered
to be "low-moderate" under federal guidelines.
4. In the event that the owner, lessee or occupier of the premises is
unable to effect the necessary remedial work within the time permitted,
including any extension, the Borough may undertake to have the remedial
work completed at the expense of the owner, lessee or occupier of
the premises, and to make the necessary arrangements for the payment
of the cost of such work by the owner, lessee or occupier of the premises
upon an installment basis mutually satisfactory to the Borough and
the owner, lessee or occupier of the premises. Under such circumstances,
the Borough may file a lien against such property pursuant to the
Pennsylvania Municipal Claims Act, which lien shall remain in effect
until payment in full.
[Ord. 902, 3/17/1999, § 6; as amended by Ord. 691,
3/15/2000, § 1]
1. Acceptable remediation of an illegal connection to the Borough's
sanitary sewer system under this Part shall mean that the illegal
connection is to be disconnected from the sanitary sewer system of
the Borough, and removed, and access to the sewer at that location
capped or sealed; and such source shall be discharged: (A) to the
storm sewer of the Borough, if, in the opinion of the Borough engineer,
such connection is reasonably feasible; or (B) to the curb drain in
the public streets of the Borough, if, in the opinion of the Borough
Engineer, such connection is feasible; (C) to a surface outlet wholly
upon the subject property; or (D) if none of (A), (B) or (C) is feasible
in the opinion of the Borough Engineer, then to a dry sump located
wholly on the property. Such remediation shall be constructed in accordance
with specifications prepared by the Borough Engineer.
2. Prior to beginning remediation of an illegal connection, the owner,
lessee or occupant shall prepare and file with the Borough a written
plan documenting to the satisfaction of the Borough the proposed remediation
including: (A) a measurement of the surface area drained by each outlet
to be remedied; (B) a list of materials to be used; and (C) the disposition
of the water for each outlet. The plan shall be subject to review
and approval by the Borough prior to the commencement of any remedial
work. Upon plan approval, the Borough shall certify the approval upon
the plans. A copy of the approved plans shall be kept on file with
the Borough. Upon rejection of the plans, the Borough shall return
the plans to the applicant and shall state the reason(s) for the rejection.
3. Prior to covering any work to remediate an illegal connection under
this Part, the owner, lessee or occupant shall submit the site to
inspection by the Borough, or its authorized agent, appointed for
that purpose, or by any plumber licensed by the Allegheny County Health
Department. The Borough shall have the right to reject any work which
does not conform to an approved plan, the Borough's specifications
or this Part. Rejected work shall be promptly removed by the owner,
lessee or occupant and promptly replaced by conforming work.
4. In no event is water to be discharged upon or across public or private
sidewalks or discharged onto adjacent property.
5. Upon completion of smoke or dye testing, and remediation of any illegal
connections in accordance with an approved plan filed with the Borough,
the Borough shall issue a certificate of compliance as to that property.
[Ord. 902, 3/17/1999, § 7; as amended by Ord. 691,
3/15/2000, § 2]
Any remediation of an illegal connection shall be completed in the manner set forth herein, including a filed plan, inspection by the Borough, its agent or a licensed plumber, and issuance of a final compliance certificate. The owner of real estate subject to a presale inspection shall pay for the cost of the inspection. The issuance of a presale certificate by the Borough shall be a condition precedent to the issuance of a lien or tax certificate by the Borough. A certificate issued under §
18-405, Subsection 5, of this Part, or a presale certificate issued under this section, shall be valid in lieu of a presale inspection for a period of one year after issue.
[Ord. 902, 3/17/1999, § 8; as amended by Ord. 752,
1/17/2012]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall fail; neglect or refuse
to comply with, or who shall otherwise violate the provisions of this
Part, upon conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to a fine of not
more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine
and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30 days. Each day
that a violation of this Part continues or each section of this Part
which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate
offense.
[Ord. 902, 3/17/1999, § 9]
Every calendar day after the owner, lessee or occupier of premises
has received written notice of the violation shall constitute a separate
violation of this Part.