No person shall make any direct or indirect connection to or use of the system or the storm sewers of the Township of Knowlton without complying with the requirements of this chapter. No person outside of the sewer service area designated in the Township's Wastewater Management Plan shall be permitted to connect to the system.
The Mayor and Committee may, by resolution, promulgate such rules and regulations as it deems reasonably necessary to secure the proper enforcement of this chapter and the proper administration and operation of the system. The rules and regulations governing the operation of the Knowlton Township Sewer System adopted by the Township, pursuant to Ordinance No. 95-22, shall remain in force, except to the extent inconsistent herewith.
A. 
All new dwellings and other buildings or structures required or permitted to install sanitary facilities shall connect to the system. All existing commercial uses, buildings or structures currently relying on on-site septic tanks or other private waste disposal systems shall connect to the system unless the Mayor and Committee determine, after notice and hearing, that public health, safety and welfare that the said commercial uses, buildings or structures do not require connection to the system. In the event that the owner fails to connect within 180 days after being notified in writing by the Township to do so, the Township may make such on-premises connection and assess the costs thereof against the owner in accordance with law and in accordance with the procedures as set forth hereinafter.
B. 
Prior to connecting to the system, the owner or system user shall obtain a permit to do so from the Township Clerk, shall comply with all regulations applicable to connections and pay all fees in connection therewith.
C. 
All connections to the system must be designed and constructed in accordance with Township standards, good engineering practices and applicable law.
D. 
Applications for a permit to connect into, directly or indirectly, the system shall be obtained from and submitted to the Clerk.
E. 
The applicant shall state the location of the proposed tap connection point, the address of the property which is to be served by the connection and the estimated number of gallons of wastewater required. The estimated number of gallons shall be calculated in accordance with N.J.A.C. Subchapter 23, Section 7:14A-23.3, Projected flow criteria.
F. 
Applications shall be reviewed by the Township's Wastewater Engineering Consultant at the expense of the applicant.
G. 
Upon receipt of the proper permits, including a street opening permit, the applicant may proceed but must notify the appropriate Township official so that a Township representative is present to make or supervise the connection to the system.
A. 
All costs and expenses incident to the installation and connection of the service connection to the system shall be borne by the owner. The system user may pay these costs on behalf of the owner.
B. 
The maintenance of the service connection shall be the responsibility of the owner but may be performed by the system user.
C. 
The owner shall indemnify the Township from any loss or damage that may, directly or indirectly, be occasioned by the installation and connection of the service connection to the system or arising from any improper use thereof by the system user.
A. 
If, after the expiration of 180 days from the date of official notification, the owner of any property affected by the provisions of this chapter has failed to connect to the system, and/or to make such connection as required herein, after receiving official notice requiring such action as hereinbefore provided, the Township may, upon 30 days' written notice to the owner or owner's agent, cause such installation or connection to be made under the direction and supervision of the Wastewater Engineer or his/her designee or award one or more contracts for the making of such improvements to any persons who are licensed plumbers in the State of New Jersey, if required, authorized to perform work on sanitary sewers.
B. 
When any such connection shall be made by the Township, a true and accurate account of the cost and expense shall be kept and apportioned to the property or properties thereby connected, and a true statement of such costs shall be forthwith filed by the officer of the municipality in charge of such connection or installation with the Clerk of the governing body. The governing body shall examine the same and, if properly made, shall confirm it and file such statement with the officer of the municipality charged with the duty of collecting taxes. Said officer shall record the connection or installation charge in the same book in which said officer records sidewalk and other assessments.
C. 
Each such connection or installation charge shall be a first lien or charge against the property benefited therefrom. Interest upon the amount so charged shall accrue as provided by N.J.S.A. 40A:26A-12. Liens levied in accordance with this section shall be enforceable in the manner provided for real property tax liens in Chapter 5 of Title 54 of the Revised New Jersey Statutes.
Except as permitted elsewhere in this chapter, the system shall be used only for the discharge of domestic wastewater, such as fluid refuse from sinks, bath and house laundry tubs, showers, baths and urinals, wastes from toilets and such other waste as the Mayor and Committee shall from time to time authorize by ordinance to enter said sewer system.
A. 
Any system user shall have the right to appeal to the Mayor and Committee any decision or action taken pursuant to this chapter, provided that the system user shall file a written appeal within 45 days of the decision or action.
B. 
All appeals shall be commenced by filing a written notice of appeal filed with the Clerk within the time specified herein. A hearing shall be held by the Mayor and Committee within 45 days of the filing of the appeal. A final decision shall be made within 45 days of the conclusion of the hearing or adjourned hearing. No appeal will be considered unless at least 75% of any charges appealed from have been paid by the system user. In the event that the party appealing is not the owner, the consent of the owner shall be affixed to the written notice of appeal.
C. 
The party appealing shall bear the burden of proof.
D. 
Any engineering, legal, auditing or services provided by Township professionals or outside vendors incurred by the Township to evaluate such appeal shall be the responsibility of the party appealing and the Township may request, as a condition of hearing the appeal, that the party appealing deposit in escrow a reasonable amount necessary to cover said fees or costs.
E. 
Once a system user files an appeal, that system user shall not be permitted to file another appeal of the same type for the same property within a one-year period from the filing of the first appeal unless there is a change of circumstances.
A. 
The right is reserved by the Mayor and Committee to stop and prevent at any time the discharge into the system of any wastewater which may damage or adversely affect the system or which is not in conformity with the requirements and standards now or hereafter made by the Mayor and Committee concerning the receipt and the treatment of wastewater, and the Mayor and Committee may at any time, without notice and without recourse, in the event of any emergency affecting public health, safety, and, in other cases, upon notice and hearing, sever the connection and cause removal of any sewer or drain into or through which there is a discharge.
B. 
New sewers and connections to the system shall be properly designed and constructed in conformity with standards now or hereafter established by the Township.