As mandated by the Second Class Township Code, the Clean Streams
Law (35 P.S. §§ 691.1 to 691.1001), and the Pennsylvania
Sewage Facilities Act (Act of January 24, 1966, P.L. 1535 as amended,
35 P.S. § 750.1 et seq., known as Act 537), municipalities
have the power and the duty to provide for adequate sewage treatment
facilities and for the protection of the public health by preventing
the discharge of untreated or inadequately treated sewage. The Official
Sewage Facilities Plan for Metal Township indicates that it is necessary
to formulate and implement a sewage management program to effectively
prevent and abate water pollution and hazards to the public health
caused by improper treatment and disposal of sewage.
The purpose of this article is to provide for the inspection,
maintenance and repair of on-lot sewage disposal systems; to further
permit the Board to intervene in situations which are public nuisances
or hazards to the public health; and to establish penalties and appeal
procedures necessary for the proper administration of a sewage management
program.
ACT 537
The Act of January 24, 1966, P.L. 1535, as amended, 35 P.S.
§ 750.1 et seq.
AUTHORIZED AGENT
A certified Sewage Enforcement Officer, code enforcement
officer, professional engineer, the Township Secretary, or any other
qualified or licensed person who is designated by the Board to function
within specified limits as the agent of the Township to carry out
the provisions of this article.
BOARD
The duly elected Board of Supervisors of Metal Township,
Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
COMMUNITY ON-LOT SEWAGE SYSTEM
A community sewage system which uses a system of piping,
tanks, or other facilities for collecting, treating, and disposing
of sewage into a soil absorption area or holding tank for more than
one residential and/or commercial structure.
DEPARTMENT
The Department of Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania (PaDEP), or its successor agency.
HOLDING TANK
A tank, whether permanent or temporary, to which sewage is
conveyed by a water carrying system.
INDIVIDUAL ON-LOT SEWAGE SYSTEM
An individual sewage system which uses a system of piping,
tanks or other facilities for collecting, treating, and disposing
of sewage into an absorption area or holding tank.
LOCAL AGENCY
A municipality (or any combination of municipalities acting
cooperatively or jointly under the laws of the commonwealth), county,
county department of health, or joint county department of health.
MALFUNCTION
The condition which occurs when an on-lot sewage disposal
system discharges sewage onto the surface of the ground, into ground
waters of this commonwealth, into surface waters of this commonwealth,
backs up into the building connected to the on-lot sewage disposal
system, or otherwise causes a nuisance hazard to the public health
or the pollution of ground or surface water or contamination of public
or private drinking water wells. On-lot sewage disposal systems shall
be considered to be malfunctioning if any of the conditions noted
above occur for any period of time during any period of the year.
OFFICIAL SEWAGE FACILITIES PLAN
A comprehensive plan for the provision of adequate sewage
disposal systems, adopted by the Township and approved by the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection, as described in and required
by the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act.
PERSON
An individual, association, public or private corporation,
whether for profit or not-for-profit, partnership, firm, trust, estate,
department, board, bureau or agency of the United States, state, commonwealth,
political subdivision, municipality, district, authority, or another
legal entity which is recognized by law as the subject of rights and
duties. The term includes the members of an association, partnership,
or firm and the officers of a local agency or municipality, or a public
or private corporation, whether for profit or not-for-profit.
PROPERTY
Any tract of real estate whereon a system is or is intended
to be located within the management district.
PSMA
Pennsylvania Septage Management Association, or its successor
organization.
REPAIR
Work done to modify, alter, enlarge or replace any portion
of an existing on-lot sewage disposal system.
REPLACEMENT AREA
A portion of a lot or a developed property, appropriately
sized to allow for the installation of a second on-lot sewage disposal
area, which is necessary when the originally installed on-lot sewage
disposal system malfunctions and cannot be properly repaired.
SEWAGE
Any substance that contains any of the waste products or
excrement or other discharge from the bodies of human beings and any
noxious or deleterious substances being harmful or inimical to the
public health, or to animal or aquatic life, or to the use of water
for domestic water supply or for recreation or which constitutes pollution
under the Act of June 22, 1937 (P.L. 1987, No. 394), known as the
"Clean Streams Law," as amended.
SEWAGE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (SEO)
The appointed official of the local agency who issues and
reviews permit applications and conducts such investigations and inspections
as are necessary to implement Act 537 and the rules and regulations
promulgated hereunder. All individuals serving as Sewage Enforcement
Officers for the Township shall be certified by the Commonwealth.
SEWAGE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
Includes any area or land development within the jurisdiction
of Metal Township that is not provided sanitary sewer service by the
Fannettsburg Wastewater Treatment Facilities which serves the Village
of Fannettsburg.
SEWAGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
A comprehensive set of legal and administrative requirements
encompassing the requirements of this article and other administrative
requirements adopted by the Township to effectively administer, manage,
and regulate the disposal of sewage.
SEWAGE SLUDGE
The coarse screenings, grit, and de-watered or air-dried
sludges, septic and holding tank pumpings, and other residues from
municipal and residential sewage collection and treatment systems.
SUBDIVISION
The division or redivision of a lot, tract, or other parcel
of land into two or more lots, tracts, parcels, or, other divisions
of land, including changes in existing lot lines for the purpose,
whether immediate or future, of lease, partition by court for distribution
to heirs or devisees, transfer of ownership, or building or lot development.
Whenever a lot is used for a more than one residential dwelling unit
or one or more multiple family dwellings or for commercial, institutional,
or industrial purposes, the lot shall be deemed to have been subdivided
(and shall fall within this definition of a subdivision) into an equivalent
number of single-family residential lots, as determined by estimated
sewage flows.
TOWNSHIP
Metal Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and its Board
of Supervisors.
From the effective date of this article, its provisions shall
apply in any portion of the Township identified and defined as being
part of the Township's Sewage Management District. Within such
an area or areas, the provisions of this article shall apply to all
persons owning any property serviced by an on-lot sewage disposal
system and to all persons installing, repairing, or replacing on-lot
sewage disposal systems. Any contractual conditions for use of a property
(such as, but not limited to, a lease) shall not operate to relieve
the owner of any of the obligations imposed by this article, but any
owner may notify the Township in writing of the names of all adult
tenants of a leased property for purposes of sending notices, bills,
and other communications during the leasehold period. Primary responsibility
for compliance shall always remain with the property owner.
The fees for any application, inspection, review, or other matters
undertaken by the Township or authorized agents under this article
shall be sufficient to cover the fair and reasonable expenses of those
activities and shall be such as are prescribed by Township resolution,
from time to time. These fees include, but are not limited to the
following:
A. Pumping out of retaining tanks or septic tanks shall be charged as
established from time to time by contracted haulers.
B. The Township shall have authority to contract with any private person,
partnership, corporation, or any public agency to undertake any activity
necessary to fulfill the requirements of this article.
C. The established fee for processing an application to permit construction
or repair of an on-lot sewage disposal system shall be payable to
the Township, or its authorized agent, upon the issuance of the permit.
D. All other charges incurred by or on behalf of the Township and all
charges for inspection, re-inspection, or other matters undertaken
by the Township under this article shall be billed to the owner(s)
of a property and be payable within 15 days. Thereafter, a late payment
penalty of one per month for each month in which the payment is not
made will be assessed.
E. Outstanding delinquent charges shall constitute an assessment and
lien against the property and may be filed as a municipal claim with
the Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County.
The Board shall establish all administrative procedures necessary
to properly carry out the provisions of this article. The Board may
establish a fee schedule, and subsequently collect fees, to cover
the costs to the Township of administering this program.