[Adopted 8-2-1979 by Ord.
No. 241]
Unless the context specifically and clearly indicates otherwise,
the meaning of terms used in this article shall be as follows:
Pine Grove Borough Authority, a Pennsylvania municipality
authority.
The quantity of oxygen expressed in ppm, utilized in the
biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory
procedure for five days at 20° C. The standard laboratory procedure
shall be that found in the latest edition of "Standard Methods for
the Examination of Water and Wastewater" published by the American
Public Health Association.
The Borough of Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania,
acting by and through its Council or, in appropriate cases, acting
by and through its authorized representatives.
Any room, group of rooms, house trailer or other enclosure
occupied or intended for occupancy as separate living quarters by
a family or other group of persons living together or by persons living
alone.
Any property upon which there is erected a structure intended
for continuous or periodic habitation, occupancy or use by human beings
or animals and from which structure sanitary sewage and/or industrial
wastes shall be or may be discharged.
Any solid, liquid or gaseous substance or form of energy
rejected or escaping in the course of any industrial, manufacturing,
trade or business process or in the course of the development, recovery
or processing of natural resources, as distinct from sanitary sewage.
Any person vested with ownership, legal or equitable, sole
or partial, of any improved property.
Any individual, partnership, company, association, society,
corporation or other group or entity.
The logarithm of the reciprocal of the concentration of hydrogen
ions, expressed in grams per liter of solution, indicating the degree
of acidity or alkalinity of a substance.
Parts per million by weight.
Normal water-carried household and toilet wastes from any
improved property.
Any pipe or conduit constituting a part of the sewer system
used or usable for sewage collection purposes.
All facilities, as of any particular time, for collecting,
pumping, treating and disposing of sanitary sewage and/or industrial
wastes, situate in or adjacent to this Borough acquired or to be acquired
and owned by the Authority and leased to this Borough for maintenance
and operation, under an agreement of lease, dated as of August 1,
1978, by and between the Authority and this Borough, and any supplements
and amendments thereto.
Suspended solids as determined pursuant to the procedure
set forth in the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination
of Water and Wastewater, published by the American Public Health Association.
[Amended 6-4-1981 by Ord.
No. 257; 7-1-1982 by Ord. No. 270]
Sewer rentals or charges are imposed upon and shall be collected
from the owner of each improved property which shall be connected
to the sewer system, for use of the sewer system, whether such use
shall be direct or indirect, which sewer rentals or charges shall
commence and shall be effective as of the date of connection of each
such improved property to the sewer system, and shall be payable as
provided herein, in accordance with the following schedule of rates
and classifications:
A.
Residential.
(1)
All owners of residentially improved properties required to be connected
to the sewer system shall pay sewer rentals or charges in amounts
established from time to time by resolution of the Borough Council,
on the basis of the equivalent dwelling units as set forth in the
following schedule:
[Amended 6-16-1983 by Ord. No. 274; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]]
|
Category
|
Equivalent Dwelling Units
| |
|---|---|---|
|
a)
|
Each single family house
|
1 unit
|
|
b)
|
Each house in a double or multiple row of connecting houses
|
1 unit
|
|
c)
|
Each apartment building, whether occupancy is controlled or
is not controlled by law, per each rental unit
|
1 unit
|
|
d)
|
Each hotel, motel and boardinghouse, per 4 rental rooms or fraction thereof (except, sewer rentals or charges provided in this subsection shall not be in addition to those provided in Subsection B of this section; rentals and charges shall be assessed either under this subsection or under Subsection B of this section)
|
1 unit
|
(2)
If the owner of any residential improved property shall fail to provide
this Borough with complete information required to compute the sewer
rental or charge to such residential improved property; this Borough
may estimate a reasonable applicable sewer rental or charge for such
residential improved property and such estimated sewer rental or charge
shall be the actual sewer rental or charge payable until the required
information is filed; provided, however, that no rebates will be paid
by this Borough if the information filed reveals a lower indicated
sewer rental or charge than that estimated by this Borough.
B.
Nonresidential. (Commercial, industrial, clubrooms, firehouses, professional
offices, restaurants, churches, institutions, etc.)
(1)
All owners of nonresidential improved properties required to be connected
to the sewer system shall pay sewer rentals or charges, except as
hereinafter noted, in amounts established from time to time by resolution
of the Borough Council, on the basis of equivalent dwelling units
as set forth in the following schedule:
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
|
Category
|
Equivalent Dwelling Units
| |
|---|---|---|
|
a)
|
Each retail store, business, industry or professional office
not providing showers for employees, having 10 or fewer employees
|
1 unit
|
|
Each additional 5 employees or fraction thereof
|
1 1/2 unit
| |
|
b)
|
Each business or industry providing showers for employees, having
8 or fewer employees
|
1 unit
|
|
Each additional 4 employees or fraction thereof
|
1/2 unit
| |
|
c)
|
Each restaurant, tavern and club, per 15 seats or fraction thereof
|
1 unit
|
|
d)
|
Each hotel, motel and boardinghouse, per 4 rental rooms or fraction
thereof
|
1 unit
|
|
e)
|
Each service station, garage and automobile repair shop, 2 bays
or less
|
2 units
|
|
Each additional bay over 2 1/2 unit
| ||
|
f)
|
Each laundromat, per 5 washers or fraction thereof
|
1 unit
|
|
g)
|
Each barber shop and beauty shop not attached to or forming
part of owner's residence, 2 chairs or less
|
1 1/2 units
|
|
Each additional 2 chairs or fraction thereof
|
1/2 unit
| |
|
h)
|
Each barber shop and beauty shop attached to or forming part
of owner's residence, 2 chairs or fewer
|
1/2 unit
|
|
Each additional 2 chairs or fraction thereof
|
1/2 unit
| |
|
i)
|
Each church and fire company
|
1 unit
|
|
j)
|
Each improved property having a commercial garbage grinder (3/4
horsepower or greater), per each such grinder
|
1 unit
|
(2)
If the owner of any nonresidential improved property (including any
school) shall fail to provide this Borough with complete information
required to compute the sewer rental or charge to such nonresidential
improved property, this Borough may estimate a reasonable applicable
sewer rental or charge for such nonresidential improved property and
such estimated sewer rental or charge shall be the actual sewer rental
or charge payable until the required information is filed; provided,
however, that no rebates will be paid by this Borough if the information
filed reveals a lower indicated sewer rental or charge than that estimated
by this Borough.
C.
Additional classifications and sewer rentals or charges or modifications
of the above schedule of sewer rentals or charges may be established
by this Borough and/or the Authority from time to time as deemed necessary.
D.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to prohibit this Borough
and/or the Authority from entering into separate agreements with owners
(including any school) with respect to sewer rentals or charges to
be imposed in those cases where, due to seasonal fluctuations or other
unusual circumstances, the sewer rentals or charges set forth herein
shall be deemed by this Borough and/or this Authority to be unfair
or inequitable.
A.
Bills.
(1)
All bills for sewer rentals or charges shall be rendered in calendar
quarters, on the first days of January, April, July and October, respectively,
in each year, or on such other dates as this Borough and/or the Authority
by resolution shall specify, and shall cover a quarterly billing period
consisting of the immediately preceding three complete calendar months.
(2)
All bills for sewer rentals or charges based on estimates of this
Borough and/or the Authority shall be rendered for each calendar quarter
promptly after the estimates are made.
(3)
Owners of improved properties connected to the sewer system during
any calendar quarter shall pay a pro rata sewer rental or charge for
service for the balance of the calendar quarter.
(4)
Upon advance application made upon forms to be provided by this Borough,
and/or the Authority sewer rentals or charges will be abated pro rata
during any period of 30 or more consecutive days during which an improved
property connected to the sewer system is vacant.
B.
Sewer rentals or charges shall be due and payable upon the applicable billing date as provided for in Subsection A of this § 145-26 and the appropriate amount computed in accordance with this article shall constitute the net bill. If sewer rentals or charges are not paid within 30 calendar days after each billing date, an additional sum of 10% shall be added to such net bill, which net bill, plus such additional sum, shall constitute the gross bill. Payment made or mailed and postmarked on or before the last day of such 30 calendar day period shall constitute payment within such period. If the end of such 30 calendar day period shall fall on a legal holiday or a Sunday, payment made on or mailed and postmarked on the next succeeding week day which is not a legal holiday shall constitute payment within such period. Any bill not paid within said thirty-calendar-day period shall be deemed delinquent.
C.
Every owner of improved property which is connected to the sewer
system initially shall provide this Borough and/or the Authority with
and thereafter shall keep this Borough and/or the Authority advised
of his correct address. Failure of any person to receive bills for
sewer rentals or charges shall not be considered an excuse for nonpayment
nor shall such failure result in an extension of the period of time
during which the net bill shall be payable.
Sewer rentals or charges imposed by this article shall be a
lien on the improved property connected to and served by the sewer
system; and any such sewer rentals or charges which are delinquent
shall be filed as a lien against the improved property so connected
to and served by the sewer system, which lien shall be filed in the
office of the Prothonotary of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, and
shall be collected in the manner provided by law for the filing and
collecting of municipal claims.
A.
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any stormwater,
surface water, spring water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface
drainage, building foundation drainage, cellar drainage, drainage
from roof leader connections, overflow or drainage from cesspools,
exhaust steam or any oils, tar, grease, gas, benzine or other combustible
gases or liquids or any garbage (unless treated in an approved manner),
insoluble solids, inorganic wastes or any other dangerous or harmful
substance which can adversely affect any part of the sewer system,
into any sewer.
B.
This Borough and/or the Authority reserves the right to refuse permission
to connect to the sewer system to compel discontinuance of use of
the sewer system, or to compel pretreatment of industrial wastes,
in order to prevent discharges deemed harmful or to have a deleterious
effect upon any sewer or the sewer system.
C.
No sanitary sewage or industrial wastes shall be discharged to the
sewer system:
(1)
Being harmful or deleterious to any part of the sewer system.
(2)
Being inhibitory to the treatment process at the sewage treatment
plant constituting part of the sewer system.
(3)
Containing any gasoline, benzine, naphtha, fuel oil or other flammable
or explosive liquids, solids or gases.
(4)
Carrying fats, oils or greases in excess of 500 ppm by weight.
(5)
Being discharged into the sewer system at temperatures in excess
of 150° F.
(6)
Being discharged into the sewer system in batches of such volume
as to tax the capacity of the sewage collection system constituting
part of the sewer system or adversely affecting the treatment process.
(7)
Being such color or other characteristic as to require special treatment
to render the resulting effluent of the sewage treatment plant constituting
part of the sewer system acceptable for discharge to the receiving
stream.
(8)
Being food wastes, garbage (unless treated in an approved manner),
vegetable or fruit rinds, or paunch manure, feathers, bones, rags,
or any other solid, fibrous or viscous inorganic or organic substance
which the sewer system is not intended to receive.
(9)
Being of such character, concentration, volume or combination as
to tax the capacity of the sewage treatment plant constituting part
of the sewer system.
(10)
Including synthetic organic detergents or similar compounds
in such volume as to interfere with the treatment process or the satisfactory
operation of the sewage treatment plant constituting part of the sewer
system.
(11)
Including any liquids having a pH exceeding a minimum value
of 6.0, or a maximum value of 9.0, or found to be excessively corrosive.
(12)
Including any waters or wastes with a B.O.D. in excess of 500
ppm by weight.
(13)
Including any waters or wastes with a suspended solids content
in excess of 500 ppm by weight, or containing suspended solids of
such character and/or quantity that unusual attention or expense is
required to handle and/or treat such material.
(14)
Including any waters or wastes containing any toxic, poisonous
or any other materials in sufficient quantity to cause a hazard in
the operation of the sewer system or which may result in an effluent
discharge from the treatment plant unacceptable to any governmental
body having jurisdiction.
D.
Pretreatment facilities.
(1)
Where necessary all owners shall install suitable pretreatment facilities in order to comply with Subsection C of this section.
(2)
Plans, specifications and any other pertinent information relating
to proposed facilities for preliminary treatment and handling of wastes
shall be submitted for approval of this Borough and/or the Authority
and no construction of any such facility shall be commenced until
approval thereof first shall have been obtained, in writing, from
this Borough and/or the Authority, and until approval thereof first
shall have been obtained from any governmental body having jurisdiction.
(3)
Whenever facilities for preliminary treatment and handling of wastes
shall have been provided by any owner, such facilities continuously
shall be maintained, at the expense of such owner, in satisfactory
operating condition; and this Borough and/or the Authority shall have
access to such facilities at reasonable times for purposes of inspection
and testing.
E.
Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as prohibiting
any special agreement or arrangement between this Borough and/or the
Authority and any person whereby industrial wastes of unusual strength
or character may be admitted into the sewer system by this Borough
and/or the Authority, either before or after preliminary treatment.
A.
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the sewer
system any industrial wastes except upon application to this Borough
and/or the Authority and upon receipt of a written permit therefore
by this Borough and/or the Authority.
B.
Required survey data. Any person desiring to make or use a connection
to the sewer system through which industrial wastes shall be discharged
into the sewer system shall file with this Borough and/or the Authority
an "Industrial Wastes Questionnaire," to be furnished by this Borough
and/or the Authority, which shall supply to this Borough and/or the
Authority pertinent data, including estimated quantity of flow, characteristics
and constituents, with respect to industrial wastes proposed to be
discharged into the sewer system.
C.
Control manholes.
(1)
Any person who shall discharge industrial wastes into the sewer system,
when required by this Borough and/or the Authority, shall construct
and thereafter properly shall maintain, at his own expense, a suitable
control manhole and other devices as may be approved by this Borough
and/or the Authority to facilitate observation, measurement and sampling
by this Borough and/or the Authority of industrial wastes discharged
to the sewer system.
(2)
Any such control manhole, when required by this Borough and/or the
Authority, shall be constructed at an accessible, safe, suitable and
satisfactory location in accordance with plans approved by this Borough
and/or the Authority prior to commencement of construction.
D.
Changes in type of wastes. Any improved property discharging industrial
wastes into the sewer system and contemplating a change in the method
of operation which will alter the characteristics and/or volumes of
wastes at the time being discharged into the sewer system shall notify
this Borough and/or the Authority, in writing, at least 10 days prior
to consummation of such change.
E.
This Borough and/or the Authority reserves the right to require improved
properties having large variations in rates of waste discharge to
install suitable regulating devices for equalizing waste flows to
the sewer system.
F.
All owners of improved properties granted permission to discharge
industrial wastes into the sewer system shall provide all facilities,
including a meter or meters approved by this Borough and/or the Authority,
necessary to measure and record the volume of discharge of industrial
wastes.
This Borough and/or the Authority shall have the right of access
at reasonable times to any part of any improved property served by
the sewer system as shall be required for purpose of inspection, measurement,
sampling and testing and for performance of other junctions relating
to service rendered by this Borough and/or the Authority through the
sewer system.
This Borough and/or the Authority reserves the right to adopt,
from time to time, such additional rules and regulations as it shall
deem necessary and proper in connection with use and operation of
the sewer system, which rules and regulations shall be, shall become
and shall be construed as part of this article.
B.
The Borough and/or the Authority shall submit to the Environmental
Protection Agency for approval, at the time an industrial user enters
the system, and Industrial Cost Recovery System as outlined in Section
8.A(3) of the guidelines for Industrial Cost Recovery dated February,
1976, identified as Attachment "B."[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Attachment B is on file in the Borough
offices.
