[Adopted as Art. 1521 of the 1960 Code]
[Amended 4-4-1994 by Ord.
No. 94-08]
Septic tank installations will be approved in all areas not
serviced by a public sewer, but subject to inspection by the Health
Officer, and must conform to specifications set forth in this article.
Every property, residential or commercial, having sanitary facilities
must have its own septic system unless served by municipal sewers.
[Amended 1-15-1968 by Ord. No. 3-68; 4-4-1994 by Ord. No. 94-08]
A plan in triplicate of all new private sewage disposal systems
or replacement of faulty private sewage disposal systems must be filed
with the Health Officer for approval before breaking ground. At this
time an inspection fee as set forth from time to time by resolution
of the Board of Supervisors must be paid. Plan forms will be furnished
by the Township and upon inspection will be certified by the Health
Officer.
Septic tanks shall be made of reinforced concrete with a reinforced
concrete lid having suitable inspection and cleanout ports. The tank
must have approved baffles.
A.
Table I.
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Table I
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Capacities for Septic Tanks
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Minimum Number of Bedrooms
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Minimum Liquid Capacity of Tank in Gallons1
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3 or fewer
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500
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4
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750
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5
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900
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Notes:
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1
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Increase minimum liquid capacity by 50% when household garbage
grinder discharges into system.
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B.
Houses with six or more bedrooms and industrial and commercial establishments
must have special Board of Sanitation approval.
House sewer from building to septic tank must be constructed
of four-inch medium weight cast iron soil pipe with leaded and caulked
joints, be installed with an even grade of not less than 1/4 inch
per foot and be provided with an accessible heavy brass screw cap
ferrule, caulked in. Distribution line from septic tank to distribution
box to be constructed of four-inch medium weight cast iron soil pipe
with cemented joints at septic tank and distribution box.
Septic systems within the meaning of this article shall include
the sewer line from the house or building to the septic tank and such
lines must be left uncovered until the inspection required hereunder
is completed. Septic tanks may not be placed nearer than 10 feet to
the foundation of any building or structure.
All septic tanks must be equipped with a concrete distribution
box having one inlet and an outlet for each line in the drain field.
[Amended 4-4-1994 by Ord.
No. 94-08]
All septic tanks and installations must be inspected prior to
being covered over. Such inspections shall be made by the Township
Health Officer and at least 24 hours' notice, excluding Saturday,
Sunday and holidays, must be given to the Health Officer for inspection
of all septic tanks and septic systems installations. The contractor
or installer of the septic system must be represented in person, by
his agent or his attorney at the time of the inspection and shall
assist in the inspection if the Health Officer requires such assistance.
If the Health Officer does not approve the installation, a reinspection
will be required, for which an additional charge as set forth from
time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors is hereby imposed.
Should an installer request separate inspections for each line of
a drain field, an additional charge as set forth from time to time
by resolution of the Board of Supervisors is hereby imposed for each
inspection required after the initial inspection of any project.
All precast septic tanks must have a minimum wall and bottom
thickness of two inches for a round tank and a minimum wall and bottom
thickness of three inches for a rectangular tank. All precast septic
tanks shall have a minimum lid thickness of three inches, regardless
of the shape of the tank. Walls, bottom and lid of all tanks must
be reinforced with welded wire mesh 10-10 gauge, with six-inch-by-six-inch
openings. Cleanout ports must have minimum openings of 20 inches by
20 inches square in the case of a rectangular opening or 24 inches
in diameter in the case of a round opening. Baffles must be securely
fastened. Tanks must be free from cracks or flaws and must be watertight.
Tank lids and cleanout port lids must be cemented on with mastic cement
to keep out surface water. Sectional tanks must be cemented with mastic.
A.
Plans and specifications must be submitted and approved before a
permit can be issued.
B.
MIX
Mix.
High early-strength Portland Cement
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1 part cement
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2 parts concrete sand
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3 parts gravel or stone, sized from pea gravel to 2B stone
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C.
Concrete must not have a slump of over three inches in a slump test.
Wall, base and top thickness must be not less than four inches. Wall,
base and top must be reinforced with welded wire mesh 10-10 gauge,
six-inch-by-six-inch opening, no joints to be made at corners. Wire
shall be located as near to center of wall as practical. Inlet and
outlet holes in tanks must be provided for in the course of manufacture
by the insertion of a suitable thimble in forms before casting. The
bottom of the inlet hole must be three inches higher than the bottom
of the outlet hole.
D.
The complete tank must be poured in one operation and puddled to
make sure concrete is thoroughly packed in the forms. Cleanout ports
must have a minimum opening of 20 inches by 20 inches square. Tank
lids and cleanout port lids must be cemented on with mastic cement
to keep out surface water.
E.
Forms. Wood or steel must be securely braced to prevent slipping
or moving in any way that may cause a tank failure. Forms must be
oiled or greased to allow easy releasing. Forms must be kept intact
at least three days.
[Amended 4-13-1981 by Ord. No. 81-5]
The Township shall prohibit installation of sewage disposal
facilities requiring solid absorption systems where such systems shall
not function due to high ground water, flooding or unsuitable soil
characteristics or are proposed for location in designated Floodplain
Conservation Districts. The Township may require that the developer
note on the face of the plat and in any deed of conveyance that soil
absorption fields are prohibited in designated areas.
A.
The tile disposal field should be designed to provide proper distribution
of the sewage effluent throughout the entire field. Sufficient laterals
must be installed to provide the necessary absorption area and to
prevent overloading any single line. Each field lateral line should
be connected separately to the distribution box, should never be subdivided
and must be of equal length in order to maintain a well-balanced system.
B.
The tile line must be laid one to a trench with one-fourth-inch open
joints and surrounded by clean gravel, crushed stone or slag, ranging
in size from 1/2 inch to 21/2 inches. Tar paper strips must be placed
over the joints to prevent fine materials from being carried into
the lines. However, if the filter material is graded and washed, the
tar paper strips are not necessary. A piece of untreated building
paper, heavy wrapping paper or a layer of straw must be placed over
the filter material before backfilling with earth.
C.
Drain field ditches must be dug level. If steps are necessary because
of sloping terrain, steps must be made with crushed stone or clean
gravel.
[Amended 4-4-1994 by Ord.
No. 94-08]
Table II below should be used as a guide in the general design
of a tile disposal field.
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Table II
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|---|---|
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Drain Fields
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Minimum diameter of tile
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4 inches
|
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Minimum number of lines per field
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3 inches
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Maximum length of each line
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75 feet
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Minimum trench width
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18 inches
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Maximum trench width
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36 inches
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Preferred depth of lines
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18 inches
|
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Maximum depth of lines
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24 inches
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Maximum grade of lines
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4 inches per 75 feet
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Minimum space between trenches
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6 feet
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Minimum filter material beneath tile
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8 inches
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Minimum filter material over tile
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3 inches
|
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Minimum lengths of Drain Fields
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500 gallon septic tank
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200 linear feet
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750 gallon septic tank
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270 linear feet
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900 gallon septic tank
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380 linear feet
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1,000 gallon septic tank
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To be determined by Health Officer
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This article shall be enforced by action brought before a District
Justice in the same manner provided for the enforcement of summary
offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure. Any person,
firm or corporation who or which violates or permits the violation
of this article shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding, be
punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for
a term not exceeding 90 days. Each day or portion thereof that such
violation continues or is permitted to continue shall constitute a
separate offense. Each section of this article that is violated shall
also constitute a separate offense.
