[Adopted 1-9-2012 by Ord. No. 2-2012; amended in its entirety 10-14-2019 by Ord. No. 3178]
This article shall be known as the "Whitehall Township Holding Tank Ordinance."
This article is authorized by the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law, Act of 1937, June 22, P.L. 1987, as amended, 35 P.S. § 691.1 et seq.; the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, Act of 1966, Jan. 24, P.L. (1965) 1535, as amended, 35 P.S. § 750.1 et seq.; and, by the applicable regulations of the Department of Environmental Protection including specifically 25 PA Code, Section 71.63.
The purpose of this article is to provide for the installation, maintenance, and removal of holding tanks; and to provide a means of assuring that proper security is provided to enable the Township of Whitehall to properly remove such tanks should the owner thereof default on his responsibilities; and to establish penalties for violations of said article.
When used in this article, the following words shall have the meanings ascribed to them herein.
ACT 537
The Act of January 24, 1966, P.L. 1535, as amended, 35 P.S. § 750.1 et seq; also known as the "Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act."
BOARD
The Board of Commissioners of the Township of Whitehall, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.
DEP
The Department of Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
E.D.U.
An equivalent dwelling unit, and for the purposes of this article is defined to be a volume measurement in gallons per day of expected sanitary sewage flow equal to that generated by a single-family residential establishment. For the purposes of this article, that expected sanitary sewage flow shall be 400 gallons per day.
HOLDING TANK
A tank, whether permanent or temporary, to which sewage is conveyed by a water-carrying system.
OFFICIAL SEWAGE FACILITY PLAN
The Whitehall Township Act 537 Sewage Facilities Plan as approved by the DEP.
PERSON
Any individual, association, public or private corporation for profit or not for profit, partnership, firm, trust, estate, department, board, bureau, or agency of the commonwealth or other political subdivision, municipality, district, authority, or any other legal entity whatsoever recognized by law. Whenever used in any clause prescribing or imposing a penalty or imposing a fine or imprisonment, the term "person" shall include the members of an association, partnership or firm and the officers of any local agency or municipality, public or private corporation, whether for profit or not for profit.
RETAINING TANK
A watertight receptacle that receives and retains sewage and is designed and constructed to facilitate ultimate disposal of the sewage at another site.
SEWAGE
A substance that contains the waste products or excrement or other discharge from the bodies of human beings or animals and 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 Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law.
SEWAGE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (SEO)
The official of Whitehall Township who issues permits, reviews permit applications and sewage facilities planning modules, and conducts investigations and inspections necessary to implement the Sewage Facilities Act and the regulations thereunder.
The provisions of this article shall apply to all persons owning any property within Whitehall Township serviced by a holding tank for the first time after the effective date of this article and to all persons within Whitehall Township installing, repairing, altering, or removing a holding tank. This article shall not apply to existing holding tanks lawfully in use at the time of the enactment of this article.
Permits may be issued only for holding tanks that receive only one E.D.U. of inflow per day or less.
All permits issued shall meet the following requirements:
A. 
No person shall install, construct, or alter a holding tank system without first obtaining a permit indicating that the site and the plans and specifications of such system are in compliance with the provisions and standards adopted pursuant to Act 537.
B. 
No holding tank shall be covered from view until approval to cover the same has been given by the SEO. If 72 hours have elapsed, excepting Sundays and holidays, since the SEO issuing the permit received notification of completion of construction, the applicant may cover said system or structure unless permission has been specifically refused by the SEO.
C. 
The Board may require applicants for holding tank permits to notify the Township's SEO of the schedule for construction of the holding tank so that inspections in addition to the final inspection required by Act 537 may be scheduled and performed by the SEO.
D. 
No zoning permit, building permit, or occupancy permit shall be issued by Whitehall Township or its designated Zoning Officer for a building which will contain a holding tank until a valid permit under this article and Act 537 has been obtained from the SEO.
E. 
No zoning, building, or occupancy permit shall be issued and no work shall begin on any alteration or conversion of any existing structure if served by a holding tank if said alteration or conversion will result in an increase or potential increase in sewage flows from the structure until the structure's owner receives from the SEO either a permit for alteration or replacement of the existing holding tank or written notification that such a permit will not be required. The SEO shall determine whether the proposed alteration or conversion of the structure will result in increased sewage flows.
F. 
No building or occupancy permit shall be issued for any structure to be served by a holding tank until the owner of said structure has entered into an agreement and provided the security required under this article.
G. 
A permit for a holding tank may be issued only when the SEO has certified that an existing system has failed and that the site is unsuitable for any replacement system so that a holding tank is necessary to remedy the existing system failure, or in the alternative that the Board allows such system on the basis that the area where the holding tank will be installed will be connected to a community sewage system within one year of the installation of the holding tank unless an extension of time has been approved by the Sewage Enforcement Officer and the Township, for a period not to exceed three years so that said holding tank will be for a temporary measure only.
The SEO shall have the right to conduct inspections of holding tanks as follows:
A. 
The SEO shall conduct, at a minimum, an annual inspection of each holding tank within the Township and prepare a written inspection report, one copy of which shall be delivered to the owner of the property, and one copy shall be retained by the SEO.
B. 
In addition to required yearly inspections, any holding tank may be inspected by the SEO at any reasonable time.
C. 
All inspections may include a physical tour of the property, the taking of samples from surface water, wells, other groundwater sources, the sampling of the contents of the holding tank itself and/or the introduction of a traceable substance into the interior plumbing of the structure served to ascertain the path and ultimate destination of wastewater generated in the structure.
D. 
The SEO shall have the right to enter upon all land for the purpose of inspections described above.
Only normal domestic wastes shall be discharged into any holding tank. The following shall not be discharged into a holding tank system:
A. 
Industrial waste.
B. 
Automobile oil and/or other nondomestic oil.
C. 
Toxic and/or hazardous substances and/or chemicals, including, but not limited to, pesticides, disinfectants, acids, paints, paint thinners, herbicides, gasoline and/or other solvents.
D. 
Surface water or groundwater, including water from roof and/or cellar drains, springs, basement sump pumps and/or French drains.
Every owner of a lot with a holding tank shall have the following duties of maintenance:
A. 
Any person owning a lot served by a holding tank shall have said holding tank pumped by a qualified pumper/hauler as often as necessary to prevent exceeding the holding tank's capacity. The person must submit documentation to the Township SEO illustrating that the holding tank has been pumped according to this requirement.
B. 
This required pumping frequency may be increased at the discretion of the SEO based upon the officer's inspection of the holding tank.
C. 
Any person owning property served by a holding tank shall submit, with each required pumping receipt, a written statement from the pumper/hauler or from any other qualified individual acceptable to the Township that the tank has been found to be in good working order. Any person whose tank has been determined to require repair or replacement shall first contact the SEO for approval of the necessary repair.
D. 
In the event that the person who is the property owner of any property containing a holding tank has failed to submit the above-required receipts to the SEO evidencing that the tank has been pumped on an annual basis or as directed by the SEO, the Township shall have the ability to have the tank pumped by a licensed pumper/hauler with the cost to be billed to the person owning the property upon which the tank is installed. In the event that said person refuses to pay said bill, the Township may draw upon the security provided under this article to pay for said pumping.
A. 
No person shall operate a holding tank system and no building, zoning or occupancy permit shall be issued for the occupancy of any structure if said structure will be served by a holding tank system until said person has posted security as required under this article.
B. 
Said security shall be cash in an amount sufficient to cover the estimated maintenance and/or pumping costs of a holding tank in the event that the owner fails to do so, and also sufficient to cover the estimated removal cost of said holding tank, both as determined by the Township SEO.
C. 
The said security shall also consist of a holding tank maintenance agreement to be entered into by the person owning and/or installing said tank, and Whitehall Township. Said agreement shall be prepared by the Township Solicitor.
D. 
Said agreement and security shall permit the Township to draw upon said security in order to undertake required maintenance which the owner of the holding tank has not undertaken, including pumping the holding tank, other maintenance and/or repairs, the removal of said holding tank, and penalties charged under this article.
E. 
Interest, if any, earned on the account shall be added to the security.
F. 
At intervals of five years, the Township may adjust the security to reflect current costs.
A. 
No person shall operate and maintain a holding tank in such a manner that it malfunctions. All liquid wastes, including kitchen and laundry wastes and water softener backwash, shall be discharged to a tank. No holding tanks shall discharge untreated or partially treated sewage to the surface of the ground or into the waters of the commonwealth unless a permit to discharge has been obtained from DEP.
B. 
The Township may issue a written notice of violation to any person who is the owner of property in the Township which is found to be served by a malfunctioning holding tank or which is discharging raw or partially treated sewage without a permit.
C. 
Within seven days of notification by the Township that a malfunction has been identified, the property owner shall make application to the SEO for a permit to repair or replace the malfunctioning tank. Within 30 days of issuance of the permit, construction of the permitted repair or replacement shall commence. Within 60 days of the issuance of a permit by the Township, the construction shall be completed unless the Township shall extend the period.
D. 
Failure to apply for a permit or to complete the repair or replacement within the times specified in Subsection C shall constitute a violation of this article.
E. 
The Township's SEO shall have the authority to require the repair of any malfunction by the following methods: cleaning, repair or replacement of components of the existing system, adding capacity or otherwise altering or replacing the system's treatment tank, or other alternatives as appropriate for the specific site.
F. 
Should none of the remedies described above prove totally effective in eliminating the malfunction of any existing holding tank, the property owner is not absolved of responsibility for that malfunction. The Township may require whatever action is necessary to lessen or mitigate the malfunction to the extent that such is necessary.
G. 
Failure of the landowner to take the actions required in § 18-2.11 relating to malfunctioning systems shall constitute a public nuisance and a violation of this article, as well as a violation of the Whitehall Township Ordinance forbidding public nuisances.
H. 
Should the remedies provided above not prove effective in eliminating the malfunction of any existing holding tank, the Township shall have the remedy of requiring the property owner to remove said system. Should the property owner refuse to remove said system, then the Township shall have the ability to accomplish the removal drawing upon the funds provided under the security agreement entered into between the property owner and the Township.
The Board of Commissioners shall establish by resolution a schedule of fees. Costs for the completion of required water quality testing and Township SEO inspections shall be assessed to the property owner. It shall be each individual property owner's responsibility to contract with a qualified pumper/hauler for the pumping of the owner's holding tank.
Where a property owner or other person fails to maintain, repair or replace a holding tank system after notice pursuant to the terms of this article, such failure shall constitute a public nuisance and a violation of this article. The Township may abate the nuisance by performing the work needed, or by contracting to perform the work needed to abate the nuisance, and may charge the landowner or other responsible person for the cost thereof, plus a penalty of 20%. Said cost plus penalty may be collected by civil action or by the filing of a lien according to law. Such costs, plus penalty, may also be drawn from the irrevocable letter of credit or other posted security provided for in this article.
The contents of holding tanks shall be disposed of as follows:
A. 
The contents of all holding tanks originating within the Township shall be disposed of at sites or facilities approved and permitted by DEP.
B. 
Pumper/haulers operating within the Township shall operate in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Act of July 28, 1988, P.L. 556, No. 101, as amended, 53 P.S. § 4000.101 et seq., known as the "Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act."
The Township shall fully utilize those powers it possesses through enabling statutes and ordinances to effect the purposes of this article.
Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this article, or who shall fail to act upon notice or determination of the SEO or other authorized agent of the Township within the time stated in the notice on determination shall, upon conviction thereof before a District Magistrate, be guilty of a summary offense and shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $300 and costs, and/or shall be imprisoned for a period of not more than 90 days. It is further provided as follows:
A. 
Each day of violation or continuing violation shall constitute a separate offense.
B. 
Failure to appeal a notice or determination pursuant to § 18-2.16 and the Local Agency Law shall constitute an admission of the violation and a failure to utilize administrative remedies.
C. 
This article constitutes an ordinance enacted for the purposes of property maintenance, public health and safety, and for water and air pollution violations, for the purposes of Section 702, Clause XLI, of the Second Class Township Code, as amended, 53 P.S. § 65741.
D. 
In addition to all other remedies, the Township may institute suits in equity to restrain or prevent violations of this article, or to abate public nuisances.
E. 
The Township may file Township liens for abatement of nuisances in accordance with law.