The sanitary sewer system of the Township of West Deptford consists of the sewer main, sewer laterals and building connections, which, together with other terms, are defined as follows:
BUILDING CONNECTION
That portion of service line which runs from the curb vent or cleanout through the meter to the same buildings as exist on the consumer's property.
CONSUMER
Parties contracting for service to a property as herein classified:
A. 
A building under one roof, owned by one party and occupied as one business or residence;
B. 
A combination of buildings owned by one party in common enclosure, occupied by one family or business, on one indivisible block and lot;
C. 
The one side of a double house owned by one party, having a solid vertical partition wall;
D. 
A building owned by one party, having more than one apartment and using in common one hall and one entrance; or
E. 
A building owned by one party, having a number of apartments, stores and offices and using in common one hall and one or more means of entrance, on one indivisible block and lot.
CURB VENT or CLEANOUT
The area along the service line where a lateral connects with a line running from the consumer's premises. The "curb vent" or "cleanout" shall be located adjacent to the curb or curb line, in right-of-way, abutting a street servicing the consumer's premises.
DEPARTMENT
The Administrative Supervisor of the Water and Sewer Department and such other employees as are employed therein.
PUBLIC WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM
A system which serves more than 250 people or conveys more than 25,000 gallons of wastewater per day which is regulated by the Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to the Water Pollution Control Act N.J.S.A. 58:10A-1 et seq., or as currently defined in N.J.A.C. 7:10A.
SERVICE LINE
A line used to supply a single physical unit which is nondivisible, and no consumer shall be supplied by more than one "service line" unless agreed upon between the consumer and the Department. A "service line" consists of the lateral and the building connection as defined in this chapter.
SEWER LATERALS
That portion of the service line which runs from the main line to the curb vent or cleanout.
SEWER MAIN
Lines laid in and along the streets and through private rights-of-way accepting flow from multiple sewer laterals.
The West Deptford Township Water and Sewer Department shall have complete supervision and control, subject to the action of the Township Committee, of the construction, operation and maintenance of the sanitary sewer system of the Township of West Deptford.
A. 
Owners bounding system and in proximity to system. Owners of premises bounding on a municipal sanitary sewer main or located within 350 feet of an existing main shall connect said premises with the sanitary sewer system. In the case of premises not bounding on a main but within 350 feet thereof, such owner may avoid connection if, in the opinion of the Township Engineer, the physical circumstances would make an extension impractical. Connection shall be made within 30 days after receipt of notice to so connect, which said notice shall be given either personally or by regular mail.
B. 
Owners of new construction. Before occupancy of any new construction, the owner of said premises shall connect said premises with the sanitary sewer system existing at the time of any such occupancy, provided that the subject premises bounds on a sanitary sewer main or is within 350 feet of an existing main. In the case of premises not bounding on a main but within 350 feet thereof, such owner may avoid connection if, in the opinion of the Township Engineer, the physical circumstances would make an extension impractical.
C. 
Health protections.
(1) 
Unused buildings. An unused building connection shall not be connected with the sewer system until the Water and Sewer Department has inspected the same and has found it to be clean and to conform to the requirements of this chapter.
(2) 
Demolished building. Upon the demolishing or razing of a building, the connection shall be cut, capped and inspected by a representative of the Department, at the expense of the property owner.
A. 
Sewer lateral connection/sewer main extension application procedure.
(1) 
The owner of any premises desiring to have said premises connected to the sanitary sewer system and/or to construct a sewer extension or to make a change in any existing connection to the sanitary sewer system shall make an application in writing to the Water and Sewer Department upon forms provided by the Department.
(2) 
All connections from the sewer main to the curb and from the curb to the premises shall be done at the expense of the property owner and by a plumber duly licensed by the State of New Jersey. The application shall provide the following information: the name of the plumber who is to install the connection applied for; the Tax Map page, block, lot address of the premises; and the purpose of the connection.
(3) 
An application for a sewer main extension shall utilize a Form-C by an engineer licensed by the State of New Jersey.
(4) 
The application for a sewer connection and/or sewer extension shall be signed by the owner of the property or by his authorized agent and shall be accompanied by the consent of the applicant to be bound by all the provisions of this chapter along with the rules and regulations adopted by the Township.
B. 
Sewer connection permit and sewer main extension permit fees set forth in Chapter 11, Fees.
(1) 
All applications for a sewer collection system shall be accompanied by a permit fee as set forth in Chapter 11 per domestic consumer unit or equivalent domestic unit.
(a) 
Said fees shall be computed as set forth in Chapter 11.
C. 
Street opening permit required.
(1) 
All excavations, trench work and tunneling work must be done by or under the supervision of a licensed plumber. Permits for road openings, where applicable, must be made to the Township before the issuance of a sewer connection permit and/or a sewer main extension permit in accordance with Chapter 87, Excavations in Streets. The cost of this permit is not included in the sewer connection and/or sewer main extension permit.
(2) 
Additions to the foregoing charges shall be made, where applicable, as follows:
(a) 
On state highways, there shall be an added charge for any fees that may be charged by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The applicant shall be responsible for paying the fees or charges, and the cost thereof shall be in addition to the sewer connection and/or sewer main extension charge as defined in this chapter.
(b) 
On county roads, the owner or his designated agent shall be responsible for obtaining a county road opening permit and any charges for excavation, inspection and repair of pavement as determined by the Gloucester County Highway Department. Permits shall be secured directly from the county and fees paid directly to the county when required.
D. 
House connections.
(1) 
All connections with a sewer lateral shall be made in a careful and workmanlike manner and shall consist of at least four-inch-diameter of approved material by Plumbing Subcode Official.
(2) 
Except as herein provided, the plumbing subcode of the Township of West Deptford shall in all cases prevail, and application for plumbing permits to install the sewer lateral shall be made to the Plumbing Subcode Official of the Town of West Deptford.
E. 
Bond required. Every plumber, who shall be licensed as a plumber as provided for in Subsection A(2), shall provide the Township of West Deptford with a bond set forth in Chapter 11, Fees. With the approval of the Township Solicitor, the plumber must provide sufficient surety so that West Deptford Township will be paid for and protected against all damages and costs from any injury which might occur to persons or property by reason of neglect or carelessness on the part of the plumber during the process of any work. Be it further stated that the plumber will pay for and protect the said Township against all damage and cost occasioned by any injury, damage or obstruction which may have been done or caused to have been done to any of the sewers or sewer systems of the Township in any manner whatsoever.
A. 
Grease traps and other appliances. Refer to F.O.G. Control Manual.
(1) 
The West Deptford Township Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) Control Program Manual (dated July 2022) prepared by Water Resource Management and for implementation and enforcement by the Township of West Deptford and the Water and Sewer Department is adopted and may be found in the Township offices.
[Added 12-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-24]
B. 
Vents and cleanout plugs. Curb vents or cleanout, and cleanout caps at the curb, shall be provided and maintained at the expense of the owner or occupant of the premises. In the event no cleanout exists in right-of-way, the owner of the property is responsible for entire length of sewer lateral to the main, until such time that a cleanout is installed.
C. 
Separate sewer lateral and building connections shall be required to be installed prior to subdividing any series of buildings sharing a sewer lateral and/or building connection.
D. 
Privately owned sanitary sewer systems meeting the definition of "public wastewater collection system" shall comply with all requirements of N.J.S.A. 58:10A-1.
A. 
Permitted uses. The sanitary sewer system shall be used only for the discharge of fluid refuse from sinks, bath, house laundry tubs, shower baths, urinals and of waste from toilets, which discharge shall hereafter be referred to as "domestic waste," and such other wastes as the Township Committee may, by special permission, allow to enter said sewer system. Any damage caused by unpermitted use and/or character of sewage may be billed to owner of property for all costs associated in repairing any and all damages to Township sewer system and apparatus, including but not limited to time, tools and materials used.
B. 
Limited uses.
(1) 
Generally. No person, firm or corporation, either owner, user or tenant of any land and premises, shall cause to be drained, permit to flow or be deposited into any part of the sewer system the following matter:
(a) 
Gasoline, naphtha or other explosive materials, acids, matter having antiseptic properties, garbage, offal, animals, vegetable parings, ashes, cinders, rags, "flushable" wipes, paper towels, wax, oils or other articles or things which are liable to injure said sewer system or any part thereof or to obstruct the flow of sewage therein.
(b) 
Exhaust from any steam engine boilers.
(c) 
Any storm, roof, surface water or drainage, except as provided in the following sections.
(2) 
Industrial waste. Special permission may be granted by the Township Committee to make connections with said sewer system for the discharge of industrial waste consisting of water or other fluid that will not deposit a sediment or other obstruction and which will also conform to the rules and regulations now established or which may hereafter be established by the Township Committee of the Township of West Deptford concerning the receipt and treatment of industrial waste. The application for such special permission shall be made to the Township Committee of the Township of West Deptford by filing said application with the Administrative Supervisor, who shall submit the same to the Township Committee for approval or disapproval. The Township Committee shall determine the terms and conditions for the granting of the said special permission if such application is approved by it. The said terms and conditions shall be placed on said permit by the Administrative Supervisor, who shall issue it to the applicant upon direction of the Township Committee and the payment of the fee fixed for the same by the Township Committee, with the condition that said right may be revoked at any time, in addition to other causes for revocation contained herein, when it is determined that the terms and conditions of said special permission have been violated or that the flow in said sewer system will overburden its capacity to the detriment of other users of said sewer system.
C. 
Prohibited uses. No person, firm or corporation, either owner, user or tenants of any lands and premises, shall discharge or cause to be discharged sewage from any lands and premises into any public street, premises, watercourse or public place.
A. 
Schedule of charges. Refer to Chapter 11, Fees.
B. 
Sewer users connected to the system who are not water users may be required by the Department to install suitable metering devices or they may be billed pursuant to the provisions of Subsection C(1).
C. 
Special regulation of charges.
(1) 
Unspecified users. Any other users of the sanitary sewer system not coming with the above group shall be charged in accordance with arrangements upon application made to the Township Committee of the Township of West Deptford.
(2) 
New connections. In the event of a new connection, the sewer rental will be prorated on a monthly basis, with a full month's charge for the month for which water service is turned on prior to the 15th of the month connection is made.
(3) 
Unused building. An unused building connection shall not be connected with the sewer system until the Water and Sewer Department has inspected the same and has found it to be clean and to conform to the requirements of this chapter.
(4) 
Billings and interest. Billings for sewer service shall be rendered in accordance with the standard billing period employed by the Department. Such bills will be mailed within a reasonable time after each billing date. Bills remaining unpaid for more than 45 days after the billing date of such bills shall accrue interest, from the billing date, at the maximum rate permitted for nonpayment of real property taxes in the State of New Jersey pursuant to N.J.S.A. 54:4-67 or at such greater rate of interest as may hereafter be permitted by amendment to said statute or by adoption of a successor statute.
(5) 
No subsurface plumbing is permitted. Under no circumstances shall any sanitary fixtures be installed in a building at an elevation lower than the front curb or street center-line elevation, whichever is higher.
A. 
Discontinuance of sewer service. Sewer service as provided for under the provisions of this chapter may be discontinued by the Department for the nonpayment of bills for the said sewer and for fines and penalties imposed under the provisions of this chapter or for any similar reasons which cause or tend to cause a loss to the Department. Discontinuance of sewer service may be enforced by discontinuance of water service.
B. 
Revocation: effect. In the event the Township Committee shall revoke any portion provided for under the provisions of this chapter, said revocation may occur for any reason set forth in this chapter or for any applicable reason set forth in § 163-4 et seq. of Chapter 163, Water, as it shall apply to sewer service, provided that said revocation shall be in accordance with the standards required by law. The discharge of sewage into the sewer system shall be immediately discontinued, and any person, firm or corporation or any occupant of any premises who shall continue to discharge sewage into the sewer system after said revocation shall be deemed to have violated this chapter, and each day's continuation shall constitute a separate violation thereof.
C. 
Liability for charges, fee and fines; lien. The owner of any house, tenement, building or lot shall be liable for the payment of the price or rent fixed herein for sewerage service and for such other charges heretofore or hereafter made by the Department in or upon such house, tenement, building or lot, or for connecting with such house, tenement, building or lot, and the interest and penalties charged; such price or rent or other costs, expenses, interest and penalties as fixed herein shall be a lien upon said house, tenement, building or lot until the same shall be paid and satisfied.
D. 
Commencement of sewer fees for new connections. Charges for sewer service as set forth in § 132-7A, as to owners of premises given notice to connect pursuant to § 132-3A, shall commence as of the date of connection or 60 days after such owner has received notice to connect, whichever event first occurs. Upon failure to pay the charges, whether or not connection is made, the owner shall be liable for the penalties and fine provisions heretofore set forth in this chapter and to the penalty provisions of § 1-15 of Chapter 1, General Provisions, and the charges and penalties shall become a lien upon the premises pursuant to Subsection C above until the same shall be paid and satisfied.
E. 
All sewer connections and properties shall be made compliant of all sewer ordinances of the Township prior to sale and issuance of certificate of occupancy or housing safety resale inspection. Failure to correct shall be reason for discontinuance of water and/or sewer service.
Any person residing in West Deptford Township who is aged 65 or over or less than 65 years of age and permanently and totally disabled according to the provisions of the Federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 401, et seq., or disabled under any federal law administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs where the disability is rated as 60% or higher, who meet income eligibility criteria as established by law, shall be entitled to a 10% reduction of sewer rents to be charged or otherwise collected under this chapter.
Annually, the Chief Financial Officer shall prepare and submit to the Township Committee for its approval income eligibility guidelines in accordance with law which shall determine a person's income eligibility under this section.
Said deduction shall be limited to and apply only to owner-occupied residences.