[Ord. 8/11/1988, § 1]
This part may be cited as the "Montour Township Sewage Disposal
System Maintenance Regulations."
[Ord. 8/11/1988, § 2]
Unless otherwise expressly provided, the following words and
phrases shall, for the purposes of this Part, have the following meanings:
A component of an individual or community sewage system where
the liquid from a septic tank or other treatment tank seeps into the
soil; it consists of an aggregate-filled area containing piping for
the distribution of liquid into the soil or sand/soil combination
located beneath the aggregate.
A system employing the use of demonstrated technology in
a manner not specifically recognized by Chapter 73 of the Rules and
Regulations of the Department of Environmental Protection.
Any system, whether publicly or privately owned, for the
collection of sewage or industrial waste of a liquid nature from two
or more lots and for the treatment or disposal of the sewage or industrial
waste on one or more lots or at any other site.
Any method of sewage disposal not described in Chapter 73
of the Rules and Regulations of the Department of Environmental Protection
which is proposed for the purpose of testing and observation.
A system of piping, tanks or other facilities serving a single
lot and collecting and disposing of sewage in whole or in part into
the soil or into any waters of the commonwealth or by means of conveyance
to another site for final disposal.
Any liquid, gaseous, radioactive, solid or other substance
which is not sewage resulting from manufacturing or industry or other
plant or works and mine drainage, silt, coal mine solids, rock, debris,
dirt and clay from coal mines, coal collieries, breakers, other coal
processing operations, quarries or iron mines. The term shall include
all such substances whether or not generally characterized as waste.
Any one or more of the following conditions:
Sewage flow is blocked or restricted in the sewage system which
causes the back-up of sewage into a building, structure or part thereof.
Sewage rises to the surface of the ground over a septic tank
or flows out of a septic tank vent.
Sewage rises to the surface of the ground over the absorption
area or downgrade from the absorption area at the bank or road cut.
Untreated or partially treated sewage, liquid kitchen or laundry
waste, or shower or bathtub wash water is discharged to the surface
of the ground or into the waters of the commonwealth without specific
approval by the Department of Environmental Protection.
Sewage enters the water table without complete treatment resulting
in pollution of drinking water or the waters of the commonwealth.
Includes any individual, association, public or private corporation
for profit or not-for-profit, partnership, firm, trust or estate.
The scum, grease, sludge and liquid which accumulates in
a septic tank.
A watertight tank designed to retain sewage long enough for
satisfactory bacterial decomposition of the solids to take place prior
to its discharge to an absorption area.
Any substance that contains the waste products or excrement
or other discharge from the bodies of human beings 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 Clean Streams Law, 35 P.S. § 691.1 et seq.
The person or persons designated by the Township of Montour
to review and approve permit applications and conduct inspections
pursuant to the provisions of Chapters 71 and 73 of the Rules and
Regulations of the Department of Environmental Protection.
Any alternate, experimental, community or individual sewage
system.
A valve, insert or other control device which is placed in
the water supply line to a showerhead and restricts the flow rate
to three gallons per minute or less at 60 pounds per square inch of
pressure.
A brick, bottle, retaining dam or other device which is inserted
into the toilet tank and reduces the amount of water used per flush
by one gallon or more.
Very low or no-cost ways to reduce water usage such as repairing
leaky faucets, running dish and clothes washers only when full, reducing
the length of showers, reducing the use of running water while shaving
or washing, etc.
A showerhead designed to discharge 2.5 gallons of water per
minute or less at 60 pounds per square inch of water pressure.
A flush toilet designed to use 3.5 gallons of water or less
per flush.
Rivers, streams, creeks, rivulets, impoundments, ditches,
watercourses, storm sewers, lakes, dammed water, ponds, springs and
all other bodies or channels of conveyance of surface and underground
water or any of their parts, whether natural or artificial, within
or on the boundaries of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
[Ord. 8/11/1988, § 3]
1.
This Part 3 applies to all individual, community, alternate and experimental
sewage systems located within the Township of Montour.
2.
This Part 3 shall not be interpreted in any way as governing, constraining
or limiting any actions that the Township or SEO may take regarding
any sewage system which is creating a nuisance or causing pollution
of the waters of the commonwealth.
[Ord. 8/11/1988, § 4]
1.
Sewage systems shall be operated and maintained in accordance with
the following regulations:
A.
Septic tanks shall be pumped to remove septage whenever the vertical
distance between the top of the sludge and the bottom of the outlet
baffle (distance A on Figure 1) is eight inches or less or whenever
the vertical distance between the bottom scum layer and the bottom
of the inlet baffle (distance B on Figure 1) is three inches or less.
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B.
The provisions of § 18-304(1)(A) notwithstanding, septic
tanks shall be pumped to remove septage whenever four years have elapsed
since the previous pumping.
C.
Whenever a septic tank is pumped, a copy of the receipt for the cost
thereof or other evidence to substantiate said pumping shall be forwarded
to the Montour Township Secretary addressed as follows:
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Montour Township Secretary
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195 Rupert Drive
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Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania 17815
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D.
Roof drains, cellar drains, foundation drains, basement sump pumps
and other sources of rainwater or groundwater shall not be discharged
into any sewage system.
E.
The ground surface shall be graded so that stormwater runoff does
not pond or collect on the surface of the ground overlying the absorption
area.
F.
No industrial wastes shall be discharged into any sewage system without
first obtaining any permits required for such discharge by the Department
of Environmental Protection.
G.
Solids such as coffee grounds, cigarette butts, etc. which degrade
slowly or do not settle well shall not be discharged into any sewage
system.
H.
Garbage grinders shall not be discharged into sewage systems.
I.
Gasoline, solvents, motor oils, other hydrocarbons, paints, and other
chemicals which are not renovated by sewage systems shall not be discharged
into sewage systems.
J.
Pipes, tanks, joints, baffles, distribution boxes and all other parts
of sewage systems shall be maintained in sound working condition.
K.
Pumps, compressors, aerators, controls and other electrical or mechanical
equipment which are parts of sewage systems shall be maintained in
working order.
L.
Water conservation practices, water-saving showerheads or shower
flow restrictors, toilet tank dams or water-saving toilets shall be
installed and used in buildings which are served by sewage systems
which experience a malfunction after the effective date of this Part
3; provided, however, that the Montour Township Board of Supervisors,
upon the recommendation of the SEO, may approve the cessation of the
use of such practices and devices where the sewage system has been
rehabilitated.
M.
If a sewage system which has an undersized septic tank according to the regulations of the Department of Environmental Protection or no septic tank experiences a malfunction after the effective date of this Part 3, the owner shall install a septic tank which meets the requirements of Chapter 73 of the Department of Environmental Protection Rules and Regulations.
N.
Sewage systems permitted directly by the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Resources pursuant to the Clean Streams Law, 35 P.S. § 691.1
et seq., shall not be subject to the pumping requirements set forth
in § 18-304(1)(A) and (B).
[Ord. 8/11/1988, § 5]
1.
The SEO may enter at reasonable times any building, structure, premises,
lot or land for the purpose of making inspections to determine compliance
with provisions of this Part 3.
2.
Whenever the SEO finds any condition or practice which is inconsistent
with the provisions of this Part 3, he may issue a written order to
the responsible person stating that the condition or practice found
is inconsistent with this Part 3 and directing that the condition
or practice be abated, corrected or ceased within such time specified
in the order.
3.
After the expiration of the time period specified in any written
order, the SEO shall determine whether the order has been complied
with and notify the responsible person in writing if the order has
not been complied with.
4.
In the event of noncompliance with any order, the SEO may issue a
subsequent order stating again that the condition or practice found
is inconsistent with this Part 3 and directing that the condition
or practice be abated, corrected or ceased within such time specified
in the order.
[Ord. 8/11/1988, § 6; as amended by Ord. 9/11/1997, § 1]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this Part or fail to comply with an order made by the SEO under § 18-305, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a Magisterial District Judge in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this part continues or each Section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.
