The purposes of this chapter include:
A. The regulation of the installation, inspection, operation, rehabilitation,
replacement and timely on-going maintenance of on-lot sewage systems
within the Township; and
B. The establishment of provisions and safeguards for the Township,
which enable the issuance of permits for bonded systems by and through
the Sewage Enforcement Officer; and
C. The registration of businesses that remove and dispose of septage;
and
D. Establishment of minimum standards for the periodic pumping of treatment,
dosing and lift-pump tanks, which are components of on-lot sewage
systems permitted by the SEO; and
E. Adoption, by reference, of standards for initial inspection and subsequent
pumping of on-lot sewage systems and tanks.
The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall
have the following meanings:
ABSORPTION AREA
A component of an individual or community sewage system where
liquid from a treatment tank seeps into the soil; it consists of an
aggregate-filled area containing piping for the distribution of liquid
and the soil or sand/soil combination located beneath the aggregate.
ACT
The Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, Act of January 24,
1996, P.L. (1965) 1535, No. 537, as amended, 35 P.S. § 750.1
et seq.
AUTHORIZED AGENT
A certified Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO), professional
engineer or sanitarian, plumbing inspector, soils scientist, water
quality coordinator, or any other person who is designated to carry
out the provisions of this chapter as the agent of the Board.
BOARD
The Board of Commissioners of Bethlehem Township, Northampton
County, Pennsylvania.
BONDED DISPOSAL SYSTEM
An individual sewage system located on a single lot serving
a single-family residence, where soil mottling is within 20 inches
of the mineral soil surface, and the installation, operation and replacement
of which is guaranteed by the property owner.
COMMUNITY SEWAGE SYSTEM
A system, whether publicly or privately owned, for the collection
of sewage of a liquid nature from two or more lots, and for the treatment
or disposal of the sewage on one or more of the lots or at any other
site.
DEP/THE DEPARTMENT
The Department of Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania.
DEVELOPER
Any person, partnership, corporation or other entity which
erects or contracts to erect a building on property owned by it, with
the intent to sell the building to some other party upon its full
or partial completion, or upon the conveyance of property on which
the building is to be built.
EQUIVALENT DWELLING UNIT (EDU)
For the purpose of determining the number of lots in a subdivision
or land development, that part of a multiple-family dwelling, commercial,
industrial or institutional establishment with sewage flows equal
to 400 gallons per day.
INDIVIDUAL ON-LOT SEWAGE SYSTEM
A sewage disposal system, which uses a system of piping,
tanks and an absorption area for soil absorption of sewage effluent
either on the lot being served or in an easement onto another lot.
INDIVIDUAL SEWERAGE SYSTEM
An individual sewage system which uses a method of sewage
collection, conveyance, treatment and disposal other than renovation
in a soil absorption area, or retention in a retaining tank.
MALFUNCTION
The condition which occurs when an individual on-lot sewage
system causes pollution to the ground or surface waters, contamination
of private or public drinking water supplies, nuisance problems or
hazard to public health.
ON-LOT SEWAGE SYSTEM
A sewage system that encompasses one of the following: bonded
disposal system, community sewage system, individual on-lot sewage
system, or individual sewage system.
OWNER
Any person, corporation, partnership or other entity holding
deed or fee simple title to lands within the Township.
PLANNING MODULE FOR LAND DEVELOPMENT
A revision to, or exception to the revision of, the Official
Plan, submitted in accordance with DEP regulations, and in connection
with the request for approval of a subdivision or land development
plan.
PRIMARY AREA
An area on a lot, tract or parcel of land that has been tested
by the SEO and found suitable, based upon the then current DEP site
requirements, for the installation of an on-lot sewage system, and
which will be preserved and protected from alteration for installation
of the initial individual on-lot sewage system for sewage generated
on that lot, tract, or parcel (see "replacement area").
PUMPER/HAULER BUSINESS
Any sole proprietor, company, partnership, corporation or
other entity which engages in cleaning any or all components of a
community or individual on-lot sewage system and evacuates and transports
the septage cleaned therefrom, whether for a fee or free of charge.
PUMPER/HAULER TRUCK OPERATOR
A natural person who engages in cleaning any or all components
of an on-lot sewage system and evacuates and transports the septage
cleaned therefrom, whether for a fee or free of charge.
REGULATIONS
The Pennsylvania Code, Title 25, Chapters 71, 72 and 73.
REPAIR
Work done to modify, alter, rehabilitate or enlarge an existing
on-lot sewage system.
REPLACEMENT AREA
An area on a lot, tract, or parcel of land, separate from
the primary area, that has been tested by the SEO and found suitable,
based upon the then current DEP site requirements, for the installation
of an on-lot sewage system, and which will be preserved and protected
from alteration for potential future use if the primary area on the
same lot, tract, or parcel shall fail for any reason (see "primary
area").
RETAINING TANK
A watertight receptacle, which receives and retains sewage
and is designed and constructed to facilitate ultimate disposal of
the sewage at another site. The term includes but is not limited to,
the following:
A.
CHEMICAL TOILETA permanent or portable nonflushing toilet using chemical treatment in the retaining tank for odor control.
B.
HOLDING TANKA tank, whether permanent or temporary, to which sewage is conveyed by a water-carrying system.
C.
PRIVYA tank designed to receive sewage where water under pressure is not available.
E.
COMPOSTING TOILETA device for holding and processing human and organic kitchen waste, employing the process of biological degradation through the action of microorganisms to produce a stable, humus-like material.
F.
RECYCLING TOILETA device in which the flushing medium is restored to a condition suitable for reuse in flushing.
SEPTAGE
The residual scum, sludge and other materials pumped from
septic or aerobic treatment tanks and the systems they serve.
SEWAGE
Any substance that contains any waste products, or excrement,
or other discharge from the bodies of human beings or animals, a substance
harmful to the public health, animal or aquatic life, or the use of
water for domestic water supply or for recreation, or a substance
which constitutes pollution to the waters of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
under the Clean Streams Law (35 P.S. 691.1 through 691.1001).
SEWAGE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (SEO)
A person certified by the State Board for the Certification
of Sewage Enforcement Officers, who is employed by the Township to
administer the provisions of this Ordinance, the provisions of the
Act, and the regulations in PA Code Title 25, Chapters 71, 72 and
73.
SEWAGE FACILITIES
Any method of sewage collection, conveyance, treatment, and
disposal, which will prevent the discharge of untreated or inadequately
treated sewage into the waters of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
or otherwise provide for the safe treatment and disposal of sewage
or other waste.
SOIL ABSORPTION SYSTEM
An on-lot system that uses the renovative capacity of the
soil for final treatment of the effluent. All SEO permitted systems,
except retention tank systems, are soil absorption systems.
SUBDIVISION
The division or redivision of a lot, tract or other parcel
of land into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other divisions
of land, including changes in existing lot lines. The enumerating
of lots shall include as a lot that portion of the original tract
or tracts remaining after other lots have been subdivided therefrom.
TERRALIFT
Refers to both a machine and a process. For the purposes
of this chapter, the word terralift applies to this and all similar
processes, including but not limited to "rejuvenator," and "soil blaster,"
which introduce material into the soil to increase its porosity or
percolation rate.
TERRALIFT PROCESS
A process by which small diameter pellets of plastic or a
similar material are injected into the soil in the vicinity of the
absorption area of an on-lot sewage disposal system. The process is
intended to fracture the soil and establish porosity more similar
to the conditions that existed previously on the site.
TOWNSHIP
Bethlehem Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
TREATMENT TANK
A watertight tank designed to retain sewage long enough for
satisfactory bacterial decomposition of the solids to take place.
The term includes the following:
A.
SEPTIC TANKA treatment tank that provides for anaerobic decomposition of sewage prior to its discharge to an absorption area.
B.
AEROBIC SEWAGE TREATMENT TANKA mechanically aerated treatment tank that provides aerobic biochemical stabilization of sewage prior to its discharge to an absorption area.
Coordination with building permits; DEP permitted systems.
A. All on-lot sewage systems, regardless of the size of the lot, tract,
or parcel on which they are proposed to be constructed, are subject
to issuance of a permit by the SEO pursuant to the requirements of
this chapter, the Act and regulations.
B. Building and zoning permits shall not be issued for any building,
or improvement to real property to be serviced by an on-lot sewage
system, prior to receiving a permit for the installation of the on-lot
sewage system from the SEO.
C. All system components including absorption areas must be located
on the same lot, tract, or parcel as the structure they will service.
Systems or components cannot be located on a separately deeded parcel,
regardless of the parcel's ownership, or through means of an
easement, right-of-way or other instrument, unless approved by the
SEO.
D. All planning modules for land development proposing on-lot sewage
systems which require a DEP permit shall include a provision granting
the Township and its agents the right to enter the premises to inspect
the construction and/or operation of the DEP permitted system, and
if the system is not being constructed or operated according to the
permitted design, issue a stop work order or revoke the occupancy
permit issued by the Township until construction or operation is brought
into compliance with the permit.
E. No on-lot sewage system shall be altered, extended, augmented, modified
or repaired without the issuance of a repair permit by the SEO.
F. The use of a terralift machine or conducting a terralift procedure
are hereby deemed to constitute the alteration of an on-lot sewage
system, and either or both activities may only be undertaken pursuant
to a permit issued by the SEO. The permit shall validate the absence
of a malfunction and conformity of the site with DEP requirements
for terralift procedures per Chapter 72, Subsection 72.22(b) of the
regulations.
G. No on-lot sewage system shall be used or loaded in a manner which
is inconsistent with the permit that was issued to authorize that
system's installation.
H. Permit applications for on-lot sewage systems, which include electronically,
mechanically, hydraulically or pneumatically operated or controlled
devices shall be accompanied by the respective manufacturer's
recommended maintenance schedule and product specifications.
I. Permit applications for which the provisions of §
201-5 of this chapter apply shall include a fully executed maintenance contract indicating the person or company responsible to carry out the required maintenance, the maintenance schedule, and a provision that if the contract is terminated that the Township be so notified, in writing, within three days of such termination.
The Board may from time to time, by resolution, establish a
fee schedule and collect fees to cover the Township's actual
costs of administering this chapter.