[Adopted 12-8-1954; amended in its entirety 10-21-1992 by Ord. No. 18-1992]
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise,
the meanings of terms used in this article shall be as follows:
ACT or THE ACT
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the
"Clean Water Act," as amended, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.
APPROVAL AUTHORITY
The Director in an NPDES state with an approved state pretreatment
program and the Administrator of the EPA in a non-NPDES state or NPDES
state without an approved state pretreatment program. The EPA is the
approval authority.
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF INDUSTRIAL USER or AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
An authorized representative of an industrial user may be:
[Amended 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
A.
A principal executive officer of at least the
level of Vice President, if the industrial user is a corporation.
B.
A general partner or proprietor if the industrial
user is a partnership or proprietorship, respectively.
C.
A principal executive officer of a government-owned
or operated industrial user.
D.
A duly authorized representative of the individual
designated above or any governmental entity, if such representative
is responsible for the overall operation of the facilities from which
the indirect discharge originates.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES or BMPs
Schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance
procedures, and other management practices to implement the prohibitions
listed in 40 CFR 304.5(a)(1) and (b). BMPs include treatment requirements,
operating procedures, and practices to control plant site runoff,
spillage or leaks, sludge or waste disposal, or drainage from raw
materials storage. BMPs also include alternative means of complying
with, or in place of certain established categorical pretreatment
standards and effluent limits.
[Added 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
BOD (BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND)
The quantity of oxygen, expressed in parts per million by
weight, utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under
standard laboratory procedure for five days at 20º C. The standard
laboratory procedure shall be that found in the latest edition of
Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage, published
by the American Public Health Association.
BOROUGH
The Borough of West Chester, Pennsylvania.
[Added 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
BUILDING SEWER
A sewer conveying wastewater from the premises of a user
to the POTW.
CATEGORICAL INDUSTRIAL USER
An industrial user subject to a categorical pretreatment
standard or categorical standard.
[Added 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND
A measure of the oxygen required to oxidize all compounds,
both organic and inorganic, in water.
[Added 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
COLOR
The optical density at the visual wave length of maximum
absorption, relative to distilled water. One hundred percent transmittance
is equivalent to zero optical density.
COMPOSITE SAMPLE
The sample resulting from the combination of individual wastewater
samples taken at selected intervals based on an increment of either
flow or time.
COOLING WATER
The water discharged from any use, such as air conditioning,
cooling or refrigeration, or to which the only pollutant added is
heat.
DAILY MAXIMUM
The arithmetic average of all effluent samples for a pollutant
collected during a calendar year.
[Added 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
DAILY MAXIMUM LIMIT
The maximum allowable discharge limit of a pollutant during
a calendar day. Where daily maximum limits are expressed in units
of mass, the daily discharge is the total mass discharged over the
course of the day. Where daily maximum limits are expressed in terms
of concentration, the daily discharge is the arithmetic average measurement
of the pollutant concentration derived from all measurements taken
that day.
[Added 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
DIRECT DISCHARGE or DISCHARGE
The discharge of treated or untreated wastewater directly
to the waters of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
[Amended 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
DISCHARGER
Any person who conveys wastewater into the POTW's collection
system.
DWELLING
A building or portion of a building used for human habitation
by a family.
DWELLING, APARTMENT
One or more rooms for living purposes, together with enclosed,
separate cooking and sanitary facilities. Such a unit is accessible
from the outdoors either directly or through an entrance hall shared
with other dwelling units and is used and intended to be used by one
or more persons living together and maintaining a common household.
DWELLING, MULTIPLE
A building designed and occupied as a residence for two or
more families, with one or more families living wholly or partly over
the other.
DWELLING, TWO-FAMILY
A building designed and occupied as a residence for two families,
with one family living wholly or partly over the other.
DWELLING UNIT
A single unit providing complete, independent living facilities
for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living,
sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY or EPA
The United States Environmental Protection Agency, or where
appropriate, the term may also be used as a designation for the Administrator
or other duly authorized official of said Agency.
EQUIVALENT DWELLING UNIT
Any dwelling or dwelling unit. In the case of nonresidential
establishments, an equivalent dwelling unit shall be computed by the
Borough on the basis of one equivalent dwelling unit for each 239
gallons of water consumed per day or 239 gallons of water per day
discharged to the sewer system, as applicable; the daily consumption
or discharge to be determined by metering or calculating the estimated
consumption or discharge using standard engineering data and procedures.
[Amended 3-16-2005 by Ord. No. 7-2005]
EXISTING SOURCE
Any source or discharge that is not a new source.
[Amended 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
GARBAGE
Solid waste from the preparation of cooking and dispensing
of food and from the handling, storage and sale of produce.
GRAB SAMPLE
A sample which is taken from a waste stream on a one-time
basis, with no regard to the flow in the waste stream and without
consideration of time.
GROUNDWATER
Waters conveyed from an underground aquifer which do not
contain pollutants. This does not include groundwater from remediation
sites which is treated prior to discharge to the collection system.
HOLDING TANK WASTE
Any waste from holding tanks, such as vessels, chemical toilets,
campers, trailers, septic tanks and vacuum-pump trucks.
INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENT
Any structure intending to be used wholly or in part for
the manufacturing, fabricating, processing, cleaning, laundering or
assembly of any product, commodity or article.
INDUSTRIAL USER
A user of direct or indirect discharge.
[Amended 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
Any solid, liquid or gaseous substance or form of energy
rejected or escaping from any industrial, manufacturing, trade or
business process or from the development, recovery or processing of
natural resources, as distinct from sanitary sewage.
INSTANTANEOUS LIMIT
The maximum concentration of a pollutant allowed to be discharged
at any time, determined from the analysis of any discrete or composited
sample collected, independent of the industrial flow rate and the
duration of the sampling event.
[Added 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
INSTANTANEOUS MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE DISCHARGE LIMIT
The maximum concentration (or loading) of a pollutant allowed
to be discharged at any time, determined from the analysis of any
discrete or composite sample collected, independent of the industrial
flow rate and the duration of the sampling event.
INTERFERENCE
A discharge which alone or in conjunction with a discharge
or discharges from other sources inhibits or disrupts the POTW, its
treatment processes or operations or its sludge processes, use or
disposal and therefore is a cause of a violation of the Borough's
NPDES permit or of the prevention of sewage sludge use or disposal
in compliance with any of the following statutory/regulatory provisions
or permits issued thereunder: Section 405 of the Clean Water Act;
the Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA), including Title II, commonly
referred to as the "Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)";
any state regulations contained in any state sludge management plan
prepared pursuant to Subtitle D of the SWDA; the Clean Air Act; the
Toxic Substances Control Act; and the Marine Protection, Research
and Sanctuaries Act.
LOCAL LIMIT
Specific discharge limits developed and enforced by the Borough
upon industrial or commercial facilities to implement the general
and specific discharge prohibitions listed in 40 CFR 403.5(a)(1) and
(b).
[Added 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
MEDICAL WASTE
Isolation wastes, infectious agents, human blood and blood
by-products, pathological wastes, sharps, body parts, fomites, etiologic
agents, contaminated bedding, surgical wastes, potentially contaminated
laboratory wastes and dialysis wastes.
MONTHLY AVERAGE
The sum of all daily discharges measured during a calendar
month derived by the number of daily discharges measured during that
month.
[Added 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
NATURAL OUTLET
Any outlet into a watercourse, ditch, pond, lake or other
body of surface or ground water.
NEW SOURCE
Any building, structure, facility or installation from which
there is or may be a discharge of pollutants, the construction of
which commenced after the publication of proposed pretreatment standards
under Section 307(c) of the Act, which standards will be applicable
to such source if such standards are thereafter promulgated in accordance
with that section, provided that:
A.
The building, structure, facility or installation
is constructed at a site at which no other source is located;
B.
The building, structure, facility or installation
totally replaces the process or production equipment that causes the
discharge of pollutants at an existing source;
C.
The production or wastewater generating processes
of the building, structure, facility or installation are substantially
independent of an existing source at the same site; in determining
whether these generating processes are substantially independent of
an existing source at the same site, factors such as the extent to
which the new facility is integrated with the existing plant and the
extent to which the new facility is engaged in the same general type
of activity as the existing source should be considered;
D.
Construction on a site at which an existing source is located results in a modification rather than a new source, if the construction does not create a new building, structure, facility or installation meeting the criteria of Subsections
A and
B above, but otherwise alters, replaces or adds to the existing process or production equipment; or
E.
Construction of a "new source" as defined under
this definition has commenced if the owner or operator has begun or
caused to begin as a part of a continuous on-site construction program
any placement, assembly or installation of facilities or equipment;
or significant site preparation work, including clearing, excavation
or removal of existing buildings, structures or facilities which is
necessary for the placement, assembly or installation of new source
facilities or equipment; or entered into a binding contractual obligation
for the purchase of facilities or equipment which are intended to
be used in its operation within a reasonable time. Options to purchase
or contracts which can be terminated or modified without substantial
loss and contracts for feasibility, engineering and design studies
do not constitute a contractual obligation under this subsection.
NONCONTACT COOLING WATER
Water used for cooling which does not come into direct contact
with any raw material intermediate product, waste product or finished
product.
NONSIGNIFICANT INDUSTRIAL USER
Any industrial or commercial user of the Borough's wastewater
disposal system who is not included in the definition of "significant
industrial user" but still has the potential of interfering with the
operation of the Borough's collection system or treatment plant.
OWNER
The person who owns the real property discharging wastewater
as indicated on the tax duplicate issued by the Office of Tax Assessment
of Chester County.
[Added 6-21-2023 by Ord.
No. 08-2023]
PASS-THROUGH
A discharge which exits the POTW into waters of the United
States in quantities and concentration which, alone or in conjunction
with a discharge or discharges from other sources, is a cause of a
violation of any requirement of the POTW's NPDES permit, including
an increase in the magnitude or duration of a violation.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, copartnership, firm, company,
corporation, association, joint-stock company, trust, estate, governmental
entity or any other legal entity, or their legal representatives,
agents or assigns. The masculine gender shall include the feminine
and the singular shall include the plural where indicated by the context.
pH
A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, expressed
in standard units.
[Amended 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
POLLUTANT
Any dredged soil, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage,
garbage, filter backwash, medical wastes, sewage sludge, munitions,
chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat,
wrecked or discharged equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, and industrial,
municipal and agricultural waste discharged into water and certain
characteristics of wastewater (e.g., pH, temperature, TSS, turbidity,
color, BOD, COD, toxicity, or odor).
[Added 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
POLLUTION
The man-made or man-induced alteration of the chemical, physical,
biological and radiological integrity of water.
PRETREATMENT REQUIREMENTS
Any substantive or procedural requirement related to pretreatment,
other than a national pretreatment standard imposed on an industrial
user.
PRETREATMENT or TREATMENT
The reduction of the amount of pollutants, the elimination
of pollutants or the alteration of the nature of pollutant properties
in wastewater to a less harmful state prior to or in lieu of discharging
or otherwise introducing such pollutants into a POTW. The reduction
or alteration can be obtained by physical, chemical or biological
processes, or process changes by other means, except as prohibited
by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
PUBLICLY OWNED TREATMENT WORKS (POTW)
A treatment works as defined by Section 212 of the Federal
Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1292, which is
owned in this instance by the Borough of West Chester. This definition
includes any sewers that convey wastewater to the POTW treatment plant,
but does not include pipes, sewers or other conveyances not connected
to a facility providing treatment. For the purposes of this article,
"POTW" shall also include any sewers that convey wastewaters to the
"POTW" from persons outside the Borough of West Chester who are, by
contract or agreement with the Borough of West Chester, users of the
Borough's "POTW."
SANITARY SEWAGE
The normal water-carried household and toilet wastes from
residences, business buildings, institutions and commercial and industrial
establishments.
SANITARY SEWER
A sewer which carries sanitary sewage and/or industrial wastes
and to which stormwater, surface water and ground waters are not intentionally
admitted.
[Amended 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
SEPTIC TANK WASTE
Any sewage from holding tanks such as vessels, chemical toilets,
campers, trailers, and septic tanks.
[Added 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
SEWAGE
Any combination of water-carried wastes from residences,
buildings, industrial establishments, institutions, manufacturing
plants, processing plants, commercial establishments or other places
in which such wastes are produced, together with such groundwater,
surface water, stormwater or other water as may be present. Also includes
human excrement and gray water (household showers, dishwashing operations,
etc.)
[Amended 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
SEWER
A pipe or conduit for carrying sewage.
SEWER MAIN
Sewer pipes and related facilities owned by the Borough located
in public streets or rights-of-way that convey wastewater from multiple
persons or properties to the POTW treatment plant for treatment.
[Added 6-21-2023 by Ord.
No. 08-2023]
SEWER SYSTEM
All facilities for collecting, treating and disposing of
sewage.
SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRIAL USER (SIU)
[Amended 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
A.
Any discharger subject to National Categorical
Pretreatment Standards;
B.
Any other industrial user that discharges an
average of 25,000 gallons per day or more of process wastewater (excluding
sanitary, noncontact cooling and boiler blowdown wastewaters) to the
POTW or that contributes a process waste stream which makes up 5%
or more of the average dry-weather hydraulic or organic capacity of
the POTW treatment plant; or
C.
Any other industrial user that is designated
as such by the control authority on the basis that the industrial
user has a potential for adversely affecting the POTW's operation
or for violating any pretreatment standard or requirement.
SLUG LOAD
Any discharge at a flow rate or concentration which could cause a violation of the prohibited discharge standards in §
89-2A of this article or any discharge of a nonroutine, episodic nature, including but not limited to accidental spill or a noncustomary batch discharge, which has a reasonable potential to cause interference or pass through or in any other way violate the POTW's regulations, local limits, or permit conditions.
[Amended 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
SUSPENDED SOLIDS
The total suspended matter that floats on the surface of
or is suspended in water, wastewater or other liquid and which is
removable by laboratory filtering.
STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION (SIC)
A classification pursuant to Standard Industrial Classification
Manual, issued by the Executive Office of the President, Office of
Management and Budget, 1987.
STORMWATER
Any flow occurring during or following any form of natural
precipitation and resulting therefrom.
SUPERINTENDENT
The person designated by the Borough to supervise the operation
of the publicly owned treatment works and who is charged with certain
duties and responsibilities by this article, or his duly authorized
representative.
TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS or SUSPENDED SOLIDS
The total suspended matter that floats on the surface of,
or is suspended in, water, wastewater, or other liquid, and that is
removable by laboratory filtering.
[Added 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
TOXIC POLLUTANT
Any pollutant or combination of pollutants listed as toxic
in regulations promulgated by the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency under the provision of Clean Water Act 307(a) or
other acts.
USER
Any person who contributes, causes or permits the contribution
of wastewater into the Borough's POTW.
WASTEWATER
The liquid and water-carried industrial or domestic wastes
and sewage from dwellings, commercial buildings, industrial facilities,
and institutions, together with any groundwater, surface water and
storm water that may be present, whether treated or untreated, which
is contributed into or permitted to enter the POTW.
[Amended 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
WATERS OF THE STATE
All streams, lakes, ponds, marshes, watercourses, waterways,
wells, springs, reservoirs, aquifers, irrigation systems, drainage
systems and all other bodies or accumulations of water, surface or
underground, natural or artificial, public or private, which are contained
within, flow through or border upon the state or any portion thereof.
Information and data on an industrial user obtained
from reports, surveys, wastewater discharge permit applications, wastewater
discharge permits and monitoring programs and from Borough inspection
and sampling activities shall be available to the public without restriction,
unless the industrial user specifically requests and is able to demonstrate
to the satisfaction of the Borough that the release of such information
would divulge information, processes or methods of production entitled
to protection as trade secrets under applicable state law. When requested
and demonstrated by the industrial user furnishing a report that such
information should be held confidential, the portions of a report
which might disclose trade secrets or secret processes shall not be
made available for inspection by the public, but shall be made available
immediately upon request to governmental agencies for uses related
to the NPDES program or pretreatment program, and in enforcement proceedings
involving the person furnishing the report. Wastewater constituents
and characteristics and other effluent data as defined by 40 CFR 2.302
will not be recognized as confidential information and will be available
to the public without restriction.
[Added 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
The Superintendent shall publish annually, in
a newspaper of general circulation that provides meaningful public
notice within the jurisdictions served by the POTW, a list of the
users which, at any time during the previous 12 months, were in significant
noncompliance with applicable pretreatment standards and requirements.
The term "significant noncompliance" shall be applicable to all significant
industrial users (or any other industrial user that violates Subsections
C, D or H of this section) and shall mean:
A. Chronic violations of wastewater discharge limits, defined here as those in which 66% or more of all the measurements taken for the same pollutant parameter taken during a six-month period exceed (by any magnitude) a numeric pretreatment standard or requirement, including instantaneous limits as defined in §
89-1;
B. Technical review criteria (TRC) violations, defined here as those in which 33% or more of wastewater measurements taken for each pollutant parameter during a six-month period equals or exceeds the product of the numeric pretreatment standard or requirement including instantaneous limits, as defined by §
89-1, multiplied by the applicable criteria (1.4 for BOD, TSS, fats, oils, and grease, and 1.2 for all other pollutants except pH);
C. Any other violation of a pretreatment standard or
requirement that the Superintendent determines has caused, alone or
in combination with other discharges, interference or pass through,
including endangering the health of POTW personnel or the general
public;
D. Any discharge of pollutant that has caused imminent
endangerment to the public or to the environment, or has resulted
in the Superintendent's exercise of its emergency authority to halt
or prevent such a discharge;
E. Failure to meet, within 90 days of the scheduled date,
a compliance schedule milestone contained in an individual wastewater
discharge permit or enforcement order for starting construction, completing
construction, or attaining final compliance;
F. Failure to provide, within 45 days after the due date,
any required reports, including baseline monitoring reports, reports
on compliance with categorical pretreatment standard deadlines, periodic
self-monitoring reports, and reports on compliance with compliance
schedules;
G. Failure to accurately report noncompliance; or
H. Any other violations(s), which may include a violation
of best management practices, which the Superintendent determines
will adversely affect the operation or implementation of the local
pretreatment program.
[Amended 2-19-2003 by Ord. No. 1-2003]
A. The sewer rental for the collection and treatment of sanitary sewage discharged into the sewer system by all dwellings and establishments receiving water only from a public utility, a municipal authority or any other entity providing water to the public shall be a rent based upon the amount of water supplied to the properties by such public utility, a municipal authority or any other entity providing water to the public and shall be in an amount computed by charges set forth in §
89-11.
B. In cases where dwellings and establishments using the sewer system have sources of water supply other than or in combination with water supplied by a public utility, a municipal authority or any other entity providing water to the public, the measured flow, computed in accordance with the provisions of §
89-6A above, shall be used as the basis for computation of the sewer rent pursuant to §
89-11.
[Amended 6-15-1994 by Ord. No. 7-1994; 2-20-2008 by Ord. No.
4-2008]
A. The sewer rent for the collection and treatment of
industrial wastes discharged into the Goose Creek sewer system by
industrial users shall be based upon a premium charge for extra-strength
waste applied as a factor against the charges for sanitary sewage.
The premium charge shall be based on the following formula for determination
of the multiplication factor:
|
Factor
|
=
|
36.2% (BOD* in ppm ***)
150
|
+
|
35.9% (NH3 -
N in ppm ***)
40
|
+
|
27.9% (SS** in ppm ***)
350
|
|
* Where "BOD" is defined for these purposes
as 100% of the influent-soluble BOD plus 30% of the influent-insoluble
BOD.
** In cases where the suspended solids, in the
opinion of the Borough do not represent the true characteristics of
the solids loading, the Borough reserves the right to use total solids
instead of suspended solids.
*** Where figures are less than 150 parts per
million of BOD or 40 parts per million of ammonia (NH3 - N) or 350 parts per million of suspended solids, the value in
the brackets shall be equal to one.
|
B. The basis of computation for extra-strength waste
shall be computed from the average of the previous six months' determination
of character and concentration of waste.
C. In cases where industrial users using the sewer system use water supplied from any source and the water so supplied is not entirely discharged into the sewer system, the measured flow to be used as a basis for the computation of the sewer rent pursuant to §
89-11A shall be determined as set forth in §§
89-3A and
B and
89-7.
[Amended 12-13-1995 by Ord. No. 23-1995; 3-15-2000 by Ord. No. 1-2000; 10-18-2000 by Ord. No. 19-2000; 2-19-2003 by Ord. No. 1-2003; 12-19-2007 by Ord. No. 20-2007; 12-17-2008 by Ord. No. 23-2008]
A. Effective February 1, 2009, the sewer rental imposed under §§
89-9 and
89-10 of this article shall be billed on a monthly basis at the same intervals and at the same dates as rents for water consumed on the same property.
B. Effective February 1, 2024, the monthly sewer rates
shall be computed as follows:
[Amended 1-20-2010 by Ord. No. 2-2010; 8-15-2012 by Ord. No.
14-2012; 11-20-2012 by Ord. No. 23-2012; 12-15-2020 by Ord. No. 11-2020; 12-14-2021 by Ord. No. 13-2021; 12-20-2023 by Ord. No. 18-2023]
Monthly Sewer Rates
|
---|
Quantity of Water Used
(gallons)
|
Charge
|
---|
First 2,000 or less
|
$33
|
Over 2,000
|
$8.76 per 1,000 gallons or any part thereof
|
[Amended 11-20-1996 by Ord. No. 25-1996; 1-20-1999 by Ord. No. 1-1999; 10-18-2000 by Ord. No.
19-2000]
A. Bills for sewer rents or charges shall be paid by
the owner of the property and mailed to the address specified in the
application for the permit to make the sewer connection to the property
to be served by sewer service, unless and until a different address
is specified, in writing, by the owner of such property to the Borough.
Failure of the owner to receive a bill as a result of an incorrect
address or otherwise shall not excuse payment of sewer rents or charges
or extend the time for payment thereof. It shall be incumbent upon
all persons connected to the sewer system to provide the Borough with
the correct billing address or any changes thereto.
B. All sewer rents not paid within 21 days of the date
of the bill shall be deemed to be delinquent and shall be subject
to a penalty of 1 1/2% per month. All delinquent sewer rents, together
with interest, penalties, charges and costs thereof, shall constitute
a municipal claim against the property or properties served by the
sewer service from the date the same first became due and payable.
If such sewer rents, penalties and charges are not timely paid, the
Borough shall file a municipal lien against the property served pursuant
to the procedure established in the Pennsylvania Municipal Lien Law and in §
89-14 herein, and such lien shall be collected in the manner provided for by law for the filing and collecting of such municipal liens. The Borough is further authorized to collect reasonable attorneys' fees that it incurs in the collection of any delinquent sewer accounts in the amount specified in §
89-14 herein. In addition, the Borough may collect all delinquent sewer rents, penalties, interest and charges, including attorneys' fees, by referring such delinquent claims to a collection agency, by filing an action in assumpsit, or in any other manner or by any proceeding otherwise provided by law. Any fees that the Borough incurs in exercising its legal remedies shall be added to the amount of the delinquent account. All of the Borough's remedies shall be cumulative.
C. If the owner or occupant if the property served by
a water utility shall neglect or fail to pay the sewer rent plus penalty
and charges by the last day of the second month after which the bill
is dated, the Borough may notify the water utility which provides
water service to the property to shut off the supply of water to such
property until all such overdue rentals, rates and charges, together
with any penalties and interest thereon shall be paid in full. Before
the Borough notifies the water utility to shut off the supply of water
to any property, the Borough must send written notice of its intention
to shut off the water supply to the person liable for payment of the
rentals and charges at least 10 days prior to when the water supply
is shut off and must post a written notice at the main entrance to
the property notifying the owner that the water will be shut off within
10 days if the delinquent account is not paid in full. If during such
ten-day period, the person liable for the payment of the rentals and
charges delivers to the Borough a written statement, under oath or
affirmation, stating that he has a just defense to the claim, or part
of it, for such rentals or charges, then the water supply shall not
be shut off until such claim has been judicially determined. The statement
shall also contain a declaration under oath or affirmation that it
was not executed for the purpose of delay.
[Amended 12-13-1995 by Ord. No. 23-1995]
The Borough Council shall appoint, from year
to year, a suitable person or entity to collect the sewer rentals
and charges herein provided and shall provide such information and
records to such person or entity as is necessary or required. In addition,
Borough Council shall provide or establish compensation therefor and
may require the filing of a suitable fidelity bond in connection therewith.
[Added 6-21-2023 by Ord. No. 08-2023]
A. Owners discharging wastewater into the publicly owned treatment works shall be and are responsible, at their sole cost and expense, for obtaining permits and for all labor and materials required for the installation, maintenance, repair and replacement of all pipes, fittings, valves, vents, and appurtenances necessary to convey sewage from the exterior wall of any private or public building or structure to the service tee or wye fitting connecting to the sewer main; and the restoration of any land area or paving extending from the exterior wall of the private or public building or structure to the sewer main (hereinafter referred to as the "work" in this §
89-14).
B. All work shall be completed in compliance with Chapter
82 of this Code, Plumbing, including applying for and obtaining all required permits. All information, including plans and specifications, required by the Borough to properly consider the permit application shall be provided by the permit applicant.
C. When any work requires the opening, cutting, or excavation in or of any Borough street, the owner shall apply for and obtain a Borough permit in accordance with Chapter
95, Article
I, of the Code; and comply with all requirements of Chapter
95 and all conditions of the Borough permit.
D. When any work requires the opening, cutting, or excavation in or
of any road or street owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the
owner shall prepare and submit to the Borough for review a highway
occupancy permit application in the name of the Borough and pay all
applicable fees. Upon satisfactory completion of the application and
payment of the fees, the Borough shall submit the application to the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). The person performing
the work shall comply with all requirements and conditions of the
highway occupancy permit (HOP), including the payment of all cost
and expenses of the work located in the PennDOT right of way and payment
of any fines or penalties assessed by PennDOT or other agency or department.
E. Indemnification. The owner shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless
the Borough from any liability, including monetary damages resulting
from personal injury or property damage, as a result of the work.
This responsibility to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Borough
shall include the defense of any enforcement or other action commenced
by PennDOT or other agency for failure to obtain a HOP or other permit,
and liability for any fines or penalties. Every permit issued for
any work shall include this indemnification provision which shall
be acknowledged by the signature of the owner.
F. No work shall commence until there is compliance with all of the
requirements of these regulations and necessary permits are issued.
Council reserves the right to, and may from
time to time, adopt such rules and regulations as it deems necessary
and proper for the use and operation of the sewer system, which rules
and regulations shall be and become part of this article.
[Amended 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
A. Notification of violation. Whenever the Superintendent
finds that any user has violated or is violating this article, a wastewater
discharge permit or order issued hereunder or any other pretreatment
requirement, the Superintendent or his agent may serve upon said user
a written notice of violation. Within 10 days of the receipt of this
notice, an explanation of the violation and a plan for the satisfactory
correction and prevention thereof, to include specific required actions,
shall be submitted by the user to the Superintendent. Submission of
this plan in no way relieves the user of liability for any violations
occurring before or after receipt of the notice of violation. Nothing
in this section shall limit the authority of the Borough to take any
action, including emergency actions or any other enforcement action,
without first issuing a notice of violation.
B. Judicial enforcement. Whenever a user has violated
a pretreatment standard or requirement, this article or a wastewater
discharge permit or order issued hereunder, the Superintendent may:
(2) Seek the issuance of a temporary or permanent injunction;
and/or
(3) Seek such other action as appropriate for legal and/or
equitable relief.
C. Injunctive relief. When the Superintendent finds that
a user has violated, or continues to violate, any provision of this
article, an individual wastewater discharge permit, or order issued
hereunder, or any other pretreatment standard or requirement, the
Superintendent may petition the Chester County Court of Common Pleas
through the Borough's Solicitor for the issuance of a temporary or
permanent injunction, as appropriate, which restrains or compels the
specific performance of the individual wastewater discharge permit
order, or other requirements imposed by this article on activities
of the user. The Superintendent may also seek such other action as
is appropriate for legal and/or equitable relief, including a requirement
for the user to conduct environmental remediation. A petition for
injunctive relief shall not be a bar against, or a prerequisite for,
taking any other action against a user.
D. Civil penalties.
(1) A user who has violated, or continues to violate any
provision of this article, an individual wastewater discharge permit,
or order issued hereunder, or any of the pretreatment standards or
requirements, shall be liable to the Borough for a civil penalty of
at least $1,000 per violation, per day, subject to the relevant state
maximum. In the case of a monthly or other long-term average discharge
limit, penalties shall accrue for each day during the period of violation.
(See 53 P.S. § 4308).
(2) The fines specified herein are established pursuant
to the requirements of the United States Environmental Protection
Agency and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Resources in accordance with 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq., 30
U.S.C. § 1201 et seq.
(3) In determining the amount of civil liability, the
Court shall take into account all relevant circumstances, including,
but not limited to, the extent of harm caused by the violation, the
magnitude and duration of the violation, any economic benefit gained
through the user's violation, corrective actions by the user, the
compliance history of the user, and any other factor as justice requires.
(4) Filing a suit for civil penalties shall not be a bar
against, or a prerequisite for, taking any other action against a
user.
E. Emergency suspensions.
(1) The Superintendent may immediately suspend a user's
discharge (after informal notice to the user) whenever such suspension
is necessary in order to stop an actual or threatened discharge which
reasonably appears to present or cause an imminent or substantial
endangerment to the health or welfare of persons. The Superintendent
may also immediately suspend a user's discharge (after notice and
opportunity to respond) that threatens to interfere with the operation
of the POTW or which presents or may present an endangerment to the
environment.
(a)
Any user notified of a suspension of its discharge shall immediately stop or eliminate its contribution. In the event of a user's failure to immediately comply voluntarily with the suspension order, the Superintendent shall take such steps as deemed necessary, including immediate severance of the sewer connection, to prevent or minimize damage to the POTW, its receiving stream or endangerment to any individuals. The Superintendent shall allow the user to recommence its discharge when the user has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Borough that the period of endangerment has passed, unless the termination proceedings set forth in §
89-17B are initiated against the user.
(b)
A user that is responsible, in whole or in part,
for any discharge presenting imminent endangerment shall submit a
detailed written statement describing the causes of the harmful contribution
and the measures taken to prevent any future occurrence to the Superintendent.
F. Hearing before suspension. Nothing in this section
shall be interpreted as requiring a hearing prior to any emergency
suspension under this section.
[Amended 2-20-2008 by Ord. No. 4-2008]
A. Termination of discharge.
(1) In addition to those provisions in §
89-17 and 18-18B of this article, any user that violates the following conditions of this article, wastewater discharge permits or orders issued hereunder is subject to discharge termination:
(a)
Violation of wastewater discharge permit conditions.
(b)
Failure to accurately report the wastewater
constituents and characteristics of its discharge.
(c)
Failure to report significant changes in operations
or wastewater volume, constituents and characteristics prior to discharge.
(d)
Refusal of reasonable access to the user's premises
for the purpose of inspection, monitoring or sampling.
(e)
Violation of the pretreatment standards.
(2) Such user will be notified of the proposed termination
of its discharge and be offered an opportunity to show why the proposed
action should not be taken. Exercise of this option by the Superintendent
shall not be a bar to, or a prerequisite for, taking any other action
against the user.
B. Criminal prosecution.
(1) Any violation or failure to comply with any provisions
of this article shall constitute a summary offense and prosecution
for every such offense shall be according to the practice in the case
of summary convictions and under the provisions of 53 P.S. § 48301.
(2) Nothing in this article limits the Borough's authority
provided under the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (35 P.S. § 750.1
et. seq.).
[Adopted 2-18-1965 as Ord. No. 10-65; amended in its entirety 10-21-1992 by Ord. No. 18-1992]
As used in this article, the meaning of terms
shall be as follows:
COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENT
Any structure or any portion thereof intended to be used
wholly or in part for the purpose of carrying on a trade, business,
industry or profession, or for social, amusement, religious, educational,
charitable or public uses, and which contains plumbing for kitchen
or toilet or washing facilities.
GARBAGE GRINDER
Any mechanism by which garbage, fruit, vegetable, animal
or other solid kitchen waste material is ground or shredded for discharge
into the West Chester sanitary sewer system.
Garbage, fruit, vegetable, animal or other solid
kitchen waste materials may be deposited into the West Chester sanitary
sewer system, provided that they shall first be passed through an
operating garbage grinder, which grinder must comply with all pertinent
regulations of the Borough of West Chester.
Any garbage grinder installed in a commercial
or industrial establishment must be registered with the Borough of
West Chester on a form furnished by the Borough, requiring identification
of the location of the property, the type and size of the grinder
and such additional information as the Borough may require.
In addition to the regular sewer rates, a surcharge shall be imposed based upon the formula set forth in §
89-10 for each garbage grinder in a commercial or industrial establishment as hereinabove defined.
The aforementioned charges shall be added to the regular sewer billings and shall become due and payable as all other charges pursuant to §
89-11 of the ordinance adopted December 8, 1954.
The provisions of this article are declared
to be for the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the Borough,
and persons violating any provisions of this article, upon conviction
before any District Justice, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not
more than $1,000, together with costs of prosecution, or to imprisonment
in the county jail for a term not to exceed 30 days, or both.