Terms defined. Unless otherwise expressly stated,
the words and phrases used in this article shall have the following
meanings:
AUTHORIZED AGENT
A sewage enforcement officer, employee of the Township, licensed
civil engineer, plumbing inspector or any other qualified or licensed
person who is authorized to function within specified limits as an
agent of the Township to administer or enforce the provisions of this
article.
BOARD
The Board of Commissioners of Lower Merion Township, Montgomery
County, Pennsylvania.
COMMUNITY SEWAGE SYSTEM
Any system, whether publicly or privately owned, for the
collection of sewage from two or more lots and the treatment and/or
disposal of the sewage on one or more lots or at any other site.
DEP
The Department of Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania.
INDIVIDUAL SEWAGE SYSTEM
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 this commonwealth.
LEVEL ONE INSPECTION
A set of criteria for the inspection of an on-lot sewage
disposal system identified in that document known as the "Pennsylvania
Septage Management Association (PSMA) Septic System Inspection Instructions,"
a copy of which may be obtained from the sewage enforcement officer.
MALFUNCTION
A condition which occurs when an on-lot sewage disposal system
discharges sewage onto the surface of the ground, into groundwaters
of this commonwealth, into surface waters of this commonwealth, backs
up into a building connected to the system, requires pumping out two
or more times within a six-month period due to the inability of the
soil to accept the liquids (except for a permitted holding tank) or
in any manner causes a nuisance or hazard to the public health or
pollution of groundwater or surface water or contamination of public
or private drinking water wells. Systems shall be considered to be
malfunctioning if any condition noted above occurs for any length
of time during any period of the year, unless the result of an accidental
cause extrinsic to the system itself.
OFFICIAL SEWAGE FACILITIES PLAN
A comprehensive plan for the provision of adequate sewage
disposal systems, adopted by the Board and approved by the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection, pursuant to the Pennsylvania
Sewage Facilities Act.
ON-LOT SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM
Any system for disposal of domestic sewage involving pretreatment
and subsequent disposal of the clarified sewage into a subsurface
soil absorption area or retaining tank; this term includes both individual
sewage systems and community sewage systems.
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, political subdivision,
municipality, district, authority, or any other legal entity whatsoever
which is recognized by law as the subject of rights and duties. Whenever
used in any clause prescribing and 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 municipal, public or private corporation for profit or not
for profit.
REHABILITATION
Work done to modify, alter, repair, enlarge or replace an
existing on-lot sewage disposal system.
SEWAGE
Any substance that contains any of the waste products or
excrement or other discharge from the bodies of human beings or animals
and any 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 Act of June 22, 1937 (P.L. 1987, No. 394), known
as the "Clean Streams Law," as amended.
SEWAGE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (SEO)
A person certified by DEP who is employed or retained by
the Township. Such person is authorized to conduct investigations
and inspections, review permit applications, issue or deny permits
and do all other activities as may be provided for such person in
the Sewage Facilities Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and this
article or any other ordinance adopted by the Township.
SEWAGE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
The entirety of Lower Merion Township unless a particular
area or areas of the Township have been designated in the Official
Sewage Facilities Plan adopted by the Board as an area for which a
sewage management program is to be implemented.
SEWAGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
A comprehensive set of legal and administrative requirements
encompassing the requirements of this article, the Sewage Facilities
Act, the Clean Streams Law, the regulations promulgated thereunder
and such other requirements adopted by the Board to effectively enforce
and administer this article.
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.