[Adopted 5-6-1996 by Ord. No. 147]
Unless the context specifically and clearly indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms and phrases used in this article shall be as follows:
AUTHORITY
Bern Township Municipal Authority, a municipality authority incorporated and existing pursuant to the provisions of the Municipality Authorities Act of 1945, approved May 2, 1945, P.L. 382,[1] as amended and supplemented, of the commonwealth.
BUILDING SEWER
The sewage drainage system from a building constructed on any improved property to the lateral serving such improved property, including any grinder pump or pressure sewer or similar apparatus or facilities installed by this township or the Authority or the owner and which are located on such improved property.
COMMONWEALTH
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
IMPROVED PROPERTY
Any property within this township upon which there is erected a structure intended for continuous or periodic habitation, occupancy or use by human beings or animals and from which structure sanitary sewage and/or industrial wastes shall be or may be discharged.
INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENT
Any improved property located in this township used or intended for use, wholly or in part, for the manufacturing, processing, cleaning, laundering or assembling of any product, commodity or article, or any other improved pumping, transmitting, treating and disposing of sanitary sewage and/or industrial wastes discharged by an improved property within the township, other than a building sewer or a lateral.
STREET
Includes any street, road, lane, court, cul-de-sac, alley, public way or public square.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Bern, Berks County, Pennsylvania, a political subdivision of the commonwealth, acting by and through its Board of Supervisors or, in appropriate cases, acting by and through its authorized representatives.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 301 et seq.
A. 
The owner of any improved property located in this township that is adjoining and adjacent to the sewer system shall connect such improved property with and use such sewer system, in such manner as this township and the Authority may require, within 60 days after notice to such owner from this township to make such connection for the purpose of discharging all sanitary sewage and industrial wastes from such improved property; subject, however, to such limitations and restrictions as shall be established herein or otherwise shall be established by this township and the Authority from time to time.
B. 
Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A of this section, this township shall not require any commercial or industrial business to connect to the sewer system when such commercial or industrial business is operating a sewer treatment plant under mandate of any agency of the federal or state government. This exemption shall last as long as such sewer treatment plant continues to meet the specifications and standards mandated by such federal or state agency and for 45 days thereafter. If, during the days immediately subsequent to the day a business' sewer treatment plant is determined to be below federal or state mandates, repairs cannot be made to bring the system back up to satisfactory condition, this township may require such business to connect to the sewer system. In such case, the full costs of connection to, and any necessary refurbishing of, the sewer system shall be borne by such business.
C. 
The exemption provided for in Subsection B of this section shall not be available in any situation where the business seeking to use it had notice, either actual or constructive, prior to construction of such sewage treatment plant of this township's intention to construct a sanitary sewer system and to require that business to connect with the sewer system.
All sanitary sewage and industrial wastes from any improved property, after connection of such improved property with a sewer as required under § 138-42, shall be conducted into such sewer; subject, however, to such limitations and restrictions as shall be established herein or otherwise shall be established by this township, from time to time.
A. 
No person shall place, shall deposit or shall permit to be placed or to be deposited upon any public or private property within this township any sanitary sewage or industrial wastes in violation of § 138-42.
B. 
No person shall discharge or shall permit to be discharged to any natural outlet any sanitary sewage or industrial wastes in violation of § 138-42, except where suitable treatment has been provided that is satisfactory to this township and the Authority.
A. 
No privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle shall be used or shall be maintained at any time upon an improved property that has been connected to a sewer or that is required under § 138-42 to be connected to a sewer.
B. 
Every such privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle in existence shall be abandoned and, at the discretion of this township and the Authority, shall be cleansed and shall be filled with a noncompactable material (e.g., sand), at the expense of the owner of such improved property, under the direction and supervision of this township and the Authority, and any such privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle not so abandoned and, if required by this township or the Authority, not cleansed and filled shall constitute a nuisance, and such nuisance may be abated, as provided by law, at the expense of the owner of such improved property.
C. 
No privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle at any time shall be connected to a sewer.
The notice by this township to make a connection to a sewer referred to in § 138-42 shall include a reference to this article and a written or printed document requiring the connection in accordance with the provisions of this article and specifying that such connection shall be made within the time limitations described herein. Such notice may be given or served at any time after a sewer is in place that can receive and can convey sanitary sewage and industrial wastes for treatment and disposal from the particular improved property. Such notice shall be by personal service or by registered mail.
A. 
No person shall uncover, shall connect with, shall make any opening into or shall use, shall alter or shall disturb, in any manner, any sewer or any part of the sewer system without first obtaining a permit, in writing, from the Authority.
B. 
Application for a permit required under Subsection A of this section shall be made by the owner of the improved property served or to be served or by the duly authorized agent of such owner.
C. 
No person shall make or shall cause to be made a connection of any improved property with a sewer until such person shall have fulfilled each of the following conditions:
(1) 
Such person shall have notified a designated representative of the Authority of the desire and intention to connect such improved property to a sewer.
(2) 
Such person shall have applied for and shall have obtained a permit as required by Subsection A of this section.
(3) 
Such person shall have given such designated representative of the Authority at least 24 hours' notice of the time when such connection will be made so that the Authority may supervise and inspect or may cause to be supervised and inspected the work of connection and necessary testing.
(4) 
If applicable, such person shall have furnished satisfactory evidence to the designated representative of the Authority that any tapping fee, and any other applicable fee or charge that may be charged and imposed by the Authority against the owner of each improved property who connects such improved property to a sewer, has been paid.
D. 
Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, each improved property shall be connected separately and independently with a sewer through a building sewer. Grouping of more than one improved property on one building sewer shall not be permitted, except under special circumstances and for good sanitary reasons or other good cause shown, but then only after special permission of the Authority, in writing, shall have been secured and only subject to such rules, regulations and conditions as may be prescribed by the Authority.
E. 
All costs and expenses of acquisition, construction, operation and maintenance of a building sewer and of the lateral serving any improved property shall be borne by the owner of the improved property served thereby, unless otherwise provided by the Authority. All costs and expenses of connection of a building sewer to a lateral, and connection of a lateral to a sewer, including such costs and expenses of acquiring, installing, operating and maintaining a grinder pump or similar apparatus approved by the Authority, shall be borne by the owner of the improved property so connected, unless otherwise provided by the Authority. Each such owner shall indemnify and shall save harmless this township and the Authority from all loss or damage that may be occasioned, directly or indirectly, as a result of construction, connection, operation or use of a building sewer or of a lateral.
F. 
A building sewer and the appropriate lateral shall be connected to a sewer at the location designated by the Authority. If the Authority furnishes the lateral, the building sewer shall be connected to the sewer at the place where the lateral is located. The owner of each improved property shall provide the Authority any information requested pertaining to the existing or proposed location of a building sewer and of the lateral. The invert of a building sewer at the point of connection shall be at the same or a higher elevation than the invert of the sewer. A smooth, neat joint shall be made and the connection of a building sewer and lateral, or other designated point of connection, shall be made secure and watertight.
G. 
If the owner of any improved property located within this township that is adjoining or adjacent to the sewer system, or whose principal building is within 150 feet from a sewer, after 60 days' notice from this township or the Authority requiring the connection of such improved property with a sewer in accordance with § 138-42, shall fail to connect such improved property and use the sewer system, as required, this township, or the Authority on its behalf, may enter upon such improved property and construct such connection and may collect from such owner the costs and expenses thereof in the manner permitted by law.
A. 
Where an improved property, at the time connection to a sewer is required, shall be served by its own sewage disposal system or sewage disposal device, the existing house sewer line shall be broken on the structure side of such sewage disposal system or sewage disposal device, and attachment shall be made with proper fittings to continue such house sewer line as the building sewer, and from there to the lateral and the sewer, in the manner approved by the Authority.
B. 
No building sewer or any lateral constructed by the owner shall be covered until it has been inspected and approved by the Authority. If any part of a building sewer or lateral is covered before so being inspected and approved, it shall be uncovered for inspection at the cost and expense of the owner of the improved property to be connected to a sewer.
C. 
Every building sewer and every lateral serving any improved property shall be operated and maintained by the owner of such improved property in a sanitary and safe operating condition to the continuing satisfaction of the Authority.
D. 
Every excavation for a building sewer or for a lateral shall be guarded adequately with barricades and lights to protect all persons from damage and injury. Any street, sidewalk and other property disturbed in the course of installation of such facilities shall be restored, at the cost and expense of the owner of the improved property being connected, in a manner satisfactory to the Authority.
E. 
If any person shall fail or shall refuse, upon receipt of a written notice of the Authority, to remedy any unsatisfactory condition with respect to a building sewer or with respect to a lateral, within 60 days of receipt of such notice, the Authority may refuse to permit such person to discharge sanitary sewage and industrial wastes into the sewer system until such unsatisfactory condition shall have been remedied to the satisfaction of the Authority. In the event of a condition with respect to said facilities which threatens health or property, this township or the Authority may specify a lesser time or other manner of notice of such condition.
F. 
This township reserves the right to adopt, from time to time, additional rules and regulations as it shall deem necessary and proper relating to connections with a sewer and with the sewer system, which additional rules and regulations, to the extent appropriate, shall be and shall be construed as part of this article.
A. 
Any person who shall violate this article shall be subject, upon summary conviction for a first offense and upon summary conviction for each subsequent offense, to a fine of not more than $1,000, together with costs of prosecution in each case. Each day that a violation shall continue shall be deemed and shall be taken to be a separate offense and shall be punishable as such.
B. 
Fines and costs imposed under provisions of this article shall be enforceable and recoverable in the manner at the time provided by applicable law.
It is declared that enactment of this article and the provisions hereof are necessary for the protection, benefit and preservation of the health, safety and welfare of inhabitants of this township.