[Adopted 11-30-1956 by Ord. No.
3]
The following are the resolutions of the Board
of Supervisors of Richland Township, Cambria County, Pennsylvania,
to further protect the health and welfare of its residents, and on
the 30th day of November 1956, said Board adopted the resolutions
regulating individual sewage disposal systems, effective the date
of adoption.
The following regulations for individual sewage
disposal systems are to be designed based on the information available
and/or developed during the construction of the same. The minimum
standards established are extended as a guide for a sewage disposal
system and are not to be construed as guaranteeing that the system
will function satisfactorily. Requirements other than those outlined
may be necessary in order to obtain satisfactory results. The rules
and regulations herein are subject to change and where there is any
ambiguity or dispute as to the rules and regulations, the regulations
and recommendation of the Pennsylvania Department of Health shall
be binding and control.
The location of the sewage disposal system shall
be determined by the size and shape of lot, gradience, depth of groundwater
and the location of any streams, lakes or ponds.
The lots shall be of a sufficient size to permit
proper location, installation and operation of an individual sewage
disposal system in a sanitary manner not to create a nuisance nor
contaminate any water supply.
The installation of an individual sewage disposal
system shall not be made on any low land subject to periodic flooding,
or areas with a high water table, nor land subject to poor drainage
which would preclude the installation of a sewage disposal system
operation properly.
The sewage disposal system shall be designed
to receive all sanitary sewage and laundry waste, and can be any of
the following type:
The location of the septic tank shall not be
less that 15 feet from building nor less than 15 feet from any property
line nor less than 50 feet from any water supply.
The termination of any laterals shall not be
less than 15 feet from any property line or main building.
The pipe which is to be used for the construction
of the house sewer line connected to the septic tank shall be of the
bill and spigot joint type, of cast iron, vitrified clay or concrete,
of proper size. Watertight joints shall be assured and a grade of
not less than 1/8 inch per foot, nor more than 1/4 inch per foot,
is allowable to the septic tank. No ninety-degree ells shall be permitted
and accessible cleanouts should be provided for the house sewer line.
The construction of the septic tank can be of
concrete, or steel properly coated to prevent excessive corrosion,
and shall comply with commercial standards.
Provisions shall be made for inspection and
cleanout openings. The tank should be made tight to prevent the entrance
of rain, surface water or groundwater.
A.
The minimum capacity of septic tanks shall be as follows:
(1)
There shall be no septic tank installed of less than
500 gallons' liquid capacity.
(2)
Three or less bedrooms: 500 gallons' liquid capacity.
(3)
Four bedrooms: 750 gallons' liquid capacity.
(4)
Five bedrooms: 900 gallons' liquid capacity.
(5)
Six bedrooms: 1,100 gallons' liquid capacity.
(6)
Seven bedrooms: 1,300 gallons' liquid capacity.
(7)
Eight bedrooms: 1,300 gallons' liquid capacity.
(8)
Twelve bedrooms: 2,000 gallons' liquid capacity.
B.
The minimum liquid capacity of any septic tank shall
be increased by 50% of the above schedule when household garbage grinders
or disposal units discharge into the individual sewage system.
Commercial, business, institutional or public
systems shall fall under a separate category and shall be designed
according to the determined requirements of the particular application
in line with the ruling and all of the requirements of the Pennsylvania
Department of Health.
In order to provide information relating to
the best method of disseminating the effluent from the septic tank,
percolation tests may be required to provide information as to whether
field tile laterals, cesspools or a combination of both is required.
The location of the field tile lateral shall
be in an open, unshaded area and should be located 50 feet from any
water supply, 25 feet from any stream, lake or pond and 15 feet from
any dwelling or property line.
A distribution box of the proper size to accommodate the lateral lines shall be constructed at the head of the lateral lines. Each lateral line shall be connected separately to the distribution box. The connection between the septic tank and the distribution box shall be the same as for the construction of the house sewer line. (See § 198-9.)
Lateral trenches are not acceptable in filled
ground.
A minimum length of 250 feet of laterals is
required, with a minimum of three lines from each individual septic/distribution
box. The minimum width of the field tile trench shall be 18 inches,
the maximum depth 36 inches (preferred depth 18 inches), the maximum
grade of field tile lines shall not exceed six inches for 100 feet,
and the preferred would be two inches to four inches per 100 feet.
The filter material depth under the field tile shall be a minimum
of six inches, and over the field tile a minimum of two inches in
depth. The field tile for the lateral lines shall not be less than
four inches in diameter and be laid with one-fourth-inch open joints.
All open joints are to be protected by strips of asphalt building
paper at least three inches wide and sufficiently long to make cover
for field tile. The filter material for the field tile shall be clean
crushed stone, gravel or slag a minimum of 1/2 inch in size.
Cesspools can be used in conjunction with septic
tanks in lieu of laterals when soil conditions or topography make
them best adapted to the proper functioning of the sewage system.
The cesspool shall not be less than six feet in inside diameter and have a minimum depth of 10 feet. However, the depth of the cesspool used in conjunction with a septic tank shall be determined by the soil conditions encountered in digging for the preparation of the cesspool, and the cesspool must be of sufficient depth to encounter a sandy or porous soil condition to assure proper leaching. In the event that more than one cesspool is used with a septic tank installation, a distribution box will be required as described in the preceding sections. (See § 198-16.)
The cesspool shall be located not less than 10 feet from the septic tank, and the connection between the septic tank and the cesspool shall be of the same construction as the house sewer line to the septic tank. (See § 198-9.)
The location of the cesspool shall be not less
than 100 feet from any water supply, 25 feet from any dwelling and
15 feet from any property line; in no case shall any cesspool excavation
extend into the water table and, in the event that groundwater is
encountered, the bottom of the cesspool shall be raised with gravel
or coarse sand at least two feet above the water table.
The lining of the cesspool can be of stone,
cinder block or brick. The thickness of materials used must be at
least eight inches. The lining above the inlet is to be laid in cement
mortar, and below the inlets the joints are to be left open. Where
necessary because of soil conditions, the annular space between the
lining and the earth wall shall be filled with crushed rock or gravel.
The lining of the cesspool may be corbeled to permit use of a smaller
cover than the full diameter of the cesspool. A weight-bearing flagstone
or reinforced concrete top, with a manhole and cover, shall be provided.
The cover and manhole are to be made watertight. The top of the cesspool
shall be a minimum of 12 inches below the ground surface.
All individual sewage disposal systems installed
or constructed in Richland Township from and after the date of the
adoption of this article shall be in full and complete compliance
of the above regulations. The township may from time to time have
said installation of said individual sewage disposal system inspected
during the construction and installation of the same or said township
may accept the inspection and approval of the same by the Pennsylvania
Department of Health; but said approval in no wise carries any assurance
or guarantee of the efficient and satisfactory operation of said individual
sewage disposal system.
[Amended 1-4-2000 by Ord. No. 272]
Any person who violates or permits a violation
of this article shall, upon being found liable therefor in a civil
enforcement proceeding commenced by the Township before a District
Justice, pay a fine of not more than $600, plus all court costs, including
reasonable attorney's fees, incurred by the Township in the enforcement
of this article. No judgment shall be imposed until the date of the
determination of the violation by the District Justice. If the defendant
neither pays nor timely appeals the judgment, the Township may enforce
the judgment pursuant to the applicable Rules of Civil Procedure.
Each day a violation exists shall constitute a separate offense. Further,
the appropriate officers or agents of the Township are hereby authorized
to seek equitable relief, including injunction, to enforce compliance
herewith.
