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Township of Hanover, PA
Northampton County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Adopted 10-24-1995 by Ord. No. 95-7]
Unless the context specifically and clearly indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms and phrases used in this article shall be as follows:
BOARD
The Board of Supervisors of the Township of Hanover, Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
BUILDING SEWER
The sewer extension from the sewage drainage system of any improved property, including any grinder pump or related apparatus, to the lateral serving such improved property.
COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT
Any room, group of rooms, building or enclosure connected, directly or indirectly, to the sewer system and used or intended for use in the operation of a business enterprise for the sale and distribution of any product, commodity, article or service.
COMMONWEALTH
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
CONNECTION FEE
The connection fee imposed by the Township under §§ 140-12 through 140-17 hereof against the owner of any improved property that is connected to the sewer system.
CONNECTION ORDINANCE
The ordinance enacted by this Township, inter alia, requiring all owners of improved property located in the sewered area, and which is adjoining and adjacent to a sewer, to connect to such sewer and use the same in such manner as this Township may ordain.[1]
DOMESTIC SANITARY SEWAGE
Normal water-carried household and toilet wastes discharged from any improved property.
DWELLING UNIT
Any room, group of rooms, house trailer, apartment, condominium, cooperative or other enclosure connected, directly or indirectly, to the sewer system and occupied or intended for occupancy as living quarters by an individual, a single family or other discrete group of persons, excluding institutional dormitories.
EQUIVALENT DWELLING UNIT OR EDU
The unit of measure by which a tapping fee shall be imposed upon each improved property, as determined in this article or in any subsequent ordinance, resolution or regulation of the Township, which shall be deemed to constitute the estimated, equivalent amount of domestic sanitary sewage discharged by a single-family dwelling unit.
IMPROVED PROPERTY
Any property upon which there is erected a structure intended for continuous or periodic habitation, occupancy or any use by human beings or animals and from which structure domestic sanitary sewage and/or industrial wastes shall be or may be discharged, which is located within the sewered area and is subject to the Connection Ordinance and/or this article.
INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENT
Any improved property 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 property from which wastes, in addition to or other than domestic sanitary sewage, shall or may be discharged.
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
Any and all wastes discharged from any industrial establishment, and/or any wastewater having characteristics which may have the potential to be detrimental to the sewer system, in the opinion of the Board, other than domestic sanitary sewage.
LATERAL
That part of the sewer system extending from a sewer to the curbline or, if there is no curbline, to the property line; or, if no such extension is provided, then "lateral" shall mean that portion of, or place in, a sewer that is provided for connection of any building sewer.
OWNER
Any person vested with title, legal or equitable, sole or partial, of any improved property.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, company, association, society, trust, corporation or other group or entity, including municipalities, municipality authorities, school districts and other units of government.
SEWER
Any pipe or conduit constituting a part of the sewer system used or usable for collection of domestic sanitary sewage and/or industrial wastes.
SEWERED AREA
The area of the Township served and to be served by the sewer system as determined and designated, from time to time, by the Board of the Township.
SEWER SYSTEM
All facilities, at any particular time, acquired, leased, constructed, operated, and/or owned by the Township for collecting, pumping, transporting, treating and/or disposing of domestic sanitary sewage and/or industrial wastes from the sewered area, including but not limited to the central system and the village view system.
STREET
Includes any street, road, lane, court, cul-de-sac, alley, public way or public square, including such streets as are dedicated to public use, and such streets as are owned by private persons.
TAPPING FEE
The tapping fee imposed by the Township under §§ 140-12 through 140-17 hereof against the owner of any improved property that is connected to the sewer system.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Hanover, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, a political subdivision of the commonwealth, acting by and through its Board or, in appropriate cases, acting by and through its authorized representatives.
USER
Any person who contributes, causes or permits the contribution of wastewater into the sewer system.
USER CHARGE
The rental or charge imposed by the Township hereunder, as amended from time to time, against the owner of each improved property, for the use or availability for use of the sewer system.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Article I, Connection Required, of this chapter.
No person shall connect any improved property with any part of the sewer system without first making application for and securing a permit, in writing, from the Township. Such application shall be made on a form to be provided by the Township and shall be submitted in the manner described in the Connection Ordinance.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Article I, Connection Required, of this chapter.
[Amneded 6-21-2005 by Ord. No. 05-06[1]]
A. 
Tapping fee.
(1) 
A tapping fee is hereby imposed and shall be charged against the owner of any improved property (other than such owners who are subject to contractual or special agreements providing for payment of certain sums in lieu of a tapping fee) whenever the owner hereafter shall connect or be required to connect such improved property with the sewer system. The residential tapping fee hereby imposed shall be the product of $1,255.73 multiplied by the number of equivalent dwelling units (households) applicable to the improved property. The nonresidential tapping fee hereby imposed shall be the product of $5.39 multiplied by the hydraulic loading of the improved property based upon the annual average daily flow. Nonresidential applicants shall estimate their sewage flows on the basis of annual average daily flows and shall provide that estimate as part of their application to the Township. If it is determined, after connection and use of the system, that this flow estimate is less than the flow generated by the customer, the Township has the right to assess the tapping fee increase that would be due based upon that higher flow rate. The tapping fee used for that calculation shall be that tapping fee that is current at the time of assessment. The fee components included in such tapping fee, calculated pursuant to Acts 203 and 209 of 1990, and Act 57 of 2003, are separately forth in Exhibit A[2] attached hereto and made a part hereof. This Township reserves the right to revise and substitute, from time to time, Exhibit A and the tapping fee computed, by resolution of the Board, which shall be available for public inspection to reflect appropriate amendments to the cost components, design capacity or other elements of the required calculation of the tapping fee. Such amendments shall be deemed to revise the tapping fee of this Township set forth herein, and shall be, shall become and shall be construed as part of this article, and be applicable to those persons who subsequently connect to the sewer system.
[2]
Editor's Note: Exhibit A is on file in the Township offices.
(2) 
The tapping fees established by Hanover Township, Northampton County, do not substitute for tapping fees that may be due to other municipalities or authorities by way of intermunicipal capacity agreements. The applicant shall be responsible for payment of applicable tapping fees to those municipalities and/or authorities prior to receiving a permit from Hanover Township, Northampton County.
B. 
Connection fee.
(1) 
The Township also hereby imposes a connection fee, in accordance with Acts 203 and 209 of 1990 and Act 57 of 2003, in an amount not to exceed the applicable sum set forth in Exhibit A, as amended from time to time, against those owners of any improved property or other property for the lateral from the Township's main to the property line or curb stop of such property. Such connection fee shall be:
Connection Fee
Type
Fee
For laterals installed by the property owner, each
$397.50
For laterals installed by the Township as part of a Township sewer extension project
$1,660.00
(2) 
The Township reserves the right to revise and substitute, from time to time, Exhibit A[3] and the connection fee therein computed, by resolution of the Board, which shall be available for public inspection to reflect appropriate amendments to cost components and other elements of required calculation for a connection fee. Such amendments shall be deemed to revise the connection fee of this Township set forth, and shall be, shall become and shall be construed as part of this article, and be applicable to those persons who subsequently connect to the sewer system.
[3]
Editor's Note: Exhibit A is on file in the Township offices.
C. 
Customer facilities fee.
(1) 
The Township also hereby approves a customer facilities fee, in accordance with Acts 203 and 209 of 1990 and Act 57 of 2003 in an amount not to exceed the applicable sum set forth in Exhibit A, as amended from time to time, against those owners of any improved property or other property for the lateral from the Township's main to the property line or curb steps of such property. Such customer facilities fee shall be:
Customer Facilities Fee
Type
Fee
Customer facilities fee, each
$330.00
(2) 
The Township reserves the right to revise and substitute, from time to time, Exhibit A[4] and the customer facilities fee therein computed, by resolution of the Board, which shall be available for public inspection to reflect appropriate amendments to cost components and other elements of required calculation for a customer facilities fee. Such amendments shall be deemed to revise the customer facilities fee of this Township set forth, and shall be, shall become and shall be construed as part of this article, and be applicable to those persons who subsequently connect to the sewer system.
[4]
Editor's Note: Exhibit A is on file in the Township offices.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance provided for an effective date of 6-30-2005.
If any owner of improved property connected to the sewer system shall alter or expand the use of such improved property such that a larger number of equivalent dwelling units shall be applicable to such improved property, such owner must apply for a permit in accordance with the provisions of § 140-12 of this article, and an additional tapping fee in the applicable amount multiplied by the difference between the number of equivalent dwelling units applicable to such improved property prior to such alteration or expansion and the number of equivalent dwelling units to be applicable thereto immediately thereafter. Such additional tapping fee shall be due and payable at the time application is made for such permit.
All tapping fees and connection fees shall be payable to the Secretary-Treasurer of this Township, or to such other officer or agent of this Township as shall be authorized from time to time by resolution of the Board of this Township to accept payment thereof. Payment of the tapping fee and connection fee shall be made not later than the time application is made for the connection permit described in § 140-12 hereof and in the Connection Ordinance.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Article I, Connection Required, of this chapter.
Payment of tapping fees and connection fees imposed under this article shall be established and enforced by this Township by resolution or such other manner as may be appropriate under laws at the time in effect.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to prohibit this Township from entering into separate or special agreements with the owner of any property with respect to the tapping fees to be imposed in those cases where such owner shall agree to make a capital contribution toward the cost of constructing or improving the sewer system, or shall agree to construct any facilities, at such owner's cost and expense, thereafter to become part of the sewer system owned and operated by this Township, where, due to special or unusual circumstances, the tapping fee set forth herein shall be deemed by this Township, in its sole discretion, to be inequitable, or where it is in the best interests of this Township to do so.
The Township shall have the right of access, at all reasonable times, to any part of any improved property as necessary for purposes of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling and testing and for performance of other functions relating to service rendered by the Township.
The owner of any improved property, upon direction of the Township, shall acquire and install, at such owner's cost and expense, a grinder pump or other apparatus satisfactory to the Township in the manner and at the location approved by the Township. Such grinder pump or other apparatus shall be installed at the time such improved property is connected to the sewer system and shall be subject to Township inspection and approval together with the remainder of the building sewer, maintenance, repair and replacement of such grinder pump or the apparatus shall be and remain the sole responsibility of the owner of the improved property.
The owner of any improved property shall be held liable for all acts of tenants or other occupants of such improved property, as may be permitted by law, insofar as such acts shall be governed by the provisions of this article.
The Township shall adopt, from time to time, such additional rules and regulations as it shall deem necessary and proper in connection with the use and operation of the sewer system, which rules and regulations shall be shall become and shall be construed as part of this article.
It is declared that enactment of this article is necessary for the protection, benefit and preservation of health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of this Township.
Any person or owner violating any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before a District Justice under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be guilty of a summary offense and shall, in addition to the fees required to be paid under this article, be punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution. In default of payment thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days. Each day or portion thereof that such violation continues or is permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense, and each section of this article that is violated shall also constitute a separate offense.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).