The purpose of this article is to provide for
the regulation of installation, maintenance and use of sewage grinder
pumps and any associated force mains or low-pressure laterals for
the protection, benefit and preservation of the health, safety and
welfare of the residents of Skippack Township.
The following words, terms and phrases, as used
in this article, shall have the following meanings given herein. When
not inconsistent with the context, words used in the singular include
the plural, words in the plural include the singular, and words used
in the present tense include the future. The word "shall" is always
mandatory.
ACT 537 PLAN
The Township's Official Plan as defined in the Pennsylvania
Sewage Facilities Act, Act of January 24, 1966, P.L. 1535 (1965),
No. 537, as amended, 35 P.S. §§ 750.1 to 750.20a ("Sewage
Facilities Act" or "Act 537").
DEPARTMENT
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
GRINDER PUMP
Any electric motor driven, submersible, centrifugal pump
capable of macerating all material found in normal domestic sanitary
sewage, including reasonable amounts of objects, such as plastics,
sanitary napkins, disposable diapers, rubber and the like, to a fine
slurry, and pumping this material through a small diameter discharge.
IMPROVED PROPERTY
Any property within the 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 sewage
shall or may be discharged.
MUNICIPALITY
The Board of Supervisors of Skippack Township, Montgomery
County, Pennsylvania.
OFFICIAL PLAN REVISION
A change in the Township's Act 537 Plan to provide for additional
or newly identified future or existing sewage facilities needs, as
defined fully in Section 1 of the Sewage Facilities Act, 35 P.S. § 750.1.
PROPERTY OWNER
Any person or entity vested with ownership, legal or equitable,
sole or partial, of any property located in the Township.
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 substance 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 any substance
which constitutes pollution under the Clean Streams Law, 35 P.S. §§ 691.1
to 691.1001, as amended.
The connection of existing properties or properties
within a proposed new land development to an existing or proposed
sewerage system through the use of sewage grinder pumps, their associated
force mains, or low-pressure laterals shall occur only after an Official
Plan Revision to the Township's Act 537 Plan, approved by both the
Township and the Department, designating that the proposed properties
shall be served by such a connection.
The Township is authorized and empowered to
adopt such rules and regulations concerning sewage which it may deem
necessary from time to time to effect the purposes herein. The Township
is authorized and empowered to take such other actions as are necessary,
including, without limitation, entering into agreements with property
owners that assure proper operation and maintenance of sewage facilities
within the Township's boundaries, including, without limitation, sewage
grinder pumps and any associated force mains or low-pressure laterals.
In addition to any other remedies provided in this chapter, any violations of §§
152-65 and
152-66 hereof shall constitute a nuisance and shall be abated by the Township by either seeking mitigation of the nuisance or appropriate equitable or legal relief from a court of competent jurisdiction.
All such rules and regulations adopted by the
Township to effectuate this article shall be in conformity with the
provisions hereof, and all other ordinances of the Township, and all
applicable laws, and applicable rules and regulations of the administrative
agencies of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.