[Adopted 6-14-1948 by Ord. No. 216 (Ch. 70, Art. II, of the 1971 Code)]
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
The municipal officials charged with the approving of permits
to construct private sewage disposal units and to connect to the municipal
sewerage system.
That portion of the sewer system extending from the outside
of the building or end of the inside plumbing system to and including
the connection with the municipal system.
That liquid from bathrooms, toilet rooms, kitchens and home
laundries.
That liquid resulting from processes employed in industrial
establishments.
A sewer pipe extending from the sewer line to the curb or
property line.
[Added 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596]
That portion of the municipal sewer system to which building
sewers are attached, which convey sewage to the municipal sewage treatment
plant.
[Added 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596]
The facilities for treating the municipal sewage.
The sanitary sewers and storm sewers owned by the Borough
of Columbia or leased thereby from a Municipal Authority.
[Amended 11-23-1954 by Ord. No. 283]
Any individual, firm, company, association, society, corporation
or group.
The manager of the municipal sewage treatment plant or other
qualified persons so designated by the Borough Manager.
[Added 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596]
That body of waters receiving the discharge waters from the
sewerage system or sewage treatment plant.
Conduits intended to receive domestic sewage and such industrial
sewages and/or wastes, with or without treatment, as are acceptable
to the municipality.
Sewers intended to receive surface water from storms, street
washings, roof drainage and sewage and industrial sewage that have
been treated to the extent required for discharge into the receiving
waters.
The Borough employee appointed by the Borough Council to
be responsible for the operation of the municipal sewage treatment
plant and sewer lines connected therewith.
A.Â
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, deposit
or permit to be deposited in an unsanitary manner any human excrement,
garbage or any other organic waste upon private or public property.
It shall be unlawful to discharge any untreated domestic sewage, industrial
sewage or other polluted waters into any stream, ditch, pond, lake
or groundwaters within the Borough or in any area under the jurisdiction
of the Borough. It shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any
privy, privy vault, cesspool or septic tank or deep well intended
for or subject to receiving organic wastes. The owner or owners of
all houses, buildings or properties situated within the Borough abutting
on any streets, alleys or parkways in which there is now located or
may hereafter be located any sewer pipeline of the sanitary sewer
system of the Borough are hereby required, at no expense to the municipality,
to install suitable toilet facilities therein and to connect said
houses or buildings erected upon the property directly with the sanitary
sewer system within three months after the date of official notice
to do so, if the municipal sewer is within 100 feet of the property
line.[1]
B.Â
It is provided, however, that where municipal sewers
are not available and cannot be made available, a septic tank and
tile field or other method of private sewage disposal must be constructed
to meet the requirements of the State Department of Health of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, after receiving the necessary permit
from the Borough Secretary/Treasurer or other designated municipal
official.
A.Â
A separate building sewer is required for each individual
building or house, whether constructed as a detached unit or as one
of a pair or row, but a single building sewer will be permitted to
serve an apartment house or other multiple-unit structure or industrial
plant if the land on which the units are located is held under one
deed. However, if a single building sewer is permitted to serve an
apartment house or other multiple-unit structure or industrial plant
by reason of the fact that the land on which such units are located
is held under one deed, then as soon as the land on which such units
are located is no longer held on one deed, a separate building sewer
shall be required for each unit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, should
a building sewer serving multiple houses or buildings be in existence
as of January 1, 2007, no new separate building sewers need be constructed;
provided, however, that the existing building sewer is in good working
condition without defect to the satisfaction of the Code Enforcement
Officer and/or Borough Engineer.
[Amended 12-9-1968 by Ord. No. 434; 1-8-2007 by Ord. No. 776]
B.Â
Building sewers, from the point of entry to the municipal sewer system to the building, shall be laid at the owner's expense, but only after such connections have been authorized by a properly authorized representative of the Borough, the payment of a permit of amount in accordance with Article IV of this chapter of the Columbia Borough Code, which is made a part of this article by reference and a statement by the owner that the discharge from the building sewer will comply with all of the regulations of this article.
[Amended 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596]
C.Â
Old building sewers may be used to connect new building
plumbing or new plumbing in old buildings to the municipal sewerage
system when a permit has been secured as for new construction of building
sewers.
D.Â
All building sewers shall be not less than four inches
in diameter and shall have a uniform fall of not less than 1/8 inch
per foot. They shall be of cast iron, vitrified clay or polyvinyl
chloride pipe as specified by a properly authorized representative
of the Borough. If polyvinyl chloride pipe is used, four inches of
one-quarter-inch stone shall be laid beneath the pipe and over the
pipe. Where a building sewer cannot be laid in a straight line, straight
pipe with bends shall be used for every deflection from a straight
line of more than one inch per foot. The pipe shall be of cast iron
with neoprene joints, or polyvinyl chloride with neoprene joints.
It shall be unlawful to lay a water and sewer line in the same trench.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, should any building sewer in existence
as of January 1, 2007, not be in compliance with the foregoing, the
noncompliant building sewer need not be replaced or repaired if, in
the discretion of the Borough Engineer and/or Code Enforcement Officer,
said building sewer is in good working condition without defect.
[Amended 12-9-1968 by Ord. No. 434; 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596; 1-8-2007 by Ord. No. 776]
E.Â
The connection between the building sewer and the
municipal sewer shall be made at a Y-branch, installed for that purpose
with a fitting approved by a properly authorized representative of
the Borough. If no Y-branch has been installed in the main trunk line
for such building sewer, the connection shall be made by a contractor
licensed by the Borough and at no expense to the Borough. The fitting
shall be specified and approved by a properly authorized representative
of the Borough prior to installation and encased in Class C concrete
after installation. The location of the lateral shall be marked on
the curb by cutting into the stone or concrete curb directly above
the lateral. The cut shall be neat but large enough to be permanent.
[Amended 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596]
F.Â
Each new building sewer or replacement sewer must
be inspected and approved by a properly authorized representative
of the Borough. The entire trench from the building to the main sewer
trunk line or any applicable segment must be open at the time of inspection.
[Amended 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596]
G.Â
All properties served by a sewer lateral shall install
a trap at the curbline or right-of-way. It shall be a properly vented
single-hub trap. A cleanout shall be installed in any lateral over
80 feet in length.
[Added 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596]
H.Â
Any work performed on the main sewer trunk line shall
be performed by a contractor or plumber licensed by the Borough. If,
during the course of work, the main sewer trunk line is damaged, the
contractor or plumber shall notify the Borough immediately. The Borough
will arrange for repair of the main sewer trunk line, with all expenses
for repair borne by the contractor or plumber.
[Added 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596]
I.Â
A properly authorized representative of the Borough
shall have final approval regarding the repair or installation of
sewer laterals and any connection to the main sewer trunk line.
[Added 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596]
J.Â
Any person who wishes to clean any portion of the
lateral shall clean the entire length of line from the point of blockage,
whether partial or complete, to the main trunk line.
[Added 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596]
K.Â
Any person who blocks or causes a blockage of the
building sewer shall be responsible for the removal of the blockage
and any resultant damage.
[Added 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596]
[Amended 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596]
The owner of every building sewer which is discharging
industrial sewage from any plant or establishment into the municipal
sewerage system may be required, at the discretion of the approving
authorities, to construct a sampling manhole for the purpose of ascertaining
the quality and quantity of the waste flowing in the building sewer.
The manhole shall be located in a suitable and satisfactory location,
and it shall be not less than three feet in inside diameter and built
in a manner designated by the approving authorities.
[Amended 11-20-1950 by Ord. No. 232]
Whenever it is found that any person, firm or
corporation is violating any of the provisions or requirements set
forth in this article, a written notice stating the offense and setting
a time limit, not exceeding 30 days, for the correction thereof shall
be served upon the offender by the police of the Borough of Columbia
or by registered mail. The offender shall, within the time limit stated
in the notice served upon him, forever cease all violations. Anyone
who shall continue to violate any of the provisions of this article
after notice is served upon him as herein set forth shall, upon conviction
thereof before any District Justice, be sentenced to pay a fine not
exceeding $600 for each 90 days or fraction thereof that such violation
shall persist, plus costs of prosecution, to be collected as other
fines and costs are by law collectible, and, in default of payment
thereof, be subject to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 days.
A.Â
Authority is hereby granted to properly authorized
representatives of the Borough to enter upon all properties to make
necessary inspections, tests and measurements to ensure compliance
with all of the regulations of this article.
[Amended 4-14-1986 by Ord. No. 596]
B.Â
The Sewer Department will respond to service calls
during regular working hours. Emergency calls will be responded to
at any hour. However, if the trouble is not the responsibility of
the municipal sewage system, the Borough reserves the right to bill
the resident requesting service performed.
