[Adopted 5-4-1976 by Ord. No. 124]
[Amended 2-8-1977 by Ord. No. 132]
The intent of this article is to establish procedures for the use and maintenance of holding tanks designed to receive and retain sewage from certain residential, commercial or industrial uses, and it is hereby declared that the enactment of this article is necessary for the protection, benefit and preservation of the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of this Township during the time that a connection ban imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency is in effect.
A. 
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.
B. 
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BOARD
The Board of Supervisors of East Norriton Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, or its authorized representative.
HOLDING TANK
A watertight receptacle which receives and retains sewage and is designed and constructed to facilitate ultimate disposal of the sewage at another site. "Holding tank" includes but is not limited to the following:
(1) 
CHEMICAL TOILETA toilet using chemicals that discharge to a holding tank.
(2) 
RETENTION TANKA holding tank where sewage is conveyed to it by a water-carrying system.
(3) 
VAULT PIT PRIVYA holding tank designed to receive sewage where water under pressure is not available.
IMPROVED PROPERTY
Any property within the Township upon which there is erected a residential, commercial or industrial structure intended for continuous or periodic occupancy or use by human beings or animals and from which structure sewage shall or may be discharged.
[Amended 2-8-1977 by Ord. No. 132; 11-18-2014 by Ord. No. 558]
OWNER
Any person vested with ownership, legal or equitable, sole or partial, of any property located in the Township.
PERSON or PERSONS
Any person or persons, male or female, corporation, partnership, association, company, individual, owner, occupant, lessee, tenant or any organization.
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.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of East Norriton, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
A. 
Rights and privileges granted. The Board is hereby authorized and empowered to undertake within the Township the control and methods of holding tank sewage disposal and the collection and transportation thereof.
B. 
Rules and regulations. The Board is hereby authorized and empowered to adopt by resolution such rules and regulations concerning sewage which it may deem necessary from time to time to effect the purposes herein.
All such rules and regulations adopted by the Board shall be in conformity with the provisions herein, all other ordinances of the Township, all applicable laws and applicable rules and regulations of administrative agencies of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, particularly the Department of Environmental Resources, and, in particular, the regulations set forth in Chapter 71, Sections 71.51 and 71.52, and Chapter 73, Sections 73.81 and 73.82.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 71 P.S. § 510-1 et seq.
[Amended 11-18-2014 by Ord. No. 558]
All applications for holding tank systems shall include a contract for maintenance by a disposal agency approved by the Board. Such contract shall include but not be limited to the name of the contractor, method of maintenance, method of disposal, frequency of inspection and ultimate place of disposal of all waste. Such contract shall be required to remain in force for the entire period of operation of the system. Failure by the owner to renew such contract or submit proof of another approved contract shall constitute a violation of this article. The system must be inspected by the approved disposal agency a minimum of three times per year. Further, prior to the issuance of any building permits for any residential dwelling that will utilize a holding tank, financial security in a form acceptable to the Township must be posted with the Township in an amount equal to three years' contract price for sewage removal and for the cost of removal of the holding tank as estimated by the Township Engineer, which shall run for the entire period that the holding tank is to be in use. This guarantee shall be conditioned upon the landowner or, in the case of a development, the developer maintaining the holding tank system in accordance with the rules and regulations of this article.
By obtaining permission to use a holding tank under this article, the owner of the subject property shall agree that any failure to make timely removal of the contents of the holding tank or any other violation of this article or sanitary requirements will subject the owner to an automatic revocation of the use and occupancy permits issued for the subject properties.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 190, Use and occupancy permits.
[Amended 11-18-2014 by Ord. No. 558]
The collection and transportation of all sewage from any improved property using a holding tank shall be done solely by or under the direction of the Board, and the disposal thereof shall be made only at such site or sites as may be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
The owner of an improved property that utilizes a holding tank, or a developer in the case of a development, shall:
A. 
Maintain the holding tank in conformance with this article or any ordinance of this Township, the provisions of any applicable law and the rules and regulations of the Board and any administrative agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
B. 
Permit only an approved agency acting in accordance with the regulations of the Board to collect, transport and dispose of the contents therein.
C. 
Install prior to the approval of any holding tank an approved public sewage system serving the lot to be connected to the holding tank to ensure future connection with the public sewer system.
D. 
Connect within 30 days after notice from the Township to the public sewer system.
[Amended 11-18-2014 by Ord. No. 558]
E. 
Remove the holding tank system within 30 days after connection to the public sewer system.
F. 
Within 24 hours of the execution of an agreement of sale for the sale of any lot to be connected to a holding tank, submit to the Township an executed statement in form to be designed by the Township Zoning Officer in which the purchaser acknowledges that the purchaser has been advised of the terms of this article and understands the procedures, penalties and fines for noncompliance with this article.
[Amended 12-19-1988 by Ord. No. 274]
Any person, corporation or other entity who shall violate any of the provisions of this article or who should fail to comply with any notice of violation herein, upon conviction before a District Justice within the magisterial district within which the Township of East Norriton is a part, shall be fined not more than $600 plus costs of prosecution after a summary proceeding brought in the name of the Township before said District Justice. A new and separate offense shall be deemed to be committed for each day that such violation exists. In default of the payment of any fine imposed and the costs, the person or persons that are charged may be sentenced to be committed to the county jail for a period not exceeding 30 days.
In addition to any other remedies provided in this article, any violation of this article may be deemed to constitute a nuisance and may be abated by the Board by either seeking appropriate equitable or legal relief from a court of competent jurisdiction.
The appropriate officials of the Township are directed to take such action as may be necessary to amend the Official Plan of East Norriton Township to implement the purposes of this article.
[Added 4-16-1990 by Ord. No. 286]
A. 
Capacity.
(1) 
The minimum capacity of a holding tank shall be 1,000 gallons or a volume equal to the quantity of wastes generated in three days, whichever is larger.
(2) 
In calculating sewage flow for a single-family dwelling unit, a minimum daily flow of 230 gallons per day shall be used to determine holding tank capacity. This figure shall be increased by 100 gallons for each additional bedroom over three. The daily flow indicated provides for use of garbage grinders, automatic washing machines or dishwashers and water softeners.
[Amended 11-18-2014 by Ord. No. 558]
(3) 
Holding tanks may be connected in series to attain required capacity.
(4) 
Tanks connected together in series cannot exceed four in number and must comply with Subsection B(4) of this section.
(5) 
Industrial/commercial applications will follow daily flow calculations outlined in Chapter 73, § 73.17, of Title 25 of the Pennsylvania Code, entitled "Sewage Flows," or such other regulations as the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection may enact from time to time.
[Amended 11-18-2014 by Ord. No. 558]
B. 
Construction.
(1) 
Holding tanks shall be watertight and constructed of sound and durable material not subject to excessive corrosion or decay.
(a) 
Precast concrete tanks shall have a minimum wall thickness of three inches, a minimum lid thickness of four inches, a minimum concrete strength of 3,500 pounds per square inch at 28 days and shall be adequately reinforced. The wall and lid thickness shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and shall be a function of the capacity required for the individual use.
(b) 
Holding tanks having a liquid capacity of 5,000 gallons or less shall be precast concrete construction. Holding tanks above 5,000 gallons shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
(2) 
Holding tanks shall be placed on an approved base listed below:
(a) 
If soil is found to be devoid of moisture, a bed of crushed stone (a minimum of 12 inches in thickness) may be used.
(b) 
If the area of placement of holding tanks shows indication of moisture, a concrete base pad will be required to prevent flotation of the holding tank. In the instance where high moisture content (groundwater) is evident, the Sewage Enforcement Officer or Engineer of East Norriton Township may direct additional requirements at his or her discretion.
(3) 
Holding tanks shall have access as specified below:
(a) 
Access to each tank shall be provided by a manhole of at least 21 inches square or in diameter, with a removable cover. The top of the tank containing the manhole or the top of a manhole extension shall not be more than 12 inches below grade level. If access is extended to grade, the access cover shall be sealed with a synthetic resin sealant or equivalent. Grade level or above grade level access covers shall be secured by bolts or locking mechanisms or have sufficient weight to prevent access by children.
(b) 
The ground shall slope away from any access extended to grade or above.
(4) 
Installation of sanitary sewer lines from the building to the tank shall conform to all Township plumbing regulations in effect at the time of installation. If more than one tank is used at a location to obtain desired capacity, equalization lines must be placed at the upper and lower sections of the tanks where they join together.
(5) 
Each holding tank is required to have one vent. This vent shall be constructed to a maximum diameter of four inches PVC plastic pipe with the top of pipe extended a minimum of 12 inches above grade. The top of this pipe shall be capped with a U vent which shall be opened toward the ground surface.
(6) 
An alarm system is required for each holding tank installation.
(a) 
The alarm system shall consist of a warning device to indicate when the tank is filled within 75% of its capacity.
(b) 
The warning device shall create an audible and visual signal at a location frequented by the homeowner or responsible individual.
C. 
Protection.
(1) 
The area where holding tanks are to be located shall be protected in a manner that vehicles cannot drive over the tanks from the access area. If this situation can not be avoided, then the holding tanks must be designed to withstand Pennsylvania Department of Transportation H-20 Loading, or latest revisions. This shall be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Township Engineer.
(2) 
All horizontal isolation distances, as outlined in Chapter 73, § 73.13, of Title 25 of the Pennsylvania Code, concerning treatment tanks, or in such other regulations as may be enacted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection from time to time, shall be maintained with respect to holding tanks.
[Amended 11-18-2014 by Ord. No. 558]
D. 
State regulations.
(1) 
The installation of holding tanks is regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, which has established a permitting procedure. This procedure requires submission of a planning module postcard, a complete application, on-site examination/testing and permitting of installation and a hauling agreement with the hauler. The owner shall comply with the permitting procedure of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
[Amended 11-18-2014 by Ord. No. 558]
(2) 
When any holding tank is no longer in active use it shall be removed, collapsed or filled with a suitable material, approved by the Sewage Enforcement Officer or Engineer of East Norriton Township.
E. 
Fees. A fee will be charged for each holding tank installed in the Township. This fee shall be set from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors and will cover planning module submission, application fee, site examination/testing and the permitting procedure.