[Adopted 4-1-1985 by Ord. No. 85-4]
This article shall be known and may be cited
as the "Borough of Riverside Sewage Disposal System Maintenance Ordinance."
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
A component of a community sewage system where the liquid
from a septic tank or other treatment tank seeps into the soil; it
consists of an aggregate-filled area containing piping for the distribution
of liquid into the soil or sand/soil combination located beneath the
aggregate.
Any system, whether publicly or privately owned, for the
collection of sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature from
two or more lots and for the treatment or disposal of the sewage or
industrial waste on one or more of the lots or any other site.
A system of piping, tanks, or other facilities serving a
single lot and collecting and disposing of sewage, in whole or in
part, into the soil or into any waters of this commonwealth or by
means of conveyance to another site for final disposal.
Any liquid, gaseous, radioactive, solid or other substance
which is not sewage resulting from manufacturing or industry or other
plant or works and mine drainage, silt, coal mine solids, rock, debris,
dirt and clay from coal mines, coal collieries, breakers or other
coal-processing operations. The term shall include all such substances,
whether or not generally characterized as waste.
Any one or more of the following conditions:
Sewage flow is blocked or restricted in the
sewage system, which causes the backup of sewage into a building,
structure or part thereof.
Sewage rises to the surface of the ground over
a septic tank or flows out of a septic tank vent.
Sewage rises to the surface of the ground over
the absorption area or downgrade from the absorption area at a bank
or road cut.
Untreated or partially treated sewage, liquid
kitchen or laundry wastes, or shower or bathtub wash water is discharged
to the surface of the ground or into the waters of the commonwealth
without specific approval by DEP.
Sewage enters the water table without complete
treatment, resulting in pollution of drinking water or the waters
of the commonwealth.
Include any individual, association, public or private corporation
(for profit or not for profit), partnership, firm, trust, or estate.
The scum, grease, sludge and liquid which accumulates in
a septic tank.
A watertight tank designed to retain sewage long enough for
satisfactory bacterial decomposition of the solids to take place prior
to its discharge to an absorption area.
Any substance that contains any of the waste products or
excrement or other discharges from the bodies of human being or animals.
The person or persons designated by the Borough of Riverside
to review and approve permit applications and conduct inspections
pursuant to the provisions of Chapters 71 and 73 of the DEP Rules
and Regulations.
Any alternate, experimental, community or individual sewage
system.
Very low-cost or no-cost ways to reduce water usage, such
as repairing leaky faucets, running dishwashers and clothes washers
only when full, reducing the length of showers, reducing the use of
running water while shaving or washing, etc.
Rivers, streams, creeks, rivulets, impoundments, ditches,
watercourses, storm sewers, lakes, dammed water, ponds, springs and
all other bodies or channels of conveyance of surface and underground
water or any of their parts, whether natural or artificial, within
or on the boundaries of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A.
This article applies to all community and individual
sewage systems located within the Borough of Riverside.
B.
This article shall not be interpreted in any way as
governing, constraining or limiting any actions that the Borough or
SEO may take regarding any sewage system which is creating a nuisance
or causing pollution of the waters of the commonwealth.
A.
All septic tanks shall be pumped within six months
of the effective date of this article and thereafter every three years.
(1)
Submission
of receipts. If evidence is submitted that tanks have been pumped
within three years of the effective date, that shall be deemed to
be in compliance with the initial pumping requirement.
B.
The provisions of Subsection A notwithstanding, septic tanks shall be pumped to remove septage whenever three years have elapsed since the previous pumping, or more frequently if it is determined to be necessary by the Borough of Riverside or its authorized agent due to malfunction or above-average hydraulic loading of the system. Receipts as to proof of pumping the septic system should be submitted to the Borough Manager/Borough Secretary, P.O. Box 307, Riverside, PA 17868, within 30 days of pumping.[1]
C.
Roof drains, cellar drains, foundation drains, basement
sump pumps and other sources of rainwater or groundwater shall not
be discharged into any sewage system.
D.
The ground surface shall be graded so that stormwater
runoff does not pond or collect on the surface of the ground overlying
the absorption area.
E.
No industrial wastes shall be discharged into any
sewage system without first obtaining any permits required for such
discharge by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
F.
Solids, such as coffee grounds, cigarette butts, etc.,
which degrade slowly or do not settle well shall not be discharged
into any sewage system.
G.
Garbage grinders shall not be discharged into sewage
systems which experience a malfunction after the effective date of
this article unless the system was completely replaced by a new system
which fully meets the requirements of Chapter 73 of the Department
of Environmental Protection Rules and Regulations.
H.
Gasoline, solvents, motor oils, other hydrocarbons,
paints, and other chemicals which are not renovated by sewage systems
shall not be discharged into sewage systems.
I.
Pipes, tanks, joints, baffles, distribution boxes
and all other parts of sewage systems shall be maintained in sound
working condition.
J.
Pumps, compressors, aerators, controls and other electrical
or mechanical equipment which are parts of sewage systems shall be
maintained in working order.
K.
If a sewage system which has an undersized septic
tank according to DEP regulations or no septic tank experiences a
malfunction after the effective date of this article, the owner shall
install a septic tank which meets the requirements of Chapter 73 of
the Department of Environmental Protection Rules and Regulations.
A.
The SEO may enter, at reasonable times, any building,
structure, premises, lot or land for the purpose of making inspections
to determine compliance with the provisions of this article.
B.
The SEO may request an owner of any sewage system to provide copies of receipts or other evidence to substantiate when a septic tank was last pumped in order to determine compliance with § 225-18B.
C.
Whenever the SEO finds any condition or practice which
is inconsistent with the provisions of this article, he may issue
a written order to the responsible person stating that the condition
or practice found is inconsistent with this article and directing
that the condition or practice be abated, corrected or ceased within
such time specified in the order.
D.
After the expiration of the time period specified
in any written order, the SEO shall determine whether the order has
been complied with and notify the responsible person, in writing,
if the order has not been complied with.
E.
In the event of noncompliance with any order, the
SEO may issue a subsequent order stating again that the condition
or practice found is inconsistent with this article and directing
that the condition or practice be abated, corrected or ceased within
such time specified in the order.
Any person who fails to comply with any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable by a maximum fine of $1,000, plus costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 days. Failure to comply with each subsequent order issued under § 225-19E of this article shall constitute a separate offense.
