Part 3
Mandatory Sewer Connection

A.    Definitions

§18-301 Definitions.

Unless the context specifically and clearly indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms and phrases used in this Part shall be as follows:

Authority - Hughesville-Wolf Township Joint Municipal Authority, a Township authority incorporated pursuant to provisions of the Township Authorities Act of 1945, approved May 2, 1945, P.L. 382, as amended and supplemented, of the Commonwealth.

Building Sewer - the extension from the sewage drainage system of any structure to the lateral of a sewer.

Contractor - any person or persons providing for compensation, labor or labor supervision in the construction of building sewers. Subcontractors or employees of a compensated contractor are not included in this definition. [Ord. 94-12-12.1]

Improved Property - any property within this 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 sanitary sewage and/or industrial wastes shall be or may be discharged.

Industrial Establishment - any improved property located in this Township 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 located in this Township from which wastes, in addition to or other than sanitary sewage, shall be discharged.

Industrial Wastes - any and all wastes discharged from an industrial establishment, other than sanitary sewage.

Lateral - that part of the sewer system extending from a sewer to the curb line or, if there shall be no curb line, to the property line or, if no such lateral shall be 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 ownership, legal or equitable, sole or partial, of any improved property.

Person - any individual, partnership, company, association, society, trust, corporation, Township, Township authority or other group or entity.

Sanitary Sewage - normal water-carried household and toilet wastes from any improved property.

Sewer - any pipe or conduit constituting a part of the sewer system used or usable for sewage collection purposes.

Sewer System - all facilities, as of any particular time, for collecting, transmitting, treating or disposing of sanitary sewage and/or industrial wastes, situate in or adjacent to this Township, and owned by the Authority.

Street - any street, road, lane, court, cul-de-sac, alley, public way or public square.

Township - the Township of Wolf, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth, acting by and through its Board of Supervisors, or, in appropriate cases, acting by and through its authorized representatives.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article I, §1.01; as amended by Ord. 94-12-12.1, 12/12/1994, §2a)

B.    Use of Public Sewers Required.

§18-311 Improved Property Connection.

The owner of any improved property accessible to and whose principal building is within 150 feet from the sewer system shall connect such improved property with such sewer, in such manner as the Authority may require, within 60 days after notice to such owner from this Township or the Authority to make such connection, for the purpose of discharging all sanitary sewage and industrial wastes from such improved property; subject, however, to such limitations and restrictions as shall be established herein or otherwise shall be established by this Township and the Authority, from time to time. No contractors, other than a contractor who is then an approved, registered contractor pursuant to §18-337 of this Part may be utilized in making such connection.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article II, §2.01; as amended by Ord. 94-12-12.1, 12/12/1994, §2b)

§18-312 Limitations and Restrictions.

All sanitary sewage and industrial wastes from any improved property, after connection of such improved property with a sewer shall be required under §18-311, shall be conducted into such sewer; subject, however, to such limitations and restrictions as shall be established herein or otherwise shall be established by this Township and the Authority, from time to time.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article II, §2.02)

§18-313 Violations.

No person shall place, shall deposit or shall permit to be placed or to be deposited upon public or private property within this Township any sanitary sewage or industrial wastes in violation of §18-311. No person shall discharge or shall permit to be discharged to any natural outlet within this Township any sanitary sewage or industrial wastes in violation of §18-311, except where suitable treatment has been provided that is satisfactory to this Township and the Authority.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article II, §2.03)

§18-314 Non-Sewer Receptacles.

No privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle shall be used or shall be maintained at any time upon any improved property that has been connected to a sewer or that shall be required under §18-311 to be connected to a sewer. Every such privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle in existence shall be abandoned and, at the discretion of the Authority, shall be cleansed and shall be filled, at the expense of the owner of such improved property, unless otherwise provided for by the Authority, under the direction and supervision of the Authority; and any such privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle not so abandoned and, if required by the Authority, not cleansed and filled, shall constitute a nuisance, and such nuisance may be abated, as provided by law, at the expense of the owner of such improved property.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article II, §2.04)

§18-315 No Non-Sewer Receptacles to be Connected.

No privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle at any time shall be connected with a sewer.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article II, §2.05)

§18-316 Notice.

The notice by this Township or the Authority to make a connection to a sewer, referred to in §18-311, shall include a reference to this Part, including any amendments or supplements at the time in effect, or a summary of each Section thereof, and a written or printed document requiring the connection in accordance with the provisions of this Part and specifying that such connection shall be made within 60 days from the date such notice is given or served. Such notice may be given or served at any time after a sewer is in place that can receive and can convey sanitary sewage and industrial wastes for treatment and disposal from the particular improved property. Such notice shall be given or served to the owner in accordance with law.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article II, §2.06)

C.    Building Sewers and Connections

§18-321 Permit Required.

No person shall uncover, shall connect with, shall make any opening into or shall use, shall alter or shall disturb, in any manner, any sewer or any part of the sewer system without first obtaining a permit, in writing, from the Authority.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article III, §3.01)

§18-322 Application for Permit.

Application for a permit required under §18-321 shall be made by the owner of the improved property served or to be served or by the duly authorized agent of such owner.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article III, §3.02)

§18-323 Conditions.

No person shall make or shall cause to be made a connection of any improved property with a sewer until such person shall have fulfilled each of the following conditions:

A.    Such person shall have notified the designated representative of the Authority of the desire and intention to connect such improved property to a sewer.

B.    Such person shall have applied for and shall have obtained a permit as required by §18-321.

C.    Such person shall have given the designated representative of the Authority at least 48 hours notice of the time when such connection will be made so that the Authority may supervise and inspect or may cause to be supervised and inspected the work of connection and necessary testing.

D.    If applicable, such person shall have furnished satisfactory evidence to the designated representative of the Authority that any fee that may be charged and imposed by the Authority against the owner of each improved property who connects such improved property to a sewer has been paid.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article III, §3.03)

§18-324 Independent Connection.

Except as otherwise provided in this Section, each improved property shall be connected separately and independently with a sewer through a building sewer. Grouping of more than one improved property on one building sewer shall not be permitted, except under special circumstances and for good sanitary reasons or other good cause shown, but then only after special permission of the Authority, in writing, shall have been secured and only subject to such rules, regulations and conditions as may be prescribed by the Authority.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article III, §3.04)

§18-325 Expenses.

All costs and expenses of construction of a building sewer and all costs and expenses of connection of a building sewer to a sewer shall be borne by the owner of the improved property to be connected; and such owner shall indemnify and shall save harmless this Township and the Authority from all loss or damage that may be occasioned, directly or indirectly, as a result of construction of a building sewer or of connection of a building sewer to a sewer.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article III, §3.05)

§18-326 Connection Designated by the Township.

A building sewer shall be connected to a sewer at the place designated by this Township or by the Authority and where, if applicable, the lateral is provided. The invert of a building sewer at the point of connection shall be at the same or a higher elevation than the invert of the sewer. A smooth, neat joint shall be made and the connection of a building sewer to the lateral shall be made secure and watertight.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article III, §3.06)

§18-327 Failure to Connect.

If the owner of any improved property accessible to and whose principal building is within 150 feet of the sewer system, after 60 days notice from this Township, requiring the connection of such improved property with a sewer, in accordance with §18-321, shall fail to connect such improved property and use the sewer system, as required, this Township may make such connection and may collect from such owner the costs and expenses thereof in the manner permitted by law.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article III, §3.07)

D.    Rules and Regulations Governing Building Sewers and Connections to Sewers

§18-331 Attachment.

Where an improved property, at the time connection to a sewer is required, shall be served by its own sewage disposal system or sewage side of such sewage disposal system or sewage disposal device and attachment shall be made, with proper fittings, to continue such house sewer line as a building sewer.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article IV, §4.01)

§18-332 Inspection.

No building sewer shall be covered until it has been inspected and approved by the Authority. If any part of a building sewer is covered before so being inspected and approved, it shall be uncovered for inspection at the cost and expense of the owner of the improved property to be connected to a sewer.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article IV, §4.02)

§18-333 Maintenance.

Every building sewer of any improved property shall be maintained in a sanitary and safe operating condition by the owner of such improved property.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article IV, §4.03)

§18-334 Guarded Excavation.

Every excavation for a building sewer shall be guarded adequately with barricades and lights to protect all persons from damage and injury. Any street, sidewalk and other property disturbed in the course of installation of a building sewer shall be restored, at the cost and expense of the owner of the improved property being connected, in a manner satisfactory to the Authority.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article IV, §4.04)

§18-335 Refusal of Permit.

If any person shall fail or shall refuse, upon receipt unsatisfactory condition with respect to a building sewer within 60 days of receipt of such notice, this Township or the Authority may refuse to permit such person to discharge sanitary sewage and industrial wastes into the sewer system until such unsatisfactory condition shall have been remedied to the satisfaction of this Township and the Authority.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article IV, §4.05)

§18-336 Right to Adopt Additional Rules.

1.    This Township reserves the right to adopt, from time to time, additional rules and regulations as it shall deem necessary and proper relating to connections with a sewer and with sewer system, which additional rules and regulations, to the extent appropriate, shall be construed as part of this Part.

2.    This Authority shall have the right to adopt, from time to time, additional rules and regulations concerning the construction, operation, maintenance and use of the sewer system which additional rules and regulations, to the extent appropriate, shall be construed as part of this Part.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article IV, §4.06; as amended by Ord. 2008-02, 10/13/2008, §1)

§18-337 Registered Contractor.

No contractor may perform work in constructing a building sewer to the public sewer unless the contractor is at that time an approved, registered contractor for Township building sewer construction. The process for becoming an approved, registered contractor is as follows:

A.    The contractor shall have completed such form or forms and documentation requests as the Authority shall then be utilizing for this purpose. Such form or forms and documentation request is intended to provide the Township and Authority with, at a minimum, a permanent address and phone number for the contractor; and Employer Identification Number for the contractor; a statement of the contractor’s prior experience in construction of building sewers and their connection to a public sewer; and proof of Worker’s Compensation insurance.

B.    The Authority shall have acknowledged with a receipt or certificate sufficient receipt of the information and documentation required, and shall maintain the information and documentation received for itself, for the Township, for the public at large, and for any other appropriate purpose.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article IV, §4.057; as added by Ord. 94-12-12.1, 12/12/1994, §2c)

E.    Enforcement

§18-341 Penalty.

Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this Part, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a district justice in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this Part continues or each Section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article V, §5.01; as amended by Ord. 2004-1, 3/8/2004)

§18-342 Enforcement.

Fines and costs imposed under provisions of this Part shall be enforceable and recoverable in the manner at the time provided by applicable law.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article V, §5.02)

§18-343 Enforcement by Authority.

A violation of the rules and regulations duly adopted by the Authority shall constitute a violation of this Part. The Authority is expressly granted the power to institute enforcement actions authorized by this Part for violation of its rules and regulations.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993; as added by Ord. 2008-02, 10/13/2008, §2)

F.    Declaration Of Purpose

§18-351 Purpose.

It is declared that enactment of this Part is necessary for the protection, benefit and preservation of the health, safety and welfare of inhabitants of this Township.

(Ord. 93-05-10.1, 5/10/1993, Article VII, §8.01)