1. Any on-lot sewage disposal system may be inspected by the Borough’s authorized agent at any reasonable time as of the effective date of this Part.
2. The inspection may include a physical tour of the property, the taking of samples from surface water, wells, other groundwater sources, the sampling of the contents of the sewage disposal system itself and/or the introduction of a traceable substance into the interior plumbing of the structure served to ascertain the path and ultimate destination of wastewater generated in the structure. A copy of the inspection report shall be furnished to the owner and current resident which shall include all of the following information which is reasonably available to the individual or agency responsible for pumping the septic tank: date of inspection; name and address of system owner; description and diagram of the location of the system including location of access hatches, risers, and markers; size of tanks and disposal fields; current occupant’s name and number of users; indication of any system malfunction observed; results of any and all soils and water tests; any remedial action required.
3. The Borough’s authorized agent shall have the right to enter upon land for the purposes of inspections described above. In the event that access to inspect the property is denied, the following steps shall be taken:
A. The matter will be officially referred to the Council for action.
B. The Council may schedule a review at the next scheduled meeting of the Council or, if the situation threatens the health or safety of the residents of the Borough, the Council may commence an immediate procedure to obtain a search warrant from the magisterial district judge. [Ord. 2012-03]
C. Upon receipt of a search warrant to inspect the property, the authorized agent of the Borough shall be accompanied by an officer of the County or State Police, and the inspection shall be completed in accordance with this Section.
4. A schedule of routine inspection as may be established by the Borough if necessary, to assure the proper function of the systems in the Borough.
5. The Borough’s authorized agent shall inspect systems known to be, or alleged to be, malfunctioning. Should said inspections reveal that the system is malfunctioning, the Borough shall take action to require the correction of the malfunction. If total correction is not technically or financially feasible in the opinion of the Borough and a representative of the DEP, action by the owner to mitigate the malfunction shall be required.
6. There may arise geographic areas within the Borough where numerous on- lot sewage disposal systems are malfunctioning. A resolution of these area wide problems may necessitate detailed planning and a Borough sponsored revision to that area’s Act 537 Official Sewage Facilities Plan. When a DEP authorized Official Sewage Facilities Plan Revision has been undertaken by the Borough, pending the outcome of the plan revision process. However, the Borough may compel immediate corrective action whenever a malfunction, as determined by Borough officials and the Pennsylvania DEP, represents a serious public health or environmental threat.
(Ord. 02-06, 9/3/2002, §307; as amended by Ord. 2012-03, 12/4/2012)