(A) For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ACT 537. The Act of January 4, 1966, P.L. 1535, as amended, 35 P.S. §§ 750.1 et seq., known as the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act.
ALTERNATE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM. A method of demonstrated on-lot sewage treatment and disposal not described in 35 P.S. § 750.7 of the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, which may be permitted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to 25 Pa.Code Chapter 73, § 73.72 of the Sewage Facilities Act, as amended.
AUTHORIZED AGENT. Any representative of the township authorized by the Board of Supervisors to carry out the provisions of this subchapter.
BCHD. Bucks County Health Department.
BOARD. The Board of Supervisors of Springfield Township.
CESSPOOL. A covered pit with open jointed lining which receives sanitary sewage or other organic wastes directly from a building drain or building sanitary sewer. It retains and allows liquid waste to pass through the bottom and sides. This is an antiquated system which predates PADEP standards (25 Pa.Code Chapter 73).
CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (CEO). An individual employed by the township to administer and enforce ordinances in the township.
COMMUNITY ON-LOT SEWAGE SYSTEM. A system of piping, tanks or other facilities serving two or more lots or two or more equivalent dwelling units and collecting, treating and disposing of sewage into a soil absorption area or retaining tank located on one or more of the lots.
COMMUNITY SEWAGE SYSTEM. Any system, whether publicly or privately owned, for the collection of sanitary sewage from two or more lots or two or more equivalent dwelling units, and the treatment and/or disposal of the sewage on one or more lots or at any other site.
COMMUNITY SEWERAGE SYSTEM. A publicly- or privately-owned community sewage system which uses a method of sewage collection, conveyance, treatment, and disposal other than renovation in a soil absorption area, or retention in a retaining tank.
CONVENTIONAL SEWAGE SYSTEM. A system employing the use of demonstrated on-lot sewage treatment and disposal technology in a manner specifically recognized by the regulations
promulgated under Act 537, 35 P.S. §§ 750.1 et seq. The term includes individual and community on-lot sewage systems, including sand mounds.
DEPARTMENT. Department of Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (PADEP).
EQUIVALENT DWELLING UNIT (EDU). An amount of sewage equal to the amount usually and typically produced in a single-family dwelling unit, in volume, strength and character. For the purpose of determining the number of lots in a subdivision only as it relates to the determination of planning exemptions and fees for planning module reviews under this subchapter, that part of a multiple- family dwelling or commercial or industrial establishment with flows equal to 400 gpd. These flow figures are not intended to be used for the calculation of flows for the design of community sewage systems or for the allocation of flows related to community sewage systems. Community sewage system flows for design and permitting purposes shall be calculated using the procedures established in the Department’s Domestic Wastewater Facilities Manual (DEP-1357).
EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION.
(a) Wet, murky conditions (not resulting from surface water runoff or ponding) in areas designated as the absorption area of an on-lot sanitary sewage disposal system. These conditions are typically accompanied by high grass and/or increased growth in warm, dry months. In the winter, these areas generally do not freeze and the area is typically spongy and soft. Snow does not normally accumulate in these areas;
(b) There is a discharge of effluent directly or indirectly to the surface of the ground through ponding, surface breakout or damp soils above the disposal area or to a surface water of the Commonwealth;
(c) There is backup of sewage into the facility served by the system or any component of the system as a result of an overloaded and/or clogged soil absorption system or cesspool;
(d) The static liquid level in the distribution box is above the level of the outlet invert;
(e) The liquid depth in a cesspool is less than six inches from the inlet pipe invert or the remaining available volume within a cesspool above the liquid depth is less than one-half of one day’s design flow;
(f) The septic tank or cesspool requires pumping more than four times a year;
(g) Septic tank and/or the tight tank is cracked or is otherwise structurally unsound, indicating that substantial infiltration or exfiltration is occurring or is imminent; or
(h) Indications of previous repairs and/or extensions of the system not permitted by the County Health Department, and/or evidence of recently placed soil and/or dirt in the vicinity where the absorption area is located.
EXPERIMENTAL SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM. A method of on-lot sewage treatment and disposal not described in the Sewage Facilities Act, 35 P.S. §§ 750.1 et seq. which is proposed for the purpose of testing and observation.
GRAY WATER. Domestically generated liquid wastes, including kitchen and laundry wastes that do not contain sewage.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT. Bucks County Health Department (BCHD).
HOLDING TANK. A watertight receptacle that receives and retains sewage and is designed and constructed to facilitate ultimate disposal of the sewage at another site.
INDIVIDUAL ON-LOT SEWAGE SYSTEM. An individual sewage system which uses a system of piping, tanks or other facilities for collecting, treating and disposing of sewage into a soil absorption area or spray field or by retention in a retaining tank.
INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL SPRAY IRRIGATION SYSTEM (IRSIS). An individual sewage system permitted under 35 P.S. § 750.7 of the Sewage Facilities Act, which serves a single dwelling and which treats and disposes of sewage utilizing a system of piping, treatment tanks and soil application through spray irrigation.
INDIVIDUAL SEWAGE SYSTEM. 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 waters of this Commonwealth, or by means of conveyance to another site for disposal.
INDIVIDUAL SEWERAGE SYSTEM. An individual sewage system which uses a method of sewage collection, conveyance, treatment and disposal other than renovation in a soil absorption area, or retention in a retaining tank.
LICENSED SEWAGE HAULER. A sewage hauler licensed by the Bucks County Department of Health.
LOT. A part of a subdivision or a parcel of land used as a building site or intended to be used for building purposes, whether immediate or future.
MAINTENANCE. Those actions required to provide for the long-term proper functioning of any sanitary sewage disposal system, including, but not limited to, the pumping of septage from a septic tank, cesspool or dry well and pump tank; cleaning, pumping and/or leveling of a distribution box; removal of trees or growth affecting the operation of an on-lot sanitary sewage disposal system; diversion
of surface water away from an on-lot sanitary sewage disposal system; and, reduction of flow from the structure being served (e.g., installation of water conservation devices).
MALFUNCTION. The condition which occurs when on-lot sanitary sewage disposal system discharges untreated or inadequately treated sewage onto the surface of the ground, into groundwater, or into surface waters of the Commonwealth. MALFUNCTION also occurs when sanitary sewage backs up into the building connected to the system, or otherwise causes a nuisance or hazard to the public health, pollution of the ground or surface water or contamination of any public and/or private drinking water wells.
MARGINAL CONDITIONS FOR LONG-TERM ON-LOT SEWAGE DISPOSAL. Conditions of a site for use of on-lot sewage disposal facilities, as determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and/or the County Department of Health, which may include: soil profile examinations which document areas of suitable soil intermixed with areas of unsuitable soils; site evaluation which documents soils generally suitable for elevated sand mounds, with some potential lots with slopes over 12%; site evaluation which documents soils generally suitable for inground systems, with some potential lots with slopes in excess of 20%; or lot density of more than one EDU/acre.
MUNICIPAL SEWAGE SYSTEM. A sanitary sewer system and/or the treatment facility owned, operated or maintained by a municipality or municipal authority approved by the Department under a permit issued to the Clean Streams Law, 35 P.S. §§ 691.1 et seq., as hereafter amended, supplemented, modified or reenacted by the General Assembly of Pennsylvania.
MUNICIPALITY. Springfield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
NEW SYSTEM. The installation of an on-lot sewage disposal system on a property where a system does not currently exist, or the installation of a larger on-lot sewage disposal system in conjunction with the expanded use of an existing structure after the effective date of this subchapter. A NEW SYSTEM does not include replacement systems installed on properties with existing on-lot sewage disposal systems where rehabilitation/repair efforts are required to correct an existing malfunction.
OFFICIAL SEWAGE FACILITIES ACT 537 PLAN. The plan adopted by the township and approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in furtherance of the requirements as set forth in the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, 35 P.S. §§ 750.1 et seq.
ON-LOT SANITARY SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM (OLDS). Individual on-lot sewage systems and community on-lot sewage systems.
PADEP. Department of Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
PERSON. Any individual, company, association, public or private corporation for profit or not for profit, partnership, firm, trust, estate, department, board, bureau or agency of the Commonwealth, political subdivision, municipality, district, authority or any other legal entity whatsoever which is
recognized by law as having rights and duties. Whenever used in any clause prescribing and imposing a penalty or imposing a fine, the term
PERSON shall include the members of an association, partnership or firm and the officers of any local agency or municipal, public or private corporation for profit or not for profit.
PUMPER/HAULER. Any person, as that term is defined in this subchapter, who engages in cleaning community or individual sanitary sewage systems and transports the septage removed from these systems for disposal, and, is licensed by the County Health Department.
PUMPER’S REPORT. Form used by licensed pumper/haulers to report pumping of an on-lot sanitary sewage disposal system.
REGISTRATION FORM. Form which shall be made available by the township for property owners to register their on-lot sanitary sewage disposal system with the township.
REHABILITATION or REPAIR. Work completed pursuant to a permit issued by BCHD to modify, alter or repair an existing on-lot sanitary sewage disposal system or individual components thereof, including the enlargement of the total absorption area, provided the flows from the structure being served are unchanged or reduced.
REPLACEMENT AREA. An area of a lot or property reserved for the installation of a replacement sanitary sewage system in the event of the malfunction of the originally installed on-lot sewage disposal system.
REPLACEMENT SYSTEM. An on-lot sanitary sewage disposal system which replaces a previously installed on-lot sanitary sewage disposal system which cannot be repaired or rehabilitated to a condition acceptable to the County Health Department.
SEPTAGE. The residual scum and sludge pumped from septic systems.
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, or which constitutes pollution under the Act of June 22, 1937 (P.L. 1987, No. 394), known as the Clean Streams Law, as amended, 35 P.S. §§ 691.1 et seq.
SEWAGE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (SEP). A person certified by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection who issues and reviews permit applications and/or conducts such investigations and inspections as are necessary to implement the Sewage Facilities Act (Act 537, 35 P.S. §§ 750.1 et seq.) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
SEWAGE FACILITIES. A system of sewage collection, conveyance, treatment and disposal which will prevent the discharge of untreated or inadequately treated sewage or other waste into waters
of the Commonwealth or otherwise provide for the safe and sanitary treatment and disposal of sewage or other waste.
SEWAGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. A comprehensive set of legal and administrative requirements encompassing the requirements of this subchapter and other administrative requirements adopted by the township to effectively enforce and administer the subchapter, and to implement the sewage facilities plan.
SMALL FLOW TREATMENT FACILITY. An individual or community sewage system designed to adequately treat sewage flows not greater than 2,000 gallons per day for final disposal using a stream discharge or discharge to the surface of the ground.
SUBDIVISION. As defined in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. §§ 10101 et seq., Act of July 31, 1968, P.L. 805, No. 247, as amended.
SUBDIVISION, LOT LINE ADJUSTMENT. Involves relocation of one or more existing boundary line(s) between two adjacent lots, or the shifting of boundary lines to increase the area of an existing lot; provided; however, that the lot line adjustment subdivision results in the same or fewer number of lots than existed prior to the lot line adjustment subdivisions.
SUBDIVISION, MAJOR. Any subdivision not classified as a minor subdivision.
SUBDIVISION, MINOR. The first division or redivision of a lot, tract or parcel of land existing on the date of adoption of Ord. 12 on March 16, 1971 by any means into not more than two lots; or a lot line subdivision.
TOWNSHIP. Springfield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
WATERS OF THE COMMONWEALTH. Any and all rivers, streams, creeks, rivulets, impoundments, ditches, watercourses, storm sewers, lakes, dammed water, wetlands, ponds, springs and all other bodies or channels of conveyance of surface and underground water, or parts thereof, whether natural or artificial, within or on the boundaries of this Commonwealth.
ZONING OFFICER. An individual employed by the township to administer and enforce the Township Zoning Ordinance.
(B) All definitions included in Act 537, 35 P.S. §§ 750.1 et seq. and the Clean Streams Act, as amended, are hereby incorporated by reference into this subchapter.
(Ord. 167, passed 8-27-2013)