SEWER RULES AND REGULATIONS
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the following words and terms used in these Rules and Regulations shall have the following meanings:
Section 101 Authority shall mean Authority of the Borough of Charleroi
Section 102 Board shall mean the Board of the Authority, as now or hereafter constituted, and its duly authorized agents or representative.
Section 103 Sewage shall mean a combination of water-carried wastes from residences, business building, institutions, and industrial and commercial establishments, together with such ground, surface or storm water as may be present.
Section 104 Sanitary Sewage shall mean the normal water carried household and toilet wastes from residences, business buildings, institutions and industrial and commercial establishments, exclusive of storm water runoff, surface water or ground water.
Section 105 Industrial Wastes shall mean any liquid, gaseous or water borne wastes from industrial processes or commercial establishments, as distinct from sanitary sewage.
Section 106 Garbage shall mean solid wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food and from the handling, storage and sale of produce.
Section 107 Properly Shredded Garbage shall mean the wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food and from the handling, storage and sale of produce that have been shredded to such degree that all particles will be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers, with no particle greater than one-half inch (1/2”) in any dimension.
Section 108 Storm Water Runoff shall mean that portion of the rainfall which reaches a channel , trench ,sewer or sink.
Section 109 Sewer shall mean a pipe or conduit for carrying sewage.
Section 110 Combined Sewer shall mean a sewer designed to receive both sewage and storm water runoff which has been approved for such purpose.
Section 111 Sanitary Sewer shall mean a sewer which carries sewage and to which storm, surface and ground waters are not intentionally admitted.
Section 112 Storm Sewer shall mean a sewer which is intended to carry storm water runoff, surface waters, groundwater drainage, etc., but which is not intended to carry any sanitary sewage or polluted industrial waste.
Section 113 Public Sanitary Sewage System shall mean all sanitary interceptor sewers, all pumping stations, all force mains, all sewage treatment works, and all other facilities owned and operated by the Authority for the collection, transportation and treatment of sanitary sewage and industrial wastes, together with the appurtenances, and any additions, extensions or improvements thereto. It does not include separate storm sewers or culverts which have been constructed for the sole purpose of carrying storm and surface runoff, the discharge from which is not and does not become tributary to the Authority’s sewage treatment facilities.
Section 114 Occupied Building shall mean any structure erected and intended for continuous or periodic habitation, occupancy or use by human beings or animals, and from which structure sanitary sewage and industrial wastes, or either thereof, is or may be discharged.
Section 115 Premises Accessible to the Public Sanitary Sewage System shall mean any real estate abutting on or adjoining or having access to any street, alley or right-of-way in which a sewer is located which ultimately connects to the public sanitary sewage system.
Section 116 Person shall include natural persons, partnerships, associations and and corporations, public or private.
Section 117 pH shall mean the logarithm to the base 10 of the reciprocal of the hydrogen ion concentration expressed in moles per liter. It shall be determined by one of the acceptable methods described in the latest edition of Standard methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage published by the American Public Health Association.
Section 118 Suspended Solids shall mean solids that either float on the surface or are in suspension in water, sewage, industrial waste or other liquids, and which are removable by laboratory filtration. The quantity of suspended solids shall be determined by one of the acceptable methods described in the latest edition of Standard Methods for the examination of water and sewage published by the American Public Health Association.
Section 119 B.O.D of Sewage or Industrial Waste shall designate it “Biochemical Oxygen Demand” and shall mean the quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of the organic matter in said sewage or industrial waste under standard laboratory procedure in 5 days at 20C., expressed in parts per million by weight. It shall be determined by one of the acceptable methods described in the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage published by the American Public Health Association.
Section 120 Abnormal Industrial Waste shall mean any industrial waste having a suspended solid content or B.O.D. appreciably in excess of that normally found in municipal sewage. For the purpose of this ordinance any industrial waste containing more than 350 parts per million of suspended solids, or having a B.O.D. in excess of 300 parts per million, shall be considered an abnormal industrial waste regardless of whether or not it contains other substances in concentrations differing appreciable from those normally found in municipal sewage.
Section 121 Unpolluted Water or Waste shall mean any water or waste containing none of the following: free or emulsified grease or oil, acid or alkali, phenols or other substances imparting taste and odor to receiving waters, toxic or poisonous substances in suspension, colloidal state or solution, obnoxious or odorous gases. It shall contain not more thatn 10,000 parts per million by weight of dissolved solids of which not more than 2,500 parts per million shall be as chloride and not more than 10 parts per million each of suspended solids and B.O.D. The color shall not exceed 50 parts per million. Analyses for any of the above mentioned substances shall be made in accordance with the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage published by the American Public Health Association.
Section 122 Water Company shall mean the Authority or any publicly or privately owned duly authorized agency, corporation or organization which is the approved purveyor of the public water supply within the limits of the service area of the Sewage System of the Authority.
Section 123 “Shall” is mandatory, “may” is permissive.
ARTICLE II
DISCHARGE OF SANITARY SEWAGE TO PUBLIC
SANITARY SEWAGE SYSTEM REQUIRED
Section 201 All persons owning any occupied building now erected within the service area of the Borough Sewage Systems served by the Authority upon premises accessible to the public sanitary sewage system shall, at their own expense, make connection with the public sanitary sewage system in accordance with the applicable Connection Ordinance in effect in their municipality, if they are not presently so connected.
Section 202 All persons owning any premises within the service area of the Sewage Systems accessible to the public sanitary sewage system upon which an occupied building is subsequently erected shall, at the time of erection of such building, and at their own expense, make connection with the public sanitary sewage system in accordance with the applicable Connection Ordinance in effect in their municipality.
Section 203 All persons owning any occupied building within the service area of the Sewage Systems upon premises which subsequently become accessible to the public sanitary sewage system shall, at their own expense, make connection with the public sanitary sewage system within the time period stipulated after proper notice to do so has been given in accordance with the applicable Connection Ordinance in effect in their municipality.
Section 204 All connections to the public sanitary sewage system shall be made in accordance with Article IX hereof.
Section 205 No privy vault, cesspool, septic tank, mine hole or similar receptacle for human excrement shall presently or at any time hereafter be connected with the public sanitary sewage system.
ARTICLE III
EXCLUSION OF STORM WATER RUNOF
Section 301 The discharge of storm water runoff to sanitary sewers is prohibited.
Section 302 All persons connecting to the public sanitary sewage system shall provide adequate means for excluding storm water runoff in the event the connection is made to a sanitary sewer.
Section 303 No person connected to a sanitary sewer shall connect any roof drain or foundation drain thereto or permit any such drains to remain connected thereto, nor shall he permit allow or cause to enter into any sanitary sewer any spring water or surface water from any other source.
Section 304 The provisions of this Article shall apply only to property constructed or connected after October 1, 1969.
ARTICLE IV
ADMISSION OF INDUSTRIAL WASTES TO
PUBLIC SANITARY SEWAGE SYSTEM
Section 401 The economy and desirability of the combined treatment of industrial wastes and sanitary sewage is recognized. The treatment facilities, which the Authority will cause to be constructed, are of a type and design to permit reasonable flexibility in the treatment of various types of industrial wastes. In general any and all industrial wastes may be discharged to the public sanitary sewage system except those which are deemed harmful to the system or are specifically prohibited by these Rules and Regulations. However, it is also recognized that the treatment of abnormal industrial wastes may add to the cost of operating and maintaining the public sanitary sewage system. Such additional cost therefore be borne by the person or persons receiving the benefit of such treatment.
Section 402 The Authority reserves the right to refuse connection to the public sanitary sewage system for deleterious industrial wastes, or to compel discontinuance of the use of the system for such wastes, or to require pretreatment and/or equalization of flow thereof in order to prevent harmful or adverse effects upon the system the design, construction and operation of such pretreatment and/or flow equalization facilities shall be made at the sole expense of the person discharging said wastes and shall be subject to the approval of the Authority or its designated representative.
Section 403 In general, industrial waste shall be considered harmful to the public sanitary sewage system if it may cause any of the following effects:
- Chemical reaction either directly or indirectly with the materials of construction of the public sanitary sewage system in such a manner as to impair the strength or durability of any sewage structures.
- Mechanical action that will destroy any sewage structures.
- Restriction of the hydraulic capacity of any sewage structures.
- Restriction of the normal inspection or maintenance of any sewage structures.
- Danger to public health and safety.
- Obnoxious conditions inimical to the public interest.
Section 404 When required by the Authority, any person discharging to the public sanitary sewage system any industrial wastes, or industrial wastes and sanitary sewage together, shall install a suitable manhole or manholes on his connecting sewer or sewers to facilitate observation, sampling and measurement of the combined flow of wastes from his premises. Such manholes shall be accessible and safely located and shall be constructed in accordance with plans approved by the Authority or its designated representative. The manhole or manholes shall be installed by such person at his expense and shall be maintained by him so as to be safe and accessible to the authority or its designated representative at all times. The construction and maintenance of such manholes shall be mandatory for the producers of abnormal industrial wastes.
ARTICLE V
UNACCEPTABLE SANITARY SEWAGE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTES
Section 501 Discharge of excessive amounts of unpolluted water or waste to a sanitary sewer is expressly prohibited. However, such discharges to combined sewers will be permitted wherever such sewers are of adequate capacity. The Authority reserves the right to define the amount it deems excessive in each particular instance.
Section 502 Discharge of garbage to the public sanitary sewage system is expressly prohibited unless the garbage is first properly shredded.
Section 503 No sanitary sewage or industrial waste from any property other than that for which a permit has been issued as provided in Article IX hereof shall be discharged to the public sanitary sewage system.
Section 504 No person shall discharge to the public sanitary sewage system any sanitary sewage or industrial wastes having any of the following characteristics:
- Wastes containing liquids, solids or gases which by reason of their nature or quality may cause fire, explosions, or be in any other way injurious to persons, the structures of the public sanitary sewage system or its operation.
- Wastes having a temperature in excess of 150 F. or less that 32 F.
- Wastes having a pH lower that 5.5 or higher than 8.5 or having any corrosive properties capable of causing damage of hazards to structures, equipment or personnel of the public sanitary sewage system. Where the Authority deems it advisable, it may require any person discharging industrial wastes to install and maintain, at his own expense, in a manner approved by the Authority or its designated representative, a suitable devise to continuously measure and record the pH of the wastes so discharged.
- Wastes containing any noxious or malodorous gas or substance which either singly or by interaction with sewage or other wastes is, in the opinion of the Authority, likely to create a public nuisance or hazard to life, or prevent entry to sewage structures for their maintenance and repair.
- Wastes containing ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rages, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, hair, chemical or paint residues, greases, lime slurry or viscose materials of such character or in such quantity that, in the opinion of the Authority they may cause an obstruction to the flow in the sewers or otherwise interfere with the proper operations of the public sanitary sewer system. Attention is called to the fact the maximum permissible concentration will vary throughout the public sanitary sewage system depending upon the size of the particular interceptor sewer receiving the same and the flows herein.
- Wastes containing insoluble, non-flocculent substances having a specific gravity in excess of 2.65.
- Wastes containing soluble substances in such concentration as to cause the specific gravity of the waste to be greater that 1.1.
- Wastes containing any of the following substances in solution or in suspension in concentrations exceeding those shown the following table:
Maximum Permissible
| SUBSTANCE | CONCENTRATION |
| Phenolic compounds as C6H5OH | 0.1 p.p.m. |
| Cyanides as CN | 1 p.p.m. |
| Cyanates as CNO | 10 p.p.m. |
| Iron as FE | 15 p.p.m. |
| Trivalent Chromium as Cr | 3 p.p.m. |
| Hexavalent Chromium as Cr | 0.5 p.p.m. |
| Nickel as Ni | 3 p.p.m. |
| Copper as CU/td> | 2 p.p.m. |
| Lead as Pb | 2 p.p.m. |
| Tin as Sn | 2 p.p.m. |
| Zinc as Zn | 2 p.p.m. |
| Cadmium as Cd | 2 p.p.m. |
- Wastes containing more than 100 p.p.m. by weight of fat, oil or grease.
- Wastes containing more than 10 p.p.m. of any of the following gases: hydroaen, sulfide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide or any of the halogens.
- Wastes containing gases or vapors, either free or occluded, concentrations toxic or dangerous to humans or animals.
- Wastes containing toxic substances in quantities sufficient to interfere with the biochemical processes of the sewage treatment works or that will pass through the treatment process and still exceed the state or federal requirements for the receiving stream
- Wastes containing toxic radioactive isotopes without a special permit.
ARTICLE VI
SEWAGE SERVICE CHARGES
Section 601 There is imposed upon the owners of, or the users of water in or on all properties served by the public sanitary sewage system service charges for the use of said system payable in the amounts and as provided in the Sewage Rate Resolution heretofore adopted by the Authority as it is hereinafter from time to time amended and modified. Said owners and users will be jointly and severally liable for the payment of said service charges and the penalties therein prescribed for delinquent payments thereof.
Section 602 All bills for service charges shall be due when rendered and shall be subject to the penalty provisions set forth in the Authority’s Sewage Rate Resolution. Owners, and where adequate arrangements have been made with the Authorities, users will be billed periodically for the sewage service charges in accordance with the billing practices to be adopted by the Authority.
Section 604 In the event an owner or user obtains part or all of the water used in or on a property from sources other than the Water Company, such owner or user shall, upon written direction from the Authority, at no expenses to the Authority or the Water Company, install and maintain a water meter or meters satisfactory to the Authority and the Water Company for measuring all water used other than that obtained from the Water Company, and the quantity of water used to determine the sewage service charges shall be the quantity of water measured by all such meters plus the quantity of water obtained from the Water Company. In lieu of such additional meters, the Authority may establish a flat rate charge covering such non-metered water usage.
Section 605 In the event it is established to the satisfaction of the Authority that a portion of the water used in or on any property served by the public sanitary sewage system does not and cannot enter said system, the Authority may determine, in such manner and by such method as it may deem practical, the percentage of the water entering the public sanitary sewage system, or the Authority may require or permit the installation of additional meters in such manner as to determine either the quantity of water excluded from the public sanitary sewage system or the quantity of water, sewage or industrial waste actually entering the public sanitary sewage system, exclusive of storm water runoff. In such case, the sewage service charge shall be based upon the quantity of water estimated, measured or computed by the Authority to be actually entering the public sanitary sewage system, exclusive of storm water runoff, and shall be subject to the sewage service charges set forth in the Authority’s Sewage Rate Resolution.
Section 606 Any person requesting consideration for a reduction of the amount of the sewage service charges because of water not entering the public sanitary sewage system shall make written application to the Authority for such consideration, giving the name of such person, his address and setting forth supporting data fully describing other sources of water, if any, as well as the disposition of water alleged not to be entering the public sanitary sewage system. The application shall be accompanied by a sketch to approximate scale showing the plan of the property, the water distribution system, sewer layout, existing meters, and proposed meters in the scheme to determine the quantity of flow entering or not entering the public sanitary sewage system. The cost of furnishing, installing and maintaining any meters other than those utilized to measure water purchased from the Water Company shall be borne by the applicant. The type, size, location, arrangement and maintenance of such meters shall be subject to the approval of the Authority and the Water Company.
ARTICLE VII
SURCHARGE FOR CERTAIN INDUSTRIAL WASTES
Section 701 Although the proposed sewage treatment works will be capable of treating certain abnormal industrial wastes as heretofore defined in Article I, the actual treatment of such wastes may increase the cost of operating and maintaining the public sanitary sewage system. Therefore, there will be imposed upon each person discharging such industrial waste into the public sanitary sewage system a surcharge, or surcharges, which are intended to cover such additional cost.
Such surcharges shall be in addition to the regular sewage service charges set forth in the Sewage Rate Resolution of the Authority, and shall be payable as therein provided.
Section 702 The strength of any industrial waste, the discharge of which is to be subject to surcharge, shall be determined monthly, or more frequently as the Authority shall determine, from samples taken either at the manhole referred to in Article IV hereof, or any other sampling point mutually agreed upon by the Authority and the producer of such waste. The frequency and duration of the sampling period shall be such as, in the opinion of the Authority, will permit a reasonably reliable determination of the average composition of such waste, exclusive of storm water runoff. Samples shall be collected or their collection supervised by a representative of the Authority and shall be in proportion to the flow of waste, exclusive of storm water runoff, and composited for analysis in accordance with the lastest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage as published by the American Public Health Association. Except as hereinafter provided, the strength of the waste so found by analysis shall be used for establishing the surcharge or surcharges. However, the Authority may, if it so elects, accept the results of routine sampling and analyses by the producer of such wastes in lieu of making its own samplings and analyses.
Section 703 In event any industrial waste is found to have a B.O.D. in excess of 300 parts per million, the producer of said waste shall be surcharges an amount equal to the product of the actual volume of wastes in thousand gallons per billing period, exclusive of storm water runoff, discharges to the public sanitary sewage system and the “B.O.D. surcharge rate”. The “B.O.D. surcharge rate” shall be determined by the following formula:
Rc = 0.00834 P (C – 300)
Where RC = The B.O.D. surcharge rate in cents per 1,000 gallons of waste discharged.
P = The average annual fixed, operating and maintenance cost of secondary treatment processes per pound of B.O.D. received at the treatment works. (Prior to completion of the first year of operation the value of “P” shall be assumed to be four (4) cents).
C = The average B.O.D. of the industrial waste expressed in parts per million as determined in accordance with Section 702 of this Article.
The figure 300 appearing in the above formula corresponds to the maximum B.O.D. permissible without surcharge. The figure 0.00834 is the factor to convert parts per million to pounds per 1,000 gallons. No discount will be permitted for sewage or industrial wastes having a B.O.D. less than 300 parts per million.
Section 704 In the event any industrial waste is found to have an average suspended solids concentration in excess of 350 parts per million, the producer of such waste shall be surcharged an amount equal to the product of the actual volume of wastes in thousand gallons per billing period, exclusive of storm runoff, discharged to the public sanitary sewage system and the “suspended solids surcharge rate”. The “suspended solids surcharge rate” shall be determined by the following formula:
Rs = 0.00834 x B (S – 350)
Where RS = the suspended solids surcharge rate in cents per 1,000 gallons of waste discharged.
B = the average annual fixed, operating and maintenance cost of the sludge digestion. Sludge drying and sludge disposal operations per pound of suspended solids received at the treatment works. (Prior to completion of the first year of operation the value of “B” shall be assumed to be four (4) cents).
S = The average suspended solids concentration of the abnormal industrial waste expressed in parts per million s determined in accordance with Section 702 of this Article.
The figure 350 appearing in the above formula corresponds to the maximu suspended solids concentration permissible without surcharge. The figure 0.00834 is the factor to convert parts per million to pounds per 1,000 gallons. No discount will be permitted for sewage or industrial wastes having a suspended solids concentration less than 350 parts per million.
ARTICLE VIII
BILLING AND COLLECTION
Section 801 Bills and notices relating to the sewage service charges and surcharges will be mailed or delivered to the property owners last address, or where proper arrangements have been made with the Authority, to the user’s last address, as shown on the water meter reading records and/or billing books of the Authority.
ARTICLE IX
DELINQUENCIES, VIOLATIONS AND REMEDIES
Section 901 Each sewage service charge, surcharge and penalty imposed by the Sewage Rate Resolution shall be a debt due the Authority and shall be a lien on the property served, and if not paid within the period prescribed in the Sewage Rate Resolution after the date of the bill shall be deemed delinquent. In such event, the Authority shall proceed to file a lien in the Prothonotary of the County in which the delinquent property is situated and collect the same in the manner provided by law for the filing and collection of municipal claims. In the event of failure to pay the sewage service charge or surcharge or penalty after they become delinquent, the Authority may also authorize the appropriate personnel to shut off water service to said property or to remove or close the sewer connection and to take such steps as may be necessary to accomplish such shut off or removal or closing. The expense of such shut off or removal of closing, as well as the expense of restoring any such service, shall likewise be a debt due the Authority and a lien on the property served and may be filed and collected as hereinabove provided. Such sewage service shall not be restored until all sewage service charges, surcharges and penalties, including the expense of removal, closing and restoration shall have been paid or adequate provisions for their payment shall have been made.
Section 902 All persons violating any provisions of these Rules and Regulations shall be given notice of such violations either personally or by means of the United States mails, and if no action to correct said violation is taken within thirty (30) days of the ate of such notice, water to said premises may be shut off or the sewer connection may be removed or closed. Reconnection will not be made until after correction of the violation has been accomplished. The expense of such shut off or removal of closing and the expense of restoring the water or sewage service shall be a debt due the Authority and a lien upon the property served and may be filed and collected as provided in Section 901 hereof.
ARTICLE X
TAPPING FEES
Section 1001 The owner of every property not presently connected to the sewer system shall, in conformity with these rules make such connections according to the specifications of the Authority and under its direction and shall pay a tapping fee which shall be in the amount of the cost of the installation and connection, but not in any event shall it be less than the sum of $750.00. The same is to be paid prior to using our service. The foregoing shall apply only to interceptor sewers which are the only sewers owned by the Authority.
ARTICLE XI
DOUBLE MINIMUMS
Section 1101 The identical standards and test used and applied by the water division to determine whether a double minimum or higher must be applied and paid, shall be adopted and enforced as to sewer rates and charges. That is, where a double water minimu or higher is required, a double sewer minimum or higher shall be required.
ARTICLE XII
MINIMUM CHARGES – METER SIZES
Section 1201 The standard of charges as to both minimums and rates shall be determined according to the size of the water meter. The rates will be applied accordingly and in a uniform manner.
ARTICLE XIII
VALIDITY
Section 1301 These Rules and Regulations were adopted pursuant to and in accordance with a Resolution of the Authority adopted September 23, 1969.