Spring 2013 - Towamencin Township

On-site Sewer Inspections
As directed by the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection (“DEP”), all on-site sewer
systems in the Township are required to be inspected at
least once every three years. For the past decade, the
Township has been successful in receiving grant funds
from DEP to offset the cost of this program. In recent
years, these grant funds have been continually declining.
Consequently, the Township Board has found it necessary
to establish a fee schedule to cover the cost to the
Township of administering this program.
Property owners with on-lot sewer systems started
being charged $35 annually in 2012 to cover the costs of
inspections required by the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania. Although the inspections are required on a
three-year basis, the cost has been divided in to three
parts and will be charged annually to property owners with
on-site systems. This fee will be included as a separate
listing in the same mailing that you receive your property
tax bill from the Township.
You will continue to receive notice from the Township’s
Sewer Inspection agent when it is time for your three-year
inspection.
Stormwater Management
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection (PADEP) has a statewide program
designed to improve our quality of water. The program
requires all municipalities in populated areas to detect and
eliminate Non-Point Source Pollution (NPSP). NPSP is a
combination of contaminants from various sources that
find their way into our streams, lakes, and rivers by way of
rainfall and snowmelt. Many of the
pollutants include but are not limited
to soap, oil, gasoline, litter, cigarette
butts and sediments. The main
outlet of these contaminants is from
storm drain discharge. Storm drains
offer no means of filtration and are
easy targets for illegal dumping. It is
important that residents understand
that what goes down storm drains
ultimately ends up in lakes,
streams, and other bodies of water.
To insure healthy water for both
aquatic life and human consumption we must first detect
and then eliminate NPSP.
The Township is doing its
part. The Township has
begun monitoring and
testing of storm sewer
outfalls that have flow during dry periods. The
Township is asking for all residents to cooperate with the
inspectors, as some outfalls are located on private
properties. All information from this
inspection will be used to remedy
any area deemed polluted.
The Township is asking residents
and business owners to do their
part. Please dispose of litter
properly, keeping soaps, oil, gas,
and all chemicals off of the
pavement and out of storm drains.
Also, use fertilizers sparingly and
properly, as this can cause
unwanted algae growth in bodies of
water. And remember, dumping of
anything down a storm drain is illegal and violators may
be fined.
Public Awareness Program - Illegal Connections to the Sanitary Sewer System
Now that the weather is going to be nicer, the Township
asks that owners inspect their own plumbing in order
to identify illegal hookups and to remove any illegal
connections to the public sewer system, such as sump
pump connections, floor drains, improper heights of sewer
vent stacks and clean outs located in your yard or parking
area, which may be allowing surface water to run into the
sewer system illegally. Illegal connections create an
artificially high cost for sewer treatment.
Property owners can help reduce the amount of inflow
and infiltration into the sanitary sewer by disconnecting
illegal connections and inspecting their vents to ensure
they are 6” above finish grade with a cover and cleanouts
to ensure they are not accepting any surface water runoff.
Sump pumps which are harmlessly discharging
outside onto the ground are not illegal and do not need
attention.
Property owners should be aware that homes with
illegal connections detected through other means (i.e. dye
testing, camera inspection) may ultimately be cited for
being in violation of Township Codes which prohibit
discharge of any storm water, surface water, ground
water, water from sump pumps or floor drains, roof runoff,
subsurface drainage, or cooling water. Illegal sump pump
hook-ups cost all Towamencin Township citizens
additional expense in sewer treatment.
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