1044.01 RESPONSIBILITY FOR PAYMENT
There is hereby imposed upon the owners of or upon the users of water in or on all properties served by the public sanitary sewage system, sewage collection, transportation and treatment charges for the use of said system, payable in the amounts and as provided from time to time by the Board of Township Commissioners. Said owners and users will be jointly and severally liable for the payment of said sewage collection, transportation and treatment charges and the penalties therein prescribed for delinquent payments thereof.
1044.02 BILLING
All bills for sewage collection, transportation and treatment charges shall be due when rendered and shall be subject to the penalty provisions set forth in the Township’s sewer rate resolution. Owners and, where adequate arrangements have been made with the Board of Township Commissioners, users will be billed periodically for the sewage collection, transportation and treatment charges and the penalties therein prescribed for delinquent payments thereof.
1044.03 WATER USAGE AS BASIS OF CHARGES
(a) Sewer Service Charges. The sewer service charge for all customers per quarter (other than General Electric which shall be $39.55 per EDU) shall be $26.70 per EDU (equivalent dwelling unit). EDUs shall be established annually by the Board of Commissioners resolution. EDUs for all customers shall be determined as follows:
(b) Sewer Usage Charges. The Board of Commissioners has established a sewer usage charge per quarter for all connections based on the customer’s actual usage per 100 cubic feet (CCF) and over as follows:
(c) Sewer Usage Charge/General Electric. The Board of Commissioners has established a sewer usage charge per quarter for all General Electric connections based on a rate of $3.58 per 100 cubic feet (CCF).
(d) The Three Months’ Usage Rate Schedule and other provisions contained in this section shall apply to all bills for sewer usage dated January 1, 2021 and thereafter.
1044.04 COMPUTATION OF CHARGES; REDUCTION
(a) Upon application of a customer, the Board of Township Commissioners may approve billings based upon 100 percent of the sewer meter readings (based upon 100 cubic feet) upon demonstration of the following to the satisfaction of the Board:
(1) That a portion of the water used in or on the property of the customer does not enter the public sewerage system;
(2) That the total water used in or on the property exceeds 100,000 gallons per quarter;
(3) That the meter(s), as installed, will properly and accurately measure the effluent entering the public sanitary system, and that said meter(s) shall be properly maintained and readings shall be accurate and taken on a timely basis;
(4) That all water flow not discharged into the public sanitary sewer system shall be discharged in accordance with Pennsylvania statutes, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources regulations, and such Federal statutes and regulations as are applicable;
(5) That all flow into the public sanitary sewer system is at approved meter points or shall otherwise be billed in accordance with the normal billing procedures; and
(6) That all billings prior to the approval of the application are true and correct.
(b) The application submitted by the customer shall be in the following form:
TOWNSHIP OF LAWRENCE PARK
SEWER BILLING APPLICATION
FOR INSTALLATION AND USE OF SEWER METERS
The applicant, _____________________________________________, is the owner of property having an address of ___________________________________________________. The applicant does hereby request that the Township approve the installation of sewer meter(s) of the size, type, and manufacture as set forth in the plans attached hereto. Said meter(s) will be installed at the location(s) as set forth in the plans. If the applicant has flows entering the sanitary sewer system which will not pass through meters, the location of the same are so designated and those portions of the premises shall be billed based on water usage as determined by meter(s) of the Erie Water Authority, or its designated representatives, or if said readings are not available, then on meter(s) approved by the Board of Commissioners.
Applicant acknowledges that the installation, maintenance, and reading of sewer meter(s) and water meter(s), as required, shall be at the sole expense of the applicant and that all information regarding the readings obtained from said meter(s) shall be provided to the Township within fifteen (15) days of the close of the billing quarter.
The applicant acknowledges that all charges imposed prior to approval of this application are true and correct.
I, _________________________________, being the applicant or the duly authorized representative of the applicant, do hereby swear and affirm that the information set forth in this application and attached plans is true and correct.
__________________________________
This application was _________________________ by the Board of Commissioners at a public meeting held on the ______ day of _____________________________, 20______.
_____________________________
President, Board of Commissioners
(c) The cost of furnishing, installing, maintaining and reading any meter(s) installed in accordance with plans approved pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) hereof shall be borne solely by the applicant. The type, size, location, arrangement, maintenance and frequency and method of reading such meter(s) shall be subject to the approval of the Board.
1044.05 CHANGE OF BASIS FOR BILLING
Any misrepresentation of failure to keep accurate records and provide them to the Township on any timely basis shall be cause for the revocation of any billings based on sewage meter readings, and all billings shall then be based upon water meter readings.
1044.06 PAYMENT OF CHARGES; LIENS; SHUT OFF OF SERVICE
Each sewage collection, transportation, and treatment charge, surcharge and penalty imposed by the sewer rate resolution of the Township shall be a debt due the Township and shall be a lien on the property served. If the same is not paid within the period prescribed in the sewer rate resolution after the date of the bill, it shall be deemed delinquent. In such event, the Board of Township Commissioners shall proceed to file a lien in the office of the Prothonotary of Erie County 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 collection, transportation, and treatment charge, surcharge, or penalty after it becomes delinquent, the Board 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, removal, or closing. The expense of such shut off, removal, or closing, as well as the expense of restoring any such service, shall likewise be a debt due the Township 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 collection, transportation, and treatment 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.
1044.065 COLLECTION FEES FOR DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS
(a) In addition to any sewage collection, transportation, and treatment charge, surcharge and penalty imposed by the Township, there shall be added any additional costs and/or reasonable attorney fees incurred by the Township for the collection thereof. The same shall be added to the unpaid amount and the aggregate may be entered as a lien on the property served and collected in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Claims Act, as amended.
(b) The schedule for the collection of delinquent sewer charges shall be as follows:
(c) Additional work not specifically listed above shall be billed on an hourly basis. The hourly rate shall be the applicable rate as agreed upon and billed to the Township by the Solicitor, said rate being sixty-five dollars ($65.00) at the time of the adoption of this section.
1044.07 NOTICES OF VIOLATIONS
All persons violating any provisions of this chapter shall be given notice of such violation either personally or by means of the United States mails, and if no action to correct said violation is taken within thirty days of the date 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 payment of all moneys to the Township and the costs for reconnection.
1044.08 CONNECTIONS OUTSIDE TOWNSHIP; SEWER RENTAL
All properties outside of the boundaries of the Township that are served by the sewer system of the Township shall be billed at the same rate and under the same conditions as properties located within the boundaries of the Township.