§ 6508. Connection to water system.

584 words·~3 min read·/pa/title-73/chapter-65/6508

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(a)Property owners.-- The board of commissioners may, by ordinance, require that a property owner connect with and use a water system of the township or municipal authority or a joint water system in either of the following cases:

(1)Except as provided in subsection (b), if the nearest property line is located within 150 feet of a water system or any part or extension of the system.

(2)If the property has no supply of water which is safe for human consumption.

(b)Exception.-- With respect to water supplied for human consumption, a property owner who, after December 28, 2020, is subject to mandatory connection under subsection (a)(1), shall not be required to connect to the water system if all of the following apply:

(1)The water system or part or extension of the system that is within 150 feet of the nearest property line was in existence on December 28, 2020.

(2)The property has its own supply of water which is safe for human consumption.

(3)Prior to December 28, 2020, the property owner was not required to connect to the existing system.

(c)Wells.-- Industries and farms which have their own supply of water for uses other than human consumption through installed and operating wells existing prior to December 28, 2020, may continue to use their preexisting wells for that purpose but are required to use the water system of the township or municipal authority to provide water for human consumption.

(d)Backflow prevention device.-- A township may require an owner of property to install and maintain a backflow prevention device based on the degree of potential hazard of the connected property in accordance with other applicable law.

(e)Penalties.-- A township may assess penalties for the violation of ordinances pertaining to water connections or backflow prevention devices.

(f)Fee imposition.--

(1)A township may, by ordinance, impose and charge certain fees to property owners who desire or are required to connect to the water system owned or operated by the township, a municipal authority or a joint water board or who desire to increase their usage of the water system.

(2)The fees imposed under paragraph

(1)may be a connection fee, a customer facilities fee, a tapping fee and other similar fees as enumerated and calculated under 53 Pa.C.S. § 5607(d)(24) (relating to purposes and powers).

(3)The tapping fee may include a reimbursement part as provided in 53 Pa.C.S. § 5607(d)(24)(i)(C)(IV) to be refunded to the private individual or corporation that paid for the construction of the water system or any part or extension of the water system.

(g)Failure to connect.--

(1)If a property owner required under subsection

(a)to connect with and use the system fails to connect within 90 days after notice to connect has been served by the board of commissioners, either by personal service or registered mail, the board of commissioners or their agents may enter the property and construct the connection.

(2)The board of commissioners shall send an itemized bill of the cost of construction of the connection to the owner of the property to which connection has been made, which bill is payable immediately, or the board of commissioners may authorize the payment of the cost of construction of connections in equal monthly installments and the installments shall bear interest at a rate not to exceed 6%.

73c6508v

Cross References. Section 6508 is referred to in section 6503 of this title.

73c6509s