25 Pa. Code § 73.72 - Alternate sewage systems
(a) Alternate
systems shall be considered for individual onlot or community onlot systems in
any of the following cases:
(1) To solve an
existing pollution or public health problem.
(2) To overcome specific site suitability
deficiencies, or as a substitute for systems described in this chapter on
suitable lots.
(3) To overcome
specific engineering problems related to the site or its proposed
use.
(4) To utilize under varying
site conditions an experimental design, either in whole or in part, which has
been deemed successful by the Department.
(b) A person desiring to install an alternate
sewage system shall submit complete preliminary design plans and specifications
to the sewage enforcement officer and the Department for review and comment
prior to submitting an application for a permit. The Department will determine
if classification as an alternate system is appropriate and provide review
comments to the sewage enforcement officer.
(c) The following criteria shall be
considered in the design of alternate systems:
(1) The volume and rate of sewage flow,
including reductions attributed to water conservation devices and recycling
devices.
(2) The chemical and
bacteriological characteristics of the flow, including the varying nature, if
any, of the contributing sources.
(3) The treatment of the sewage flow,
including, if appropriate:
(i) The type of
treatment-that is, aerobic, anaerobic, chemical or other.
(ii) The degree and extent of treatment
afforded, including the chemical and biological characteristics of the
effluent.
(iii) The hydraulic
design, including flow rates, retention time, settling rates and sludge and
scum storage.
(4)
Materials of construction, including durability and chemical resistance of all
system components.
(5) The
characteristics and limitations of the disposal site, including, if
appropriate:
(i) The depth, composition and
projected effects of any limiting zone identified through extensive onsite
evaluation of the soils present.
(ii) Determination of the soil permeability
through percolation tests, hydraulic conductivity tests or other acceptable
testing procedures conducted on the site.
(iii) The chemical and bacteriological
characteristics of the subsurface or other waters.
(iv) The natural and modified slope of the
disposal site and contiguous areas, with particular attention to downslope
areas.
(v) The relationship of the
disposal site to existing and proposed drainage patterns, including surface and
subsurface flows.
(vi) The
stability and renovative abilities of controlled fill areas.
(6) The design of the absorption
area including:
(i) Dimensions.
(ii) Method of distribution and hydraulic
design considerations of the distribution system.
(iii) Rate of application.
(iv) Relationship to other sewage disposal
systems or features, water supply sources, surface waters, recharge areas, rock
outcrops and other site improvements.
(v) Determination of hydraulic loading
limitations-that is, interface acceptance rate or hydraulic conductivity of
receiving soils in accordance with accepted principles of hydraulic
flow.
(7) The effect upon
the groundwater, including the following:
(i)
Fecal coliform.
(ii)
Chlorides.
(iii)
Nitrates.
(iv) Nutrients.
(v) Other degrading material.
(8) Other considerations as may be
appropriate to comply with the act.
(d) An application for an alternative system
shall include the following:
(1) Detailed
plans and specifications sufficient to comply with this section.
(2) A description of the system, device or
process; its capabilities; and scheduled maintenance, if any, which is
necessary for continued function.
(3) The identity of the person responsible
for the design of the system and performance of scheduled maintenance, if
required.
(e) Each
application for an alternative system shall be accompanied by a statement
acknowledging the requirement that the sewage enforcement officer be notified
of any malfunction or modification of the original system design.
(f) Prior to issuing a permit for an
alternative sewage system, the sewage enforcement officer shall consider the
comments of the Department.
Notes
The provisions of this § 73.72 amended under section 9 of the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (35 P. S. § 750.9); The Clean Streams Law (35 P. S. §§ 691.1-691.1001); and section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 510-20).
This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 73.3 (relating to policy).
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