Hatfield Township Code of Ordinances, 'Chapter 224: Sewers and Sewage Disposal' sets the rules, regulations and standards for wastewater collection and treatment in Hatfield Township. HTMA is responsible to enact and enforce the conditions of that Ordinance. The Ordinance can be found online at http://ecode360.com/10503245.
All current residential and non-residential sanitary sewer uses (customers) are subject to the terms and conditions set forth under Ordinance 420, and the costs established thereunder.
Any non-residential entity conducting business, or planning to conduct business, in Hatfield Township is responsible for certain costs associated with the operation of the Municipal Authority’s wastewater treatment and collection systems.
Any existing business entity connected to the HTMA system may also be responsible for additional costs if the business changes its operation, increases its number of employees, or increases its business activity in such a way that it could result in an increase in sewer use, as defined by the Ordinance.
Any new business entity must reserve sufficient sewer capacity for its use prior to commencing wastewater discharge through the acquisition or purchase of the required number of Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDUs) necessary to service their operation. An EDU is an approximate measure of the quantity of sewage produced by a normal residential household.
A partial summary of applicable costs is as follows:
SEWER USE FEES – this is the quarterly sewer use bill which pays for the day-to-day operation of the wastewater treatment plant and collection system, and for the treatment of basic sanitary sewage. It is based on the type of usage, either residential or non-residential (commercial/industrial). Billing is based on Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDUs). A domestic residence is considered one (1) EDU and is billed at the residential rate. The base residential sewer rate will be $101.40 per quarter per EDU. Residential customers with garbage disposals are assessed an additional 20% fee.
Non-residential (commercial/industrial) fees are different from residential fees and are determined by a number of different factors, such as: number of employees, number of seats for restaurants, high volume water uses/metered rate, and other specific business activities, etc., as defined by ordinance. Specific non-residential activities are related to a specific number of non-residential equivalent units. The base commercial sewer rate will be $123.61 per quarter per EDU. The base industrial sewer rate will be $5.31 per 1000 gallons of usage.
TAPPING FEES – In order for a customer to initially connect to the sewer system, or for an existing customer to increase the amount of sewage it discharges to the sewer system, tapping fees must be paid to HTMA. Tapping fees are associated with the capital expenses incurred to build a treatment plant and its collection system and are determined in accordance with PA Act 57. HTMA's current tapping fee is $3,824 per EDU. The number of EDUs necessary is determined by the same method as number of EDUs determined for the purpose of quarterly billing, excluding users whose bill is based on a metered rate where capacity required is based on average daily volume barring excess peak flows.
A tapping fee cost is a one-time fee and the amount of capacity (EDUs) purchased remains with the property. If a non-residential user increases its business activity, as defined, in excess of the capacity it has reserved, payments for additional capacity shall be due, if available.
WASTEWATER STRENGTH SURCHARGE – depending upon the characteristics of the wastewater discharged, a surcharge may be imposed upon a non-residential user. The surcharge will be established by a quality analysis of the wastewater to determine the “strength’ of the waste in excess to that of sanitary sewage. A surcharge factor value would increase the base rate, per EDU or a metered flow volume cost, of a non-residential user’s quarterly sewer bill. Please click here to learn more about wastewater surcharges
PROCESS WASTEWATER – any non-residential user discharging process wastewater must do so in accordance with the pretreatment requirements established under the Ordinance and may be subject to additional fees to those listed above.
This is only a brief summary of fees and costs that may be due from users of the HTMA sewer system.
Any questions regarding these costs should be directed to the HTMA at: 215-822-9300.