Chapter 85. Cesspools and Privies

Chapter 85 CESSPOOLS AND PRIVIES

§ 85-1. Access by flies; escape of excremental matter.

§ 85-2. Deposits in privies, cesspools or other receptacles.

§ 85-3. Property having sewer connection: privies prohibited.

§ 85-4. Installation restricted.

§ 85-5. Construction or installation: permit required: application: fee.

§ 85-6. Construction specifications.

§ 85-7. Area specifications.

§ 85-8. Overflow connections; locations.

§ 85-9. Watertight construction.

§ 85-10. Location of privies, cesspools.

§ 85-11. Removal of contents.

§ 85-12. Disposal of contents.

§ 85-13. Cleaning of cesspools; fees.

§ 85-14. Number of connections restricted.

§ 85-15. Violations and penalties.

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Health of the Township of Gloucester 6-18-35. Amendments noted where applicable.]

General References

Building Code - See Ord. No. 0-83-26A.

Garbage, rubbish and waste - See Ch. 55.

Sewers: connections, rates and charges - See Ch. 70.

Swimming pools - See Ch. 75.

Zoning - See Ord. No. 0-83-26A.

Plumbing Code - See National Standard Plumbing Code.

Sanitary sewer connections - See Ch. 98.

Be it ordained by the Board of Health of the Township of Gloucester, in the County of Camden and State of New Jersey, as follows:

§ 85-1. Access by flies; escape of excremental matter.

No privy, cesspool or other receptacle for human excrement shall be maintained which permits flies to gain access to the excrement contained therein or permits the escape of any excremental matter to the surface of the ground.

§ 85-2. Deposits in privies, cesspools or other receptacles.

No person shall deposit or permit to be deposited any human excrement in a privy, cesspool or other receptacle maintained in violation of § 85-1.

§ 85-3. Property having sewer connection: privies prohibited.

No privy shall be maintained upon any property having a connection with a sewer.

§ 85-4. Installation restricted.

No privy, cesspool or other receptacle for human excrement shall be installed or reconstructed on any property along the line of any sewer constructed for carrying off sewage.

§ 85-5. Construction or installation: permit required; application fee.

No privy, cesspool or other receptacle for human excrement shall be constructed, reconstructed, erected or relocated unless a permit therefor shall have been first obtained from the Secretary of the Board of Health. The applicant for such permit shall furnish such information of the details of construction and location as will show intended compliance with this ordinance, and the Secretary may with­hold issue of such permit; until satisfactory information is furnished and an inspection of the premises made. In reaching a decision with regard to approval or disapproval of location in con­nection with the issue of such permits, the Secretary shall take into account the location of all wells upon the property of the applicant and those adjacent thereto. A fee of ten dollars ($10.) shall accom­pany each application for a permit under this section.

§ 85-6. Construction specifications.

All privies shall have a watertight excrement container or an underground vault, the sides of which shall be of masonry, concrete, wood or other suitable material to prevent caving in of earth, ingress of surface water and escapte of excremental matter to the surface of the ground, and fit with and support the seat box. No privy vault shall be constructed after the enactment of this ordinance with a wooden cover or enclosure which is exposed to the weather.

§ 85-7. Area specifications.

(Amended 7-13-55)

All cesspools shall be at least five (5) feet in diameter and fifteen (15) feet in depth, except when otherwise permitted because of conditions existing at the site of installation making such dimensions not practical. The walls of cesspools shall be made of brick or cement or tile blocks, laid up dry, to within two (2) feet of ground level, and from that point to the top, laid up with cement mortar and arched over to a manhole (2) feet in diameter. There shall be a closely fitting stone, concrete or iron manhole cover.

§ 85-8. Overflow connections; locations.

No cesspool shall have an overflow connection unless such overflow connects with buried open joint tile drains, installed to increase the seepage area. The location of such buried tile shall be subject to the same restrictions as cesspools.

§ 85-9. Watertight Construction.

All privy vaults, cesspools or other receptacles for human excrement shall be of watertight construction when located within fifty (50) feet of any stream, lake or other body of water or within twenty (20) feet of the underground portion of any building.

§ 85-10. Location of privies, cesspools.

No privy, cesspool or other receptacle for human excrement shall be located less than fifteen (15) feet from any party line unless written permission of the owner of the adjoining property is filed with the Secretary of the Board of Health, nor less than twenty (20) feet from any building unless conditions make such minimum distance impossible or impractical, nor less than ten (10) feet from any public thoroughfare.

§ 85-11. Removal of contents.

The contents of privy vaults and watertight excrement receptacles shall be removed whenever such contents come within six (6) inches of the ground level or top.

§ 85-12. Disposal of contents.

Excremental matter removed from privies and cesspools shall be disposed of in such manner and place as will not give rise to an odorous nuisance or jeopardize the purity of any surface or well water, and shall be immediately covered with earth.

§ 85-13. Cleaning of cesspools; fees.²

No person shall engage in the business of cleaning privies and cesspools unless a permit shall have been first obtained from the Secretary of the Board of Health. The applicant for such permit shall have the proper equipment for the removal and transportation of fluids containing human excremental matter and have facilities for its disposal in compliance with its ordinance before such permit is issued. Such permits may be revoked for cause.

§ 85-14. Number of connections restricted.

No more than one (1) dwelling or premises shall be connected to one (1) cesspool.

§ 85-15. Violations and penalties.ⁿ

Any person or persons violating any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be liable to a penalty of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.) or imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding ninety (90) days, or both, in the discretion of a court of competent jurisdiction.

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²Editor's Note: As of March 12, 1958, a resolution adopted by the Board of Health of Gloucester Township, County of Camden, State of New Jersey, the following fees were adopted: cesspool and septic tank cleaning license, ten dollars ($10.) each year; permits for cleaning, one dollar ($1.); permits for septic tank and cesspool construction and/or erecting, ten dollars ($10.) each. Each new house constructed, or old house, building garage, etc., relocated in a nonsewer district, must install a septic tank and dry well. Violators subject to penalty of law. (Amended upon adoption of the Code, see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Article I, Adoption of Code)

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ⁿEditor's Note: This section amended upon adoption of the Code, See Ch. 1, General Provisions, Article I, Adoption of Code.