Now Required
With the approval of the Township's revised Act 537 Plan in April 2025, the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) now requires the Township to administer a program to document that all on-lot sewer systems are pumped out and inspected at least once every three years. The Township’s Ordinance to enact this program was passed on July 9, 2025, and the program started on January 1, 2026. The ordinance is provided below.
Here’s how the program works:
- Each year, the Township will send a “Pumping Notice” to one-third of all property owners with an on-lot septic system of any type, notifying them that their system must be pumped and inspected that year. Letters to Sewage District 1 will be sent in February 2026. See the map above.
- Property owners must then schedule and, of course, pay for their on-lot septic pumping by a private contractor who is registered with the Chester County Health Department (CCHD).*
- Promptly after completion of this service, property owners are required to submit a copy of the pumping receipt to both the CCHD and the Township Administration Office (prior to 2026, it was only required to be submitted to the CCHD by the contractors).
This process will be repeated with a different third of property owners each year so that all systems in the Township will be pumped and inspected at least once every three years.
Please feel free to contact the Township Administrative Office with questions. All materials, including educational materials, are provided below.
*Note: In addition to the cost of the pumping and inspection, the contractor may also charge for locating the tank and uncovering the tank’s manhole lid(s) so you may want to do this yourself in advance. Check with your selected contractor to learn if this is recommended and if it will save you money.
Ways to Learn More
The Penn State Extension office offers free webinars addressing a variety of topics related to septic system. These informative webinars are intended for members of the general public, not professionals.
Visit the Penn State Extension website for additional information and resources HERE.