Baldwin Boro Council Passes Video Sewer Lines Law

Almost one month to the day that it , the Baldwin Borough Council officially made the bill an ordinance by unanimously approving it on Tuesday night during a regular borough meeting.

The legislation (now known as ordinance No. 844)—available to be read here and in this article's media gallery—requires private sewer lateral lines underneath property in the borough to be tested via video evidence in order to prove that the lines do not contain rain water.

Periods of wet weather in often see an increase in sewage water flow for the borough due to a number of reasons—one of them being leaky sewage pipes being infiltrated by rain. Watch an animation on the 3 Rivers Wet Weather website for further explanation.

The ordinance becomes effective in 30 days and affects property transfers from that point on, including sales of homes. The borough will not issue lien letters without compliance of the ordinance.

Baldwin's solicitor, Stanley B. Lederman, explained on Tuesday that the borough is not responsible for repairing lines unless the repairs are needed underneath the borough's right of way, i.e. past a property owner's front yard or curb.

Lederman also expained that, if a property seller or buyer requests that borough workers repair his or her lateral lines only to discover that the repairs were needed underneath the buyer or seller's right of way, that person will be responsible for reimbursing the borough for services rendered.

Thoughts on this? Questions? Share them in the comments section below.

And check back with the Baldwin-Whitehall Patch later on Wednesday for more odds and ends from Tuesday night's council meeting.

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