1. A History of Act 537 Planning in Upper Makefield Township Informational Meeting – Sewage Facilities Plan Update June 12, 2012

2. Act 537, the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, was passed by the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1966. Act 537 requires municipalities to develop and implement plans to provide for the resolution of existing sewage disposal problems and provide for future sewage disposal needs of the municipality. Upper Makefield Township

3. Sewage Facilities Planning Modules--A revision to the base plan for new land development. Official Sewage Facilities Plan--Base Plan--A plan for the entire municipality Upper Makefield Township

4. Planning is a municipal function and is an ongoing process. Municipalities are required to review and revise their base plans when they are determined to be inadequate. This determination may be made by either DEP or the municipality. Upper Makefield Township

5. Base Plan main components: – Identification of study areas – Identification of existing and projected needs – Evaluation and selection of alternatives – Identification of funding sources – Schedule for plan implementation Upper Makefield Township

6. DEP’s role – DEP will review the plan prepared and approved by the municipality for consistency with statutory & regulatory requirements. – DEP will either approve or deny the plan once it’s determined to be complete. – If acceptable, DEP approves plan. Municipality must then implement the plan. Upper Makefield Township

8. Township-Wide Planning Efforts (base plans): – 1970 Bucks County sewage facilities plan – 1980 Township-wide plan – Planning efforts from 2001 on Upper Makefield Township

9. 1970 – Bucks County prepared the first sewage facilities plan for all municipalities within the county. – Plan was broad in scope. – Envisioned reliance on regional wastewater treatment facilities, both existing & proposed. Upper Makefield Township

11. 1980 – DEP approved an update to Upper Makefield Township’s sewage facilities plan. Revised the 1970 county plan. The 1980 plan opted to continue reliance on on-lot sewage disposal systems. The 1980 plan also provided for a sewage management program. Upper Makefield Township

12. Update to 1980 Plan 2001 Plan of Study Suspected on-lot problem areas identified in Heritage Hills service area and in the southern portion of the township. 2008 Plan of Study Refined costs estimates in 2001 plan of study. Upper Makefield Township

13. 2008 plan of study led to the 2010 draft plan available on the municipal website – Draft plan has not been finalized or submitted to DEP for approval. – DEP interested in working with Upper Makefield Township in finalizing a new Act 537 plan update. Upper Makefield Township

14. Sources for additional information: www.depweb.state.pa.us www.pacode.com Upper Makefield Township

15. Elizabeth Mahoney, Sewage Planning Supervisor – 484.250.5177, emahoney@pa.gov Kelly Boettlin, Sewage Planning Specialist – 484.250.5184, kboettlin@pa.gov emahoney@pa.gov kboettlin@pa.gov