PRINTER'S NO. 589
No. 530 Session of 1985
INTRODUCED BY GEIST, D. R. WRIGHT, HAYES, BOWSER, FARGO,
STEWART, HERMAN, MERRY, PETRARCA, G. M. SNYDER, McVERRY,
SEMMEL, REINARD, LLOYD, DORR, RYBAK, LASHINGER, AFFLERBACH,
ROBBINS, OLASZ AND DAWIDA, FEBRUARY 27, 1985
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 27, 1985
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 24, 1931 (P.L.1206, No.331), entitled
2 "An act concerning townships of the first class; amending,
3 revising, consolidating, and changing the law relating
4 thereto," making provision for public water service
5 recipients to tap into public water service for the purpose
6 of providing a sufficient water supply for the operation of
7 residential groundwater heat pumps.
8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9 hereby enacts as follows:
10 Section 1. Section 102 of the act of June 24, 1931
11 (P.L.1206, No.331), known as The First Class Township Code,
12 reenacted and amended May 27, 1949 (P.L.1955, No.569), is
13 amended by adding clauses to read:
14 Section 102. Definitions.--The following words, terms and
15 phrases, as used in this act, shall have the meanings herein
16 assigned to them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
17 * * *
18 (d) "Residential groundwater heat pump," a mechanical system
19 designed to utilize the natural heat of the earth by extracting
1 the heat energy in groundwater to provide residential heating,
2 and by extracting the heat from the air and dissipating it into
3 the groundwater to provide residential cooling including, but
4 not limited to, such components as, water-to-refrigerant heat
5 exchanger, refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger, refrigerant-to-
6 water heat exchanger, and refrigerant compressor.
7 (e) "Groundwater," shall mean water from aquifers, lakes,
8 wells and any other occurrences of water in and under the
9 ground, whether percolating or otherwise, located on the
10 residential property, and water from privately distributed or
11 municipally distributed water systems.
12 Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
13 Section 2709.3. Water Supply for Groundwater Heat Pumps.--
14 Every township providing for a supply of water may permit the
15 tapping of a water pipeline for the purpose of providing a
16 sufficient water supply for the operation of residential
17 groundwater heat pumps utilizing a closed loop system.
18 Every township shall charge a one-time tapping fee, not to
19 exceed the normal tap fee for the cost of water service,
20 whenever the owner of any such groundwater heat pump connects
21 such heat pump with a water pipeline. The one-time tapping fee
22 shall constitute the total extent of the charges and fees and
23 there shall be no other extraordinary charges and fees.
24 Accordingly, the township shall not fix, charge or collect any
25 rates or other charges for the supply of water to the
26 groundwater heat pump system.
27 The contractor or supplier of water shall have the
28 unconditional right, at any reasonable time, to inspect the
29 groundwater heat pump connections to the water system to insure
30 the exclusive use of the public water for supply to the
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1 groundwater heat pump system.
2 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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