PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2260                      PRINTER'S NO. 3451

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 1763 Session of 1983


        INTRODUCED BY GEIST, D. R. WRIGHT, HAYES, J. L. WRIGHT, HERMAN,
           LETTERMAN, GREENWOOD, ARTY, BOWSER, HALUSKA, FARGO, PETRARCA,
           DAWIDA, MERRY, NOYE, TRELLO, McVERRY, LASHINGER, PETRONE,
           G. SNYDER, BOOK, PRATT, ALDERETTE, JOHNSON, LEVI, SIRIANNI,
           SEMMEL, DORR, WOZNIAK, REINARD, DOMBROWSKI, DIETZ, RUDY,
           COLE, STEWART AND WACHOB, NOVEMBER 30, 1983

        AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
           AS AMENDED, SEPTEMBER 17, 1984

                                     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," permitting MAKING PROVISION FOR public water         <--
     5     service recipients to tap into public water service for the
     6     purpose of providing a sufficient water supply for the
     7     operation of 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

     1  designed to utilize the natural heat of the earth by extracting
     2  the heat energy in groundwater to provide residential heating,
     3  and by extracting the heat from the air and dissipating it into
     4  the groundwater to provide residential cooling including, but
     5  not limited to, such components as, water-to-refrigerant heat
     6  exchanger, refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger, refrigerant-to-
     7  water heat exchanger, and refrigerant compressor.
     8     (e)  "Groundwater," shall mean water from aquifers, lakes,
     9  wells and any other occurrences of water in and under the
    10  ground, whether percolating or otherwise, located on the
    11  residential property, and from privately distributed or
    12  municipally distributed water systems.
    13     Section 2.  The act is amended by adding a section to read:
    14     Section 2709.3.  Water Supply for Groundwater Heat Pumps.--
    15  Every township providing for a supply of water shall MAY permit   <--
    16  the tapping of a water pipeline for the purpose of providing a
    17  sufficient water supply for the operation of residential
    18  groundwater heat pumps utilizing a closed loop system.
    19     Every township shall charge a one-time tapping fee, not to
    20  exceed the normal tap fee for the cost of water service,
    21  whenever the owner of any such groundwater heat pump connects
    22  such heat pump with a water pipeline. The one-time tapping fee
    23  shall constitute the total extent of the charges and fees and
    24  there shall be no other extraordinary charges and fees.
    25  Accordingly, the township shall not fix, charge or collect any
    26  rates or other charges for the supply of water to the
    27  groundwater heat pump system.
    28     The contractor or supplier of water shall have the
    29  unconditional right, at any reasonable time, to inspect the
    30  groundwater heat pump connections to the water system to insure
    19830H1763B3451                  - 2 -

     1  the exclusive use of the public water for supply to the
     2  groundwater heat pump system.
     3     Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.


















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