Pennsylvania Statutes Title 53 P.S. Municipal and Quasi-Municipal Corporations § 67516. Joint sanitary sewer systems

(a) Townships may contract with other municipal corporations and municipal authorities providing for the joint construction or maintenance of sanitary sewer systems and for the connection onto existing sanitary sewer systems.  The agreements shall provide for the apportionment of costs among the municipal corporations.  The board of supervisors may assess the township's respective portions of the costs, as may be legally assessable, upon property benefited by the facilities.  Any portion of the cost not assessed or assessable shall be paid by the respective municipal corporations under the agreement.

(b) The municipal corporations joining or contemplating joining in the project in order to facilitate the building of the sanitary sewer system and in securing preliminary surveys and estimates may by ordinance provide for the appointment of a joint sanitary sewer board composed of one representative from each of the municipal corporations joining which shall act generally as the advisory and administrative agency in the construction of the improvement and its subsequent operation and maintenance.  Members of the joint sanitary sewer board shall serve for terms of six years each from the dates of their respective appointments and until their successors are appointed.  The joint sanitary sewer board shall organize by the election of a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer.  The municipal corporations may in the ordinances creating the joint sanitary sewer board authorize it to appoint an engineer, a solicitor and other necessary assistants and agree to the share of the compensation of those persons each municipal corporation is to pay.  The members of the joint sanitary sewer board shall receive compensation for attending board meetings as established in the budget that is prepared by the joint sanitary sewer board and submitted to and adopted by the municipal corporations.  The budget item providing for the compensation to members for attending meetings shall not exceed a total of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) for each member in each year, but the members shall be entitled to actual expenses to be paid by the respective municipal corporations the members represent.

(c) The joint sanitary sewer board may adopt rules and regulations to govern its proceedings and prepare and suggest measures and plans under which the joint improvement may be completed and for the future development of the system.  It may prepare a joint agreement or agreements for submission to and adoption by the municipal corporations defining the advisory and administrative powers of the joint sanitary sewer board and setting forth:  the consents of the municipal corporations to the proposed improvement;  the manner in which preliminary and final plans, specifications and estimates for the proposed improvement shall be prepared and adopted and in which proposals for bids shall be advertised and contracts let;  the manner in which the costs of the improvement and other incidental and preliminary expenses in connection therewith, and the future cost of operation and maintenance, shall be equitably shared, apportioned and paid;  and all other matters, including the preparation and submission of annual and other budgets, that are necessary or required by law to complete the proposed improvement and to assure future maintenance and operation thereof.  The board may not make any improvement or spend any public moneys which have not first been authorized by all of the municipal corporations proceeding with the improvement.

(d) When it is necessary to acquire, appropriate, damage or destroy private property to build any joint sanitary sewer system or improvement and the property cannot be acquired by purchase or gift, the right of eminent domain shall vest in the municipal corporation where the property is located.  When it is necessary to acquire, damage or destroy property in any territory not within the limits of any of the municipal corporations joining in the improvement, the right of eminent domain shall be vested in the municipal corporation adjacent to the territory where the property is located.  Damages for any property that is taken, damaged or destroyed shall be assessed under laws relating to the municipal corporations exercising the right of eminent domain and shall be paid by the municipal corporations joining in the same proportion as other costs of the improvements.