Two municipalities are considering a change to requiring homeowners to connect to sewer lines.

Jackson and Lancaster townships are looking to change the regulation that says those living within 150 feet of a sewer line are required to hook up to it. Residents have to pay their own hook up fees.

“I’m not a fan of government forcing somebody to hook up to something like this,” said Ron Lutz, chairman of the Jackson Township supervisors.

The two municipalities are looking to make hook ups optional for residents.

The ordinances are reflected in the Western Butler County Authority’s bylaws, which covers municipalities in its jurisdiction: Jackson and Lancaster townships, and Harmony and Zelienople.

Lutz said the change is necessary because developers in the township are extending sewer lines.

“People living along those extensions are now being required to hook up even though they have (sewage) systems that are working fine,” Lutz said.

A lien is placed against homes of residents who don’t pay for hook ups.

Lancaster zoning officer Benjamin Kramer said Jackson officials talked with Lancaster about this issue.

“There was concern that existing homeowners would be impacted, unnecessarily so, as the result of developers extending sewer lines,” Kramer said.

He said although the township has not experienced such an impact, he believes it will face the issue in the future.

Lancaster officials have discussed the ordinance change in meetings.

Authority manager Autumn Heckathorn said the four municipalities had existing rules and regulations in place before the incorporation of the authority in 1973.

For the authority’s bylaw to change, all four municipalities would have to agree to make hook ups optional.

“We do not want to be in conflict with the rules and regulations of any of our townships and boroughs,” Heckathorn said.

“We are simply reflecting what the townships and boroughs already have in place.”

She said it is common for municipalities to have mandatory connection ordinances.

When a decision could be made on the change is up to the municipalities.

“Some move more quickly than others,” Heckathorn said.

Both Lutz and Kramer said neither township has talked with Zelienople or Harmony about the matter.

Zelienople borough manager Don Pepe said the borough has not discussed making the change and does not have any desire to change.

The borough’s ordinance says residents either have to have their own stand-alone sewage system approved by the borough and the authority or must hook up to the authority.

“There’s no regulation concerning how far or that sort of thing,” Pepe said. “We wouldn’t really have any houses that would apply to it anyway.”

Harmony borough council President Greg Such said he has heard of talks to consider the change, but doesn’t think it impacts the borough.

“I don’t think we have anybody who will be affected by it,” Such said. “We’re pretty much built out, and it (borough) is pretty dense. Everybody who is there is already on sewage.”

Jackson Township officials said there is no way to know how many residents would be affected by mandatory tap ins next year.