Dye Testing

Dye Testing Procedures for the Sale of a Home

A Dye Test payment form must be completed, and a fee must be paid prior to scheduling the dye test. Applicants now have the option to complete this information online through the Permit Portal. The homeowner must choose a plumber from the Borough’s List of Registered Plumbers. Once a plumber has been chosen, have the plumber contact the Superintendent of Sanitary Sewers at (412) 850-5030 to schedule a dye test. The Sanitary Sewer Superintendent observes the test for compliance with regulations. After the dye test, the homeowner may choose any plumber he/she wishes to correct the defects/repairs if the sewer lateral dye test fails. If the dye test fails, either the repairs have to be made to the sewer lateral and verified by the Sewer Superintendent, or a Sewer Lateral Defects Agreement must be completed and submitted along with a proposal from the plumber and an escrow amount stipulated by the plumber’s proposal prior to closing. The escrow check must be payable to the Borough of Fox Chapel and is deposited in the Borough’s accounts. The Borough generally pays the escrow amount directly to the plumber who has submitted the proposal to correct the defects. It is important to schedule the dye test as soon as the property is listed, as the entire process can take several weeks.

Please contact the Real Estate Tax Collector if you are in need of a real estate tax certification. The current real estate tax collector is Jordan Tax Service, (412) 345-7962.

The Borough will contact the Wage Tax Collector, Keystone Collections, to confirm wage tax payments. Please call (724) 978-0300 to verify account status. If account is in audit, release of the no-lien letter will be delayed until the account is reconciled.

Contact the Fox Chapel Authority for payment of water and sewage bills at (412) 963-0212.

The property may have a storm water management facility that is the owner’s responsibility to maintain and disclose.

Pertaining to the Borough’s sewer system, the Borough’s Sanitary Sewer Operation and Maintenance Plan is available to the public in the Borough office located at 401 Fox Chapel Road.