Washington Township

Washington Township is the municipal government serving a rural and residential community in northeastern Berks County, Pennsylvania. The township building sits at 120 Barto Road in Barto, roughly midway between the Lehigh Valley, Reading and the northern Philadelphia suburbs. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm and can be reached at 610-845-7760.

The township was formed in 1840 from portions of Hereford and Colebrookdale Townships. In its earliest decades it was a farming and iron-making area, dotted with mills and forges that drew on local waterways and ore deposits. Place names such as Forgedale Road still reflect that industrial past. Today the township is primarily residential, with agriculture remaining an important part of the landscape and local identity.

Washington Township operates under the Pennsylvania Second Class Township Code and is governed by a three-member elected Board of Supervisors, supported by appointed staff and a network of volunteer boards and commissions.

Municipal Sewer Service

One of the township's largest operations is its wastewater system. Washington Township owns and operates a 0.25 million gallon per day sewage treatment plant on Niantic Road near Route 100, serving approximately 1,120 properties. That total includes 48 properties connected through the Borough of Bally system.

Sewer bills are issued quarterly and are due March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31. Customer service questions about billing can be directed to 610-845-3697. Payments are accepted through Xpress Bill Pay online, by telephone or in person at the township building using major credit cards, debit cards or eChecks. For residents who prefer to pay outside of office hours, a black lock box is mounted at the main entrance of the building.

Properties not connected to public sewer fall under the township's on-lot sewage management program, mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and administered locally through Ordinance No. 1995-1. The ordinance requires owners of septic tanks, holding tanks and cesspools to have their systems pumped within a specified time frame. The township publishes a list of registered septic haulers to help residents comply.

Permits, Zoning and Land Development

The township office is the starting point for most construction and property-related approvals. Building and zoning permits are required for structural changes, new construction, additions, decks, garages, sheds, signs, plumbing, roofing, siding, driveways, pools, soliciting and occupancy. Applications are submitted to the township and then forwarded to LTL Consultants, LTD of Oley, the township's third-party code agency, with a typical turnaround of about two to three weeks.

Any work performed within a township road right-of-way requires a road occupancy permit.

Larger projects are reviewed under the township's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance. A seven-member Planning Commission evaluates applications, and the application packet includes sketch, preliminary and final plan checklists along with Buckeye Partners right-of-way use restriction specifications, a consideration for properties near the pipeline corridor.

The Zoning Hearing Board is a quasi-judicial body made up of three members and three alternates. It hears appeals of Zoning Officer decisions and requests for relief from the literal interpretation of the Zoning Ordinance. Its decisions are final at the municipal level and may be appealed only to the Berks County Court of Common Pleas.

Public Works and Road Maintenance

The Public Works Department operates from 128 Barto Road and can be reached at 610-845-2753. Regular duties include resurfacing, pothole patching, bridge maintenance, line painting, sign installation, and upkeep of parks and athletic fields.

Winter operations cover approximately 46 miles of local and state roads. Under contract with PennDOT, the township handles plowing and anti-skid work on Dale, Hoffmansville, Forgedale, Niantic and Hill Church Roads along with Old Route 100. A full anti-skid and anti-icing application run takes about four hours. A salt shed at 120 Barto Road stores roughly 500 tons of road salt, allowing crews to stage materials locally ahead of storms.

Recycling and Environmental Programs

The Red Barn Recycling Center at 126 Barto Road, adjacent to the municipal building, is open to township residents only. Hours are the first Saturday of each month from 9:00am to 11:00am and the third Wednesday from 7:00pm to 8:00pm, March through October. The center is staffed by volunteers from the Environmental Advisory Council.

The township also administers a stormwater management program under its MS4 permit, issued through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The program is organized around six Minimum Control Measures, including illicit discharge detection and elimination. Residents who observe a suspected illicit discharge can submit an MS4 Complaint Form to info@washtwpberks.org.

Taxes, Records and Licensing

• Real estate taxes are collected by elected Tax Collector Brenda Breidigan, 2025 Old Route 100, Bechtelsville, PA 19505, 610-845-7299.
• Right-to-Know Law requests are handled by Open Records Officer Susan J. Brown at 120 Barto Road or sbrown@washtwpberks.org. Request forms are available in PDF and Word formats, and appeals are processed through the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.

Parks, Recreation and Volunteer Boards

The township maintains roughly 30 acres of parkland, including Barto Community Park, with playground equipment inspected quarterly for safety. A five-member Parks and Recreation Board meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm and is currently working on a master plan for Barto Community Park. The township also maintains the Washington Township War Memorial, which is the subject of an ongoing restoration project.

Much of the township's civic work is carried out by residents serving on appointed bodies: the Planning Commission, Zoning Hearing Board, Parks and Recreation Board, Environmental Advisory Council, Agricultural Advisory Committee and the Uniform Construction Code Board of Appeals. Openings exist on several of these, and residents may apply using the township's volunteer application. A Crime Watch program is also active, focused on neighborhood security awareness and communication among neighbors.