Chapter 14.10
SANITARY SEWER CONNECTIONS
Sections:
14.10.020 Use of public sewers required.
14.10.030 Privy, vault or cesspool prohibited.
14.10.040 Toilet facilities required.
14.10.050 Connection permit required.
14.10.070 Special fund for sewer system improvements.
14.10.080 Connections by unauthorized person prohibited.
14.10.090 Connections-liability for injury.
14.10.100 Maintenance of sanitary sewer connections.
14.10.110 Notice of unsanitary conditions.
14.10.120 Discharge of unpolluted drainage prohibited.
14.10.010 Definitions.
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meanings and terms used in this chapter shall be as stated in Section 14.04.030 of this code. (Ord. 2002-14, Added, 11/19/2002)
14.10.020 Use of public sewers required.
Public sanitary sewers will be used to dispose of liquid waste.
A. It is unlawful for any person to place, deposit, or permit to be deposited in an unsanitary manner upon public or private property within the City any human or animal excrement, garbage, or other objectionable waste.
B. It is unlawful to discharge to any natural outlet within the City any sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, or other polluted waters.
C. All persons owning or occupying or having under his or her control any premises situated or being within the City which required sewage or drainage disposal service shall connect the houses or other structures thereon with the public sewers.
D. No person shall use a septic tank or like system for disposal of wastewater if the property to be served is within four hundred (400) feet of the domestic system unless permitted by the Director. Where such domestic sewer exists and buildings are inhabited or used by human beings, the property owner(s) shall install lateral service connection(s) and extend existing sewer mains as necessary at the expense of the property owner in accordance with this chapter.
E. No person shall discharge any substances directly into a manhole or other opening in a sewerage system except through an approved private sewer or house sewer lateral. (Ord. 2002-14, Added, 11/19/2002)
14.10.030 Privy, vault or cesspool prohibited.
No person owning or occupying or having under his or her control any premises situated or being within the City shall construct or maintain or suffer to be or remain upon the premises so owned, occupied or controlled, any privy, vault, or cesspool at all or any sink, drain or privy except as in a manner hereinafter specified. No person or corporation shall connect any open gutter, cesspool, privy, vault or cistern with any public sewer or with any private sewer connecting with a public sewer. (Ord. 2002-14, Added, 11/19/2002)
14.10.040 Toilet facilities required.
The owner of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes, situated within the City, and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located, or may in the future be located a public sewer, is required at his expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, within ninety (90) days after the date of official notice to do so. (Ord. 2002-14, Added, 11/19/2002)
14.10.050 Connection permit required.
No person or corporation shall make any connection with any part of the public sewers or opening into such public sewers without a written permit issued by the City. Such permit may be in the form of an encroachment permit or approved public improvement plan. A building permit and/or a wastewater discharge permit may also be required. (Ord. 2002-14, Added, 11/19/2002)
14.10.060 Connection fees.
The fees for connecting into a public sewer within the City shall be collected at the time the building permit is obtained, however fees paid for sewer capacity reservations may be paid at an earlier time, if a program for sewer capacity reservations is established by resolution adopted by the City Council. The cost of resurfacing and/or repairing the City streets in connection therewith, and in addition thereto the damage done, if any, to the public sewer system, will be in addition to the connection fee. The connection fees shall be established from time to time by resolution adopted by the City Council. (Ord. 2016-10, Repealed and Replaced, 11/15/2016)
14.10.070 Special fund for sewer system improvements.
In the event that the sum set forth in Section 14.10.190 is not used by the builder under the direction of the City for sanitary sewers external to the site, the money or a portion thereof not used shall be placed in a special fund in the City treasury to be established by the City to be used in the future for improvements to the City sanitary sewer system at the City’s discretion. None of these funds shall be used for maintenance of the system. (Ord. 2002-14, Added, 11/19/2002)
14.10.080 Connections by unauthorized person prohibited.
No person or persons except licensed plumbers or contractors or one to whom a permit has been especially granted by the City for the doing of the work shall be permitted to connect any private drain from any building premises or fixtures with the public sewer system in the City. No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connection with or opening into, use, alter or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof. (Ord. 2002-14, Added, 11/19/2002)
14.10.090 Connections-liability for injury.
Any person connecting any private drain with a public sewer shall be held responsible for any injury he may cause to the sewers or the public street. The cost of repairing the damage if not paid by the person causing the same within thirty (30) days shall become a lien or special assessment, pursuant to Sections 21.01.100 and 21.01.110, upon the property owned or occupied by the person causing the damage, and any such lien may be foreclosed in the same manner as claims for labor or materials under the lien laws of this state, except that no equity or redemption shall apply. (Ord. 2006-07, Amended, 06/06/2006; Ord. 2002-14, Added, 11/19/2002)
14.10.100 Maintenance of sanitary sewer connections.
A. Where premises are connected to the City sanitary sewer mains, it is the responsibility of the property owner, at the owner’s expense, to maintain the sewer service lateral from the premises to the City owned and operated main line. Such maintenance shall include the removal of tree roots and other blockages. The property owner is also responsible for repairs of the lateral line within the property boundaries. The City will repair damaged and deteriorated lateral lines in the City right-of-way at the City’s expense, unless such damage was caused by the property owner.
B. If a blockage or other problem associated with a sewer service lateral on the premises of a property owner is creating an imminent health and safety risk to the public requiring immediate repair as determined by the Public Works Director (or designee), the Director (or designee) shall cause such blockage or other problem to be abated in accordance with the procedures provided in Section 21.01.090 of this code. (Ord. 2009-16, Amended, 11/03/2009; Ord. 2002-14, Added, 11/19/2002)
14.10.110 Notice of unsanitary conditions.
If the Director makes a finding and declares a premises to be in an unsanitary condition, the Director will require the owner to connect their private drains, water closets, basins, sinks, baths and other plumbing fixtures with such sewer in the manner provided for in this chapter. Any person owning or occupying, or having under his or her control any premises as provided above who fails, refuses or neglects to commence work within ten days from the date of service of the aforesaid notice and diligently and without interruption prosecutes the same to completion shall be subject to enforcement provisions of Section 14.10.130. Should the owner or occupant or person having under his or her control such premises still fail, neglect or refuse to connect their private drains, sinks and privies with such sewer, the Director may order the performance of the work and the costs thereof shall be recoverable in an action brought in the name of the City for such purpose in addition to any civil penalties assessed. (Ord. 2002-14, Added, 11/19/2002)
14.10.120 Discharge of unpolluted drainage prohibited.
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any unpolluted storm water or surface water, or dry weather discharge authorized under the City’s NPDES Storm Water Permit such as groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, and cooling water, to any sanitary sewer. Storm water and all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to such sewers as are specifically designated as storm sewers or to a natural outlet approved by the Director. (Ord. 2002-14, Added, 11/19/2002)
14.10.130 Enforcement.
The Director shall enforce the provisions of this chapter and he shall have the right at all times to inspect the operation of any sewer connection. Violation of any of the provisions of this chapter is unlawful and an offense. Each day during which any violation of the provisions of this chapter exists shall be deemed a separate and distinct violation. Such violations shall be punishable as provided by Chapter 21.01 of Title 21. (Ord. 2006-07, Amended, 06/06/2006; Ord. 2002-14, Added, 11/19/2002)