Chapter 14.28
OPERATION OF PUBLIC SEWERS1
Sections:
14.28.010 Unlawful discharge of storm and other waters.
14.28.040 Interceptors – Maintenance.
14.28.050 Forbidden wastes – Preliminary treatment and approval.
14.28.060 Preliminary treatment facilities – Maintenance.
14.28.070 Industrial wastes – Control manhole.
14.28.080 Tests of wastes – Location of sampling.
14.28.100 Determination of character of waste matter.
14.28.110 Pretreatment of sewage.
14.28.120 Inspection of sewers and attachments.
14.28.010 Unlawful discharge of storm and other waters.
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any storm water, surface water, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, cooling water, or unpolluted industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer. (Ord. 486 § 7.01, 1971).
14.28.020 Unlawful wastes.
Except as hereinafter provided, no person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to any public sewer:
A. Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 150 degrees Fahrenheit;
B. Any water or waste which may contain more than 100 parts per million, by weight, of fat, oil, or grease;
C. Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil, lube oil, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid, or gas;
D. Any garbage that has not been properly shredded;
E. Any ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, paunch manure, or any other solid or viscous substance capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers or other interference with the proper operation of the sewage works;
F. Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.5 or higher than 9.0 or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, and personnel of the city;
G. Any waters or wastes containing any toxic or poisonous substance in sufficient quantity to injure or interfere with any sewage treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, or create any hazard in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant;
H. Any waters or wastes containing suspended solids of such character and quantity that unusual attention or expense is required to handle such materials at the sewage treatment plant;
I. Any noxious or malodorous gas or substance capable of creating a public nuisance. (Ord. 486 § 7.02, 1971).
14.28.030 Interceptors.
A. Grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be provided when, in the opinion of the utility superintendent, they are necessary for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing grease in excessive amounts, or any flammable wastes, sand and other harmful ingredients. Such interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the utility superintendent and shall be so located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection. Grease and oil interceptors shall be constructed of impervious materials capable of withstanding abrupt and extreme changes in temperature. They shall be of substantial construction, watertight, and equipped with easily removable covers, which when bolted in place shall be gastight and watertight.
B. All lines from industrial and commercial kitchen or cooking facilities containing waste vegetables, oil, grease, etc., shall be on a waste system completely independent of other waste lines, such as restrooms, drinking fountains, washbasins, etc., and shall remain independent within the perimeter of the structure and shall terminate at a grease interceptor in an access area, below finished grade, accessible for inspection and servicing outside the building perimeter. See Exhibit “B” on file in the city clerk’s office for details. Selection and inspection of grease traps shall be approved by the city plumbing inspector or the utility superintendent prior to installation. Discharge from the grease trap may then discharge into the building sewer or the remainder at plumbing lines. (Ord. 486 § 7.03, 1971).
14.28.040 Interceptors – Maintenance.
Where installed, all grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be maintained by the owner, at his expense, for continuously efficient operation at all times. (Ord. 486 § 7.04, 1971).
14.28.050 Forbidden wastes – Preliminary treatment and approval.
A. The admission into the public sewer of any waters or wastes:
1. Having a five-day BOD greater than 300 parts per million weight;
2. Containing more than 350 parts per million by weight of suspended solids;
3. Containing any quantity of substances having the characteristics described in PMC 14.28.020;
4. Having an average daily flow greater than two percent of the average daily sewage flow of the city; shall be subject to the review and approval of the utility superintendent. Where necessary in the opinion of the utility superintendent the owner shall provide, at his expense, such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to:
a. Reduce the BOD to 300 parts per million by weight, and the suspended solids to 350 parts per million by weight;
b. Reduce objectionable characteristics or constituents to within the maximum limits provided for in PMC 14.28.020;
c. Control the quantities and rates of discharge of such waters or wastes.
B. Plans, specifications and other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the utility superintendent and of the Pollution Control Commission of the state, when required by law, and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until such approvals are obtained in writing. Any expenses incurred by the city in reviewing such plans, specifications and information shall be paid by the property owner or his representative before the city’s approval shall issue. (Ord. 486 § 7.05, 1971).
14.28.060 Preliminary treatment facilities – Maintenance.
Where preliminary treatment facilities are provided for any waters or wastes, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner at his expense. (Ord. 486 § 7.06, 1971).
14.28.070 Industrial wastes – Control manhole.
When required by the utility superintendent, the owner of any property served by a building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable control manhole in the building sewer to facilitate observation, sampling and measurement for the wastes. Such manhole, when required, shall be accessibly and safely located, and shall be constructed in accordance with plans approved by the utility superintendent. The manhole shall be installed by the owner at his expense and shall be maintained by him so as to be safe and accessible at all times. (Ord. 486 § 7.07, 1971).
14.28.080 Tests of wastes – Location of sampling.
All measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes to which reference is made in PMC 14.28.020 and 14.28.050 shall be determined in accordance with “Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage,” and shall be determined at the control manhole provided for in PMC 14.28.070, or upon suitable samples taken at such control manhole. In the event that no special manhole has been required, the control manhole shall be considered to be the nearest downstream manhole in the public sewer to the point at which the building sewer is connected. (Ord. 486 § 7.08, 1971).
14.28.090 Special agreements.
Nothing in Chapters 14.04 through 14.48 PMC shall be construed as preventing any special agreement or arrangement between the city and the manufacturing of any industrial waste whereby industrial waste of unusual strength or character may be accepted by the city for treatment, subject to payment therefor by that manufacturer. (Ord. 486 § 7.09, 1971).
14.28.100 Determination of character of waste matter.
Before any matter of any nature may be discharged into the sewer system, which discharge might reasonably be considered a violation of Chapters 14.04 through 14.48 PMC, the controlling characteristic of such matter shall be determined to the satisfaction of the utility superintendent. The responsibility of initiating such determination, the costs involved, and of submitting the results of the determination for approval lie solely with the party or parties desiring to discharge the matter into the sewer system. Verification of these results and the decision as to whether or not a permit shall be issued shall be the responsibility of the utility superintendent. The fact that any matter has been discharged into the sewer system prior to the passage of the ordinance codified in Chapters 14.04 through 14.48 PMC or subsequent thereto, without objection, does not constitute a valid right to so discharge such matter. Upon discovery by the utility superintendent that any matter being discharged into the sewer does not conform to the requirements of Chapters 14.04 through 14.48 PMC, the utility superintendent may immediately stop the discharge of such matter into the sewer system. (Ord. 486 § 7.10, 1971).
14.28.110 Pretreatment of sewage.
When it becomes necessary or desirable to discharge into the sewer system any matter from any source which does not conform to the requirements previously outlined, it is required that, before such matter may be discharged into the sewer system, the producer thereof shall pretreat same at his own expense to a degree that will produce an effluent which does conform to the requirements. Such pretreatment plants shall be understood to include grease traps, chemical or biochemical plants, sedimentation chambers and any other devices which effect a change of any nature in the characteristics of the matter being treated. Any and all such devices and equipment shall be subject to the approval of the utility superintendent, shall not be put into operation without written permit of approval issued by the utility superintendent, shall be provided with all necessary features of construction to permit inspection of operations and testing of material passing through them and shall be open to the inspection of the utility superintendent at any time; provided, however, that the producer, in lieu of the treatment of the sewage, as hereinabove provided for, may, with the written approval of the utility superintendent being first obtained, discharge the sewage, waste or other matter into the sewage system, and be subject to the payment of the additional cost of the treatment thereof. (Ord. 486 § 7.11, 1971).
14.28.120 Inspection of sewers and attachments.
The utility superintendent, or employees of the city bearing proper credentials, shall have the right to enter upon premises drained by any side sewer or connected with any public sewer at all reasonable hours to ascertain whether the provisions of the ordinances of the city of Pacific and the city of Auburn relative to sewerage have been complied with. If the sewer or its attachments are in conflict with the provision of any law or ordinance in regard thereto, the owner of the premises, or his agent, shall be notified to cause the sewer or its attachments to be so altered, repaired or reconstructed as to make them conform to the requirements of the laws and ordinances within 15 days from the date of receipt of such notice. (Ord. 486 § 7.12, 1971).
For statutory provisions authorizing third-class cities to require that property owners use sewers for proper purposes, see RCW 35.24.290(4). See also Chapter 35.88 RCW, Water Pollution – Protection From.