(A) Sewage treatment. Any premises used for human occupancy must be provided with an adequate method of sewage treatment, as follows.
(1) Publicly-owned sewer systems must be used where available.
(2) All private sewage treatment systems must meet or exceed the state’s Pollution Control Agency’s standards for individual sewage treatment systems contained in the document titled, Individual Sewage Treatment Systems Standards, Minn. Rules Ch. 7080, a copy of which is hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter and must meet the city’s septic system requirements.
(3) On-site sewage treatment systems must be set back from the ordinary high water level in accordance with the setbacks contained in § 156.051 of this code.
(4) All proposed sites for individual sewage treatment systems shall be evaluated in accordance with the criteria in divisions (A)(1) through (A)(3) above. It shall be the responsibility of the applicant to provide sufficient soil borings and percolation tests from on-site field investigations. The evaluation criteria are:
(a) Depth to the highest known or calculated groundwater table or bedrock;
(b) Soil conditions, properties and permeability;
(c) Slope; including the ability of the septic system to meet the required setbacks; and
(d) The existence of lowlands, local surface depressions and rock outcrops.
(5) Nonconforming sewage treatment systems shall be regulated and upgraded in accordance with Section 12-479.
(B) Nonconforming sewage treatment systems. These systems must meet the following requirements:
(1) A sewage treatment system not meeting the requirements of this section must be upgraded, at a minimum, at any time a permit or variance of any type is required for any improvement on, or use of, the property or when the property is transferred. For the purposes of this provision, a sewage treatment system shall not be considered nonconforming if the only deficiency is the sewage treatment system’s improper setback from the ordinary high water level. The city sanitarian is required to submit a report to the Zoning Administrator.
(2) The city shall identify nonconforming or illegal sewage treatment systems located on properties identified in § 156.035(B) and (C) of this code and shall require repair, replacement or reconstruction when appropriate. The city shall require that nonconforming systems be pumped at a minimum of once every two years and a well water test be made to determine the level of nitrates and coliforms present.
(3) The pumping shall be done by a licensed pumper who shall certify as to the observed conditions of the system and the results placed on file at City Hall. The well testing results shall be verified by a laboratory approved by the Zoning Administrator or by the county’s Public Health Department.
(Prior Code, § 12-413)