A. General Provisions:
1. Application Required: Before commencement of construction of sewage disposal systems, the owner shall first obtain a written application signed by the district manager or his authorized representative. The application shall be made on a form furnished by the district. An application fee shall be paid to the district at the time the application is filed. The application fee shall be established by resolution of the board of directors. The form of application shall include a grant to the district of the right to maintain, operate and repair the facility upon its completion and an agreement to observe all district rules, regulations and ordinances and to pay all district charges.
2. Building Permit: Subject to the approval of the board of supervisors of the county of Kern, no building permit for a building within said community services district shall be issued by the county building inspector until the district has issued a notice of receipt of application and agreement for a sewage disposal facility as required herein, or a statement that said building must be connected to a community sewer system within said district.
3. Inspection Required: The district manager or his authorized representative shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction and in any event, the applicant shall notify the district manager or his authorized representative when the work is ready for final inspection and before any underground portions are covered or utilized. The inspection shall be made within forty eight (48) hours (weekends and holidays excluded) of the receipt of the notice. Installation shall conform to the plans and specifications approved by the county of Kern.
4. Design Requirement: The type, capacities, locations and layout of the sewage disposal system shall comply with all recommendations and requirements of the Kern County health department.
5. Abandonment Of Facilities: At such time as a community sewer system becomes available to a property served by a sewage disposal system, a direct connection shall be made to the community sewer system in compliance with ordinances, rules and regulations of the district, and any septic tanks or similar private sewage disposal facilities shall be abandoned and filled with suitable material as determined by the district manager or his authorized representative.
6. Monitoring By District: To assure protection of surface and subsurface waters, the district will maintain a watershed monitoring program in conformance with standards determined in conjunction with the Kern County health department and the regional water quality control board. The board of directors shall adopt from time to time as necessary, and amend, rules and regulations governing said monitoring program.
7. Additional Requirements: No statement contained in this section shall be construed to interfere with any additional requirements that may be imposed by law, ordinance, rule or regulation of the health officer of the county of Kern or any other officer having jurisdiction. In the event that any sewage disposal system installed pursuant to this chapter requires modification by reason of conditions below ground level which were not apparent on the surface and which become apparent during construction of said system, or as a result of the monitoring program specified in subsection A6 of this section, or if in the determination of the district manager or his authorized representative, any such system is being insufficiently maintained or improperly operated, the owner of the lot shall make such modification or perform sufficient maintenance or correct the operation at his expense. In the event of failure of such owner to do so within thirty (30) days after written notice, mailed to his address as shown in the last county equalized assessment roll or as filed with the clerk of the district, then the district shall make such modification or perform such maintenance or correct such operation and the lot shall be subject to a service charge therefor in an amount equal to the actual cost to the district for performing any maintenance, repair, modification or operational correction of sewage disposal systems, or portion thereof (any such charge to be applicable only to the particular lot for which such service is rendered).
B. Premises Where Sewers Not Available:
1. Disposal System Required: Where a community sewer is not available within the district, structures shall be connected to a sewage disposal system to be constructed on the site pursuant to this chapter, and comply with all rules, regulations and ordinances of the district and Kern County.
2. Discharge Restricted: No septic tank shall be permitted to discharge directly to any stream or watercourse.
C. Premises Where Sewers Available:
1. Duty To Connect To Community Sewer System: No person owning any premises within the district and no user of any premises within the district on which sewage is produced: a) on which premises the nearest outlet of the plumbing system is located within three hundred feet (300') from the point at which a connection can be made to the community sewer system; or b) having no plumbing system, but in which a plumbing system could be installed with the nearest outlet located within three hundred feet (300') from the point at which a connection could be made to the community sewer system, shall use any means of sewage disposal other than through the community sewer system. Every person owning any premises and/or every user of any premises so located and upon or in which any sewage is produced shall be required to connect said premises to the community sewer system within ninety (90) days from the date when a main sewer located within the distance specified above is completed and available for connection to said premises. There shall be a separate service connection to the community sewer system for each building or structure served, except by permission from the board. No premises shall be connected to the community sewer system without also being connected to the district water system.
2. Changing Size Of Equipment: Users making any material change in the size, character or extent of the utilizing equipment or operations for which the district is supplying sewer service shall immediately give the district written notice of the extent and nature of the change.
3. Written Contracts: The district may require a written contract with any person as a condition precedent to sewer service in any case where unusual quantities of water or construction of special facilities are or will be required.
4. Private Property: All service connections, main extensions and installations paid for by applicants excepting only house laterals, and all other facilities furnished by the district, whether located wholly or partially on public or private property, shall be and remain the property of the district, which shall have the right to repair, replace and maintain the same and the right to remove the same upon discontinuance of service. The general manager or other duly authorized agent of the district shall have, at all reasonable times, the right of ingress to and egress from any user's premises for any purpose properly relating to the furnishing of sewer service to such user.
5. House Laterals: All house laterals shall be maintained by the owners or users of the premises connected to the community sewer system.
6. District Nonliability: The district will not be responsible for any loss or damage caused by any negligence or unlawful act of any user or any other person in installing, maintaining, supplying or using any appliances, facilities or equipment for which sewer service is furnished by the district. Each user shall be held responsible for damage to the district property comprising any part of the district water system or the community sewer system which results from use or operation of any appliances or facilities on such user's premises.
7. Tampering With District Property: It will be a violation of this chapter for any person to tamper with any of the property comprising the district water system or the community sewer system.
D. Applicants Outside District: The board may refuse use of the community sewer system to any applicant whose premises is located outside the boundaries of the district. (Ord. 09-230, 1-8-2009)