(A) No property owner, occupant, user, or person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any storm water, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, cooling water, unpolluted water, or unpolluted industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer. Illicit connections include, but are not limited to sump pumps, foundation drains, French drains, yard drains, gutter downspouts, cistern overflow pipes, and any other storm water drainage receptacle(s).
(B) Storm water, unpolluted industrial cooling waters, and process waters may be discharged, upon approval of the Village Administrator and other regulatory agencies, to public storm water facilities or a natural outlet.
(C) Removal of illicit connections required.
(1) Whenever the Village Administrator finds that any provision of division (A) or (B) hereof is being violated, a written order shall be issued to the person responsible for the removal, elimination, or correction of such condition(s), to remove such connectors or drains from such sanitary sewer within 30 days after service of such order.
(2) The service of such order, as mentioned herein, shall be made in person by a representative of the village where possible. Where not possible, delivery of such order shall be made by certified mail.
(D) Non-compliance fee for illicit connection.
(1) Every person owning property shall allow an employee or agent of the village, a designated representative of the village, or a licensed plumber, acting on the village's behalf with the consent of the owner, to inspect the building to determine if sump pumps or other prohibited discharges are connected to the sanitary sewerage system.
(2) Any property found to have an illicit connection, either direct or indirect, to the sanitary sewerage system shall receive a written notice from the village that necessary repairs be completed and furnish proof of the repairs to the village within 30 days of notification of said violation.
(3) (a) Upon confirmation of the elimination of the illicit connection, the illicit connection will be considered resolved and no further action will be taken.
(b) Nothing in this section prohibits the Village of Bluffton from granting an extension to property or facility owners in order to comply with this chapter.
(4) If the illicit connection is not corrected, or a property owner refuses to schedule a sanitary compliance inspection or refuses to permit access to conduct said inspection within 90 days of the first written notice, the facility or property owner will be subject to a non-compliance fee. The fee covers the cost for treating the extraneous flow or potential extraneous flow contributed to the sewerage system. The fee will be in addition to all other sanitary sewer user charges and will be added to the property owner's utility bill each month until the property is compliant with this chapter.
(5) To remove the non-compliance fee, the owner of the subject property shall request, in writing, an inspection by the village. An inspection will be scheduled with the facility or property owner within ten days of the receipt of the inspection request. If the inspection reveals no illicit connections, then the non-compliance fee will be removed during the next utility billing cycle.
(6) Fees are listed in the utility fee schedule which may be revised from time to time by the Village Council.
(Ord. 04-21, passed - -)