A. Triennial Pumping. Each Subsurface Sewage Treatment System shall be pumped every three years at a minimum. A report of the pumping shall be filed with the City.
B. Minimum Maintenance Standards. In the event the following minimum standards are verified by a licensed MPCA Septic Inspector and such verification is filed with the City, no pumping report shall be required. The maintenance inspections shall determine that the Subsurface Sewage Treatment System meets the minimum standards and an SSTS failing any of these standards shall be pumped, repaired, maintained, reconstructed, or relocated, as determined by the Building Official. The minimum standards are as follows:
1. Sludge in the septic tank must be more than twelve (12) inches below the bottom of the outlet baffle.
2. Scum in the septic tank or compartment cannot be more than three (3) inches above the bottom of the outlet baffle.
3. The drain fields or other Subsurface Sewage Treatment System components must show no evidence of effluent percolating to the surface;
4. For an Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems located near a lake, stream or wetland, the Subsurface Sewage Treatment System must show no evidence of effluent being discharged into the adjacent waters, as determined by a dye test;
5. Interior plumbing fixtures must adequately drain.
C. Owner Responsibility.
1. The Owner of each Lot upon which the improvements are served by an Subsurface Sewage Treatment System is responsible for the lawful operation and maintenance of each on-site system. “Owner,” as used herein, shall mean the fee owner(s) and, if applicable, the contract-for-deed purchaser. Ownership interests shall be determined by reference to the records of the Anoka County Recorder/Registrar of Titles.
2. The owner of each Lot is responsible for having the inspection or pumping of his/her Subsurface Sewage Treatment System completed and for submitting a written inspection or pumping report to the City. The owner shall hire an Inspector or Maintainer to conduct the inspection or pumping and to complete the required report. The Maintainer shall file a complete inspection or pumping report with the Zoning Administrator within thirty (30) working days following the actual date upon which the Subsurface Sewage Treatment System was cleaned or pumped. The required reports shall, at a minimum, certify that the Subsurface Sewage Treatment System meets the standards of this Section. The reports shall be signed by the owner and the Inspector. All parties signing the reports shall attest to the following statement:
“Under penalties of law, I declare that I have examined this Report and all of its attached pages and drawings, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, they are true, correct, accurate, and complete.”
3. It shall be the owner’s responsibility to ensure that additives are not introduced into the Subsurface Sewage Treatment System.
D. Inspection by City. If the owner of a Lot fails to file the required reports, every three (3) years, or files incomplete reports, the Zoning Administrator shall, by certified mail, notify the owner that a complete report shall be filed with the City within thirty (30) days from the date of the notice. In the event the owner fails to file a complete report with the City within the thirty (30) day period, the Building Inspector or other qualified Inspector shall inspect the Subsurface Sewage Treatment System and file the report on behalf of the owner. The City’s costs of such inspection shall be reimbursed to the City within thirty (30) days of the date upon which an invoice is mailed to the owner.
[§ 14-645, added by Ord. No. 89-14, effective July 13, 1990, amended by Ord. No. 98-5, effective July 30, 1998, amended by Ord. No. 07-02, effective March 1, 2007, amended by Ord. No. 15-01, effective May 7, 2015.]