CHAPTER 51: PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SEWERS
Section
   51.01   Definitions
   51.02   Sewer usage
   51.03   Private sewage disposal system
   51.04   Building sewers
   51.05   Discharges
   51.06   Pretreatment of wastes
   51.07   Pretreatment facilities
   51.08   Unpolluted waters
   51.09   Industrial cooling water
   51.10   Wastewater information to be provided
   51.11   Wastewater strength
   51.12   Interceptors
   51.13   Notification of unusual/accidental discharge
   51.14   Damage to sewage works property
   51.15   Inspections; permission to enter properties
   51.16   Violations
   51.17   Variances
 
   51.99   Penalty
§ 51.01 DEFINITIONS.
   BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD). The quantity of oxygen expressed in mg/l utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedures with nitrification inhibition in five days at 20° C.
   BUILDING DRAIN. That part of the lowest horizontal piping of a drainage system which receives the discharge from soil, waste and other drainage pipes inside the walls of a building and conveys it to the building sewer beginning three feet outside the building wall.
   BUILDING DRAIN, SANITARY. A building drain which conveys sanitary or industrial sewage only.
   BUILDING DRAIN, STORM. A building drain which conveys stormwater or other clear water drainage, but no wastewater.
   BUILDING SEWER. The extension from the building drain to the public sewer or other place of disposal. (Also called house connection.)
   BUILDING SEWER, SANITARY. A building sewer which conveys sanitary or industrial sewage only.
   BUILDING SEWER, STORM. A building sewer which conveys stormwater or other clear water drainage, but no sanitary or industrial sewage.
   COMBINED SEWER. A sewer intended to receive both wastewater and storm or surface water.
   COMPATIBLE POLLUTANT. Biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, pH, and fecal coliform bacteria, plus additional pollutants identified in the NPDES permit if the treatment works was designed to treat such pollutants, and in fact does remove such pollutants to a substantial degree. The term SUBSTANTIAL DEGREE is not subject to precise definition, but generally contemplates removals in the order of 80% or greater. Minor incidental removals in the order of 10% to 30% are not considered substantial. Examples of the additional pollutants which may be considered compatible include: chemical oxygen demand, total organic carbon, phosphorus and phosphorus compounds, nitrogen and nitrogen compounds, and fats, oils, and greases of animal or vegetable origin (except as prohibited where these materials would interfere with the operation of the treatment works).
   EASEMENT. An acquired legal right for the specific use of land owned by others.
   FECAL COLIFORM. Any of a number of organisms common to the intestinal tract of man and animals, whose presence in sanitary sewage is an indicator of pollution.
   FLOATABLE OIL. Oil, fat, or grease in a physical state, such that will separate by gravity from wastewater by treatment in a pretreatment facility approved by the town.
   GARBAGE. Solid wastes from the domestic and commercial preparation, cooking, and dispensing of food, and from the handling, storage and sale of produce.
   INCOMPATIBLE POLLUTANT. Any pollutant that is not defined as a compatible pollutant, including non-biodegradable dissolved solids.
   INDUSTRIAL WASTES. The liquid wastes from industrial manufacturing processes, trade, or business as distinct from employee wastes or wastes from sanitary conveniences.
   INFILTRATION. The water entering a sewer system, including building drains and sewers, from the ground, through such means as, but not limited to, defective pipes, pipe joints, connections, or manhole walls. (INFILTRATION does not include and is distinguished from INFLOW. )
   INFILTRATION/INFLOW. The total quantity of water from both infiltration and inflow without distinguishing the source.
   INFLOW. The water discharge into a sewer system, including building drains and sewers, from such sources as, but not limited to, roof leaders, cellars, yard and area drains, foundation drains, unpolluted cooling water discharges, drains from springs and swampy areas, manhole covers, cross connections from storm sewers, and combined sewers, catch basins, stormwaters, surface run-off, street wash waters or drainage. ( INFLOW does not include, and is distinguished from, INFILTRATION.)
   INSPECTOR. The person or persons duly authorized by the town, through its Board of Trustees, to inspect and approve the installation of building sewers and their connection to the public sewer system.
   MAJOR CONTRIBUTING INDUSTRY. An industry that:
      (1)   Has a flow of 50,000 gallons or more per average work day; or
      (2)   Has a flow greater than 5% of the flow carried by the municipal system receiving the waste; or
      (3)   Has in its waste a toxic pollutant in toxic amounts as defined in standards issued under Section 307 (a) of PL 92-500; or
      (4)   Has a significant impact, either singly or in combination with other contributing industries, on a treatment works or on the quality of effluent from that treatment works.
   NATURAL OUTLET. Any outlet, including storm sewers and combined sewer overflows, into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake, or other body of surface or groundwater.
   NORMAL DOMESTIC SEWAGE. Shall have the same meaning as defined in the Sewage Rate Ordinance.
   NPDES PERMIT. A permit issued under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System for discharge of wastewaters to the navigable waters of the United States pursuant to Section 402 of PL 92-500.
   PERSON. Any individual, firm, company, association, society, corporation, group or other entity.
   pH. The reciprocal of the logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration. The concentration is the weight of hydrogen ions, in grams per liter of solution.
   PRETREATMENT. The treatment of industrial sewage from privately owned industrial sources prior to introduction into a public treatment works.
   PRIVATE SEWER. A sewer which is not owned by a public authority.
   PROPERLY SHREDDED GARBAGE. The wastes from the preparation, cooking, and dispensing of food that has been shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers, with no particle greater than inch in any dimension.
   PUBLIC SEWER. A sewer which is owned and controlled by the public authority and will consist of the following increments:
      (1)   COLLECTOR SEWER shall mean a sewer whose primary purpose is to collect wastewaters from individual point source discharges.
      (2)   FORCE MAIN shall mean a pipe in which wastewater is carried under pressure.
      (3)   INTERCEPTOR SEWER shall mean a sewer whose primary purpose is to transport wastewater from collector sewers to a treatment facility.
      (4)   PUMPING STATION shall mean a station positioned in the public sewer system at which wastewater is pumped to a higher level.
   SANITARY SEWER. A sewer which carries sanitary and industrial wastes, and to which storm, surface, and ground water are not intentionally admitted.
   SEWAGE. The combination of the liquid and water-carried wastes from residences, commercial buildings, industrial plants and institutions, (including polluted cooling water). The three most common types of sewage are:
      (1)   SANITARY SEWAGE shall mean the combination of liquid and water-carried wastes discharged from toilet and other sanitary plumbing facilities.
      (2)   INDUSTRIAL SEWAGE shall mean a combination of liquid and water-carried wastes, discharged from any industrial establishment, and resulting from any trade or process carried on in that establishment (this shall include the wastes from pretreatment facilities and polluted cooling water).
      (3)   COMBINED SEWAGE shall mean wastes including sanitary sewage, industrial sewage, stormwater, infiltration and inflow carried to the wastewater treatment facilities by a combined sewer.
   SEWAGE WORKS. The structures, equipment and processes to collect, transport and treat domestic and industrial wastes and dispose of the effluent and accumulated residual solids.
   SEWER. A pipe or conduit for carrying sewage.
   SLUG. Any discharge of water or wastewater which in concentration of any given constituent or in quantity of flow exceeds for any period of duration longer than ten minutes more than three times the average 24 hours concentration of flows during normal operation and shall adversely affect the collection system.
   STANDARD METHODS. The laboratory procedures set forth in the latest edition, at the time of analysis, of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater prepared and published jointly by the American Public Health Association, The American Water Works Association and the Water Pollution Control Federation.
   STORM SEWER. A sewer for conveying water, ground water or unpolluted water from any source and to which sanitary and/or industrial wastes are not intentionally admitted.
   SUPERINTENDENT. The Superintendent of the municipal sewage works of the town, or his or her authorized deputy, agent or representative.
   SUSPENDED SOLIDS. Solids that either float on the surface of, or are in suspension in, water, sewage, or other liquids and which are removable by laboratory filtering under standard laboratory procedure.
   TOTAL SOLIDS. The sum of suspended and dissolved solids.
   TOXIC AMOUNT. Concentrations of any pollutant or combination of pollutants, which upon exposure to or assimilation into any organism will cause adverse effects, such as cancer, genetic mutations, and physiological manifestations, as defined in standards issued pursuant to Section 307 (a) of PL 92-500.
   UNPOLLUTED WATER. Water of quality equal to or better than the effluent criteria in effect, or water that would not cause violation of receiving water quality standards and would not be benefitted by discharge to the sanitary sewers and wastewater treatment facilities provided.
   VOLATILE ORGANIC MATTER. The material in the sewage solids transformed to gases or vapors when heated at 55° C for 15 to 20 minutes.
   WATERCOURSE. A natural or artificial channel for the passage of water either continuously or intermittently.
(Ord. 17-1986, passed 11-3-86)
§ 51.02 SEWER USAGE.
   (A)   It shall be unlawful for any person to place, deposit or permit to be deposited in any unsanitary manner on public or private property within the town or in any area under the jurisdiction of the town any human or animal excrement, garbage, or other objectionable waste.
   (B)   No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged to any sanitary sewer, either directly or indirectly, stormwaters, surface water, ground water, roof run-off, subsurface drainage, cooling water, unpolluted water, or unpolluted industrial process water.
   (C)   Stormwater, surface water, ground water, roof run-off, subsurface drainage, cooling water, unpolluted water or unpolluted industrial process water may be admitted to storm sewers which have adequate capacity for their accommodation. No person shall use such sewers, however, without the specific permission of the town. No new connection shall be made to any sanitary sewer unless there is capacity available in all downstream sewers, lift stations, force mains, and the sewage treatment plant including capacity for BOD and suspended solids.
   (D)   No person shall place, deposit, or permit to be deposited in any unsanitary manner on public or private property within the jurisdiction of the town any wastewater or other polluted waters except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with provisions of this chapter and the NPDES Permit.
   (E)   No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged to any natural outlet any wastewater or other polluted waters except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with provisions of this chapter and the NPDES Permit.
   (F)   Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.
   (G)   The owner of all houses, buildings, or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes, situated within the town and abutting on any street, alley, or right-of-way in which there is now located a public sanitary or combined sewer of the town is hereby required at his or her expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, within 60 days after date of official notice to do so, provided that the public sewer is within 300 feet of the property line.
(Ord. 17-1986, passed 11-3-86)
§ 51.03 PRIVATE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM.
   (A)   Where a public sanitary or combined sewer is not available under the provisions of § 51.02(G), the building sewer shall be connected to a private sewage disposal system complying with the provisions of this chapter.
   (B)   Before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the Superintendent. A permit and inspection fee of $__ shall be paid to the town at the time the application is filed.
   (C)   A permit for a private sewage disposal system shall not become effective until the installation is completed to the satisfaction of the Superintendent. He or she shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction and, in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the Superintendent when the work is ready for final inspection, and before any underground portions are covered. The inspection shall be made within 24 hours of the receipt of notice by the Superintendent.
   (D)   The type, capacities, location, and layout of a private sewage disposal system shall comply with all recommendations of the State Board of Health. No permit shall be issued for any private sewage disposal system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities where the area of the lot is less than 20,000 square feet. No septic tank or cesspool shall be permitted to discharge to any natural outlet.
   (E)   At such time as a public sewer becomes available to a property served by a private sewage disposal system as provided in division (D) above, a direct connection shall be made to the public sewer in compliance with this chapter, and any septic tanks, cesspools and similar private sewage disposal facilities shall be abandoned and filled with suitable material.
   (F)   The owner shall operate and maintain the private sewage disposal facilities in a sanitary manner at all times, at no expense to the town.
   (G)   When a public sewer becomes available, the building sewer shall be connected to the sewer within 60 days and the private sewage disposal system shall be cleaned of sludge and filled with clean bank-run gravel or dirt.
   (H)   No statement contained in this chapter shall be construed to interfere with any additional requirements that may be imposed by the Health Officer.
(Ord. 17-1986, passed 11-3-86)
§ 51.04 BUILDING SEWERS.
   (A)   No unauthorized person, other than one authorized by the town, shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof, or make any cut into or excavation of a public street or alley to repair a building sewer or other private sewer line, without first obtaining a written permit from the Clerk-Treasurer.
   (B)   There shall be two classes of building sewer permits:
      (1)   For residential and commercial service, and
      (2)   For service to establishments producing industrial wastes. In either case, the owner or his or her agent shall make application on a special form furnished by the town. The permit application shall be supplemented by any plans, specifications, or other information considered pertinent in the judgement of the Inspector. A permit and inspection fees of $__ for a residential or commercial building sewer permit and $__ for an industrial building sewer permit shall be paid to the Clerk-Treasurer at the time the application is filed.
   (C)   All costs and expense incident to the installation and connection of the building sewer shall be borne by the owner. The owner shall indemnify the town from any loss or damage that may directly or indirectly be occasioned by the installation of the building sewer.
   (D)   A separate and independent building sewer shall be provided for every building; except where one building stands at the rear of another on an interior lot and no private sewer is available or can be constructed to the rear building through an adjoining alley, court yard, or driveway, the building sewer from the front building may be extended to the rear building and the whole considered as one building sewer.
   (E)   Old building sewers may be used in connection with new buildings only when they are found, on examination and test by the Inspector, to meet all requirements of this chapter.
   (F)   The size, slope, alignment, materials of construction of a building sewer, and the methods to be used in excavating, placing of the pipe, jointing, testing, and backfilling the trench, shall all conform to the requirements of the building and plumbing code or other applicable rules and regulations of the town. In the absence of code provisions or in amplification thereof, the materials and procedures set forth in appropriate specifications of the A.S.T.M. and W.P.C.F. Manual of Practice No. FD-5 shall apply.
   (G)   Whenever possible, the building sewer shall be brought to the building at an elevation below the basement floor. In all buildings in which any building drain is too low to permit gravity flow to the public sewer, sanitary sewage carried by such building drain shall be lifted by an approved means and discharged to the building sewer.
   (H)   No person shall make connection of roof downspouts, exterior foundation drains, areaway drains, or other sources of surface run-off or ground water to a building sewer or building drain which in turn is connected directly or indirectly to a public sanitary sewer.
   (I)   The connection of the building sewer into the public sewer shall conform to the requirements of the building and plumbing code or other applicable rules and regulations of the town or the procedures set forth in appropriate specifications of the A.S.T.M. and the W.P.C.F. Manual of Practice No. FD-5. All such connections shall be made gas tight and water tight. Any deviation from the prescribed procedures and materials must be approved by the Superintendent before installations.
   (J)   The applicant for the building sewer permit shall notify the Inspector when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection to the public sewer. The connection shall be made under the supervision of the Inspector or his or her representative.
   (K)   The responsibility for the maintenance and repair of building sewers and other private sewer lines, whether located on private property or in public rights-of-way including streets and alleys, shall be borne by the owner(s) of the building(s) served by the building sewer or private sewer line.
   (L)   All excavations for building sewer or private sewer line installation, repair or maintenance shall be adequately guarded with barricades and lights so as to protect the public from hazard. Streets, sidewalks, parkways, and other public property disturbed in the course of the work shall be restored in a manner satisfactory to the town.
(Ord. 17-1986, passed 11-3-86; Am. Ord. 13-1997, passed 4-21-97)
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