(A) It shall be unlawful to discharge to any natural outlet within the city or any area under the jurisdiction of the city any sewage or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with subsequent provisions of this chapter.
(B) 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 if adequate and feasible city facilities are available.
(C) (1) The owner of any building or property which is located within the city and from which wastewater is discharged shall be required to connect to a public sewer, at his or her expense, within 60 days of the date the public sewer is operational; provided that the public sewer is within 150 feet of the structure generating the wastewater and the public sewer is located in a public right-of-way or easement for sewer purposes adjacent to the property. All future buildings constructed on property adjacent to the public sewer shall be required to immediately connect to the public sewer.
(2) If sewer connections are not being made pursuant to this division (C), an official 60-day notice shall be served instructing the affected property owner to make the connection.
(D) In the event an owner shall fail to connect to a public sewer in compliance with a notice given under division (C) above, the city may undertake to have the connection made and shall assess the cost thereof against the benefitted property. The assessment shall be a lien against the property. The assessment, when levied, shall bear interest at the legal rate for local improvements and shall be certified to the Auditor of the county and shall be collected and remitted to the city in the same manner as assessments for local improvements. The rights of the city shall be in addition to any remedial or enforcement provisions of this chapter.
(E) (1) No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged directly or indirectly any stormwater, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, waste from on-site disposal systems, unpolluted cooling or processing water to any sanitary sewer. No person may discharge sump pump or footing drain water into the public sanitary sewer.
(2) A monthly surcharge will be incurred by all residents who allow sump pumps, roof drains, drain tile or any other type of connection that allows rain, snow melt or any other non-sewage water to enter the sanitary sewer system which shall be $25 for the first month; $50 for the second month; $75 for the third month; and $100 per month thereafter.
(3) All sump pumps must be hard plumbed to the outside and no flexible hose, hose clamps, two-way valves or other similar devices will be allowed.
(4) This division (E) shall not apply to underground drainage systems constructed outside of the foundation or basement of the improvements where the improvements were constructed prior to August 5, 2001, until the time as further improvements are made to the property which include any modification, repair or alteration to the drainage system or any excavation in or around the drainage system.
(F) Stormwater and all other unpolluted water shall be discharged to a storm sewer, except that unpolluted cooling or process water shall only be so discharged to a storm sewer or natural outlet on approval of the city and upon approval and the issuance of a discharge permit by the MPCA.
(G) No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged, directly or indirectly, any of the following described substances to any public sewer:
(1) Any liquids, solids or gases which by reason of their nature or quantity are, or may be, sufficient either along or by interaction with other substances to cause fire or explosion or be injurious in any other way to the wastewater disposal system or to the operation of the system; (Prohibited materials include, but are not limited to gasoline, kerosene, naphtha, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethers, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, bromates, carbides, hydrides and sulfides.)
(2) Any water or wastes containing toxic or poisonous solids, liquids or gases in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, to injure or interfere with any wastewater treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, create a public nuisance or create any hazard in the wastewater treatment works; (A toxic pollutant shall include, but not be limited to any pollutant identified pursuant to Section 307A of the Clean Water Act.)
(3) Any water or waste having a pH lower than 5.5 or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment and personnel of the wastewater treatment works;
(4) Solid or viscous substances, either whole or ground, in quantities or of a size capable of causing obstruction to the flow in the sewers, or other interference with the proper continuation of the wastewater facilities, but not limited to ashes, cinders, disposable diapers, glass grinding or polishing wastes, stone cuttings or polishing wastes, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, unground garbage, whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails, sanitary napkins, paper dishes, cups, milk containers and other paper products; and/or
(5) Noxious or malodorous liquids, gases or substances which either singly or by interaction with other wastes are sufficient to create a public nuisance or hazard to life or are sufficient to prevent entry into the sewers for their maintenance or repairs.
(H) (1) No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged, directly or indirectly, the following described substances to any public sewer unless, in the opinion of the city, the discharge will not harm the wastewater facilities, nor cause obstruction to the flow in sewers, nor otherwise endanger life, limb or public property, nor constitute a nuisance.
(2) In forming its opinion as to the acceptability of the wastes, the city may give consideration to such factors as the quantities of the subject wastes in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, materials or construction of the sewers, nature of the wastewater treatment process, capacity of the wastewater treatment plant, the city's NPDES permit and other pertinent factors.
(3) The city may make such determinations either on a general basis or as to discharges from individual users or specific discharges and may prohibit certain discharges from individual users because of unusual concentrations or combinations which may occur.
(4) The substances prohibited are:
(a) Any liquid or vapor having a temperature in excess of 150°F or 65°C;
(b) Any water or waste containing fats, wax, grease or oils, whether emulsified or not, in excess of 100 milligrams per liter or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between 32°F and 150°F or 0°C and 65°C;
(c) Any garbage that has not been ground or comminuted to a degree that all particles will be carried freely in suspension under the flows normally prevailing in the public sewers, with no particles greater than one-half inch in any dimension;
(d) Any water or wastes containing strong acid, iron pickling wastes or concentrated plating solutions, whether neutralized or not;
(e) Any water or wastes containing phenols or other taste or odor producing substances which constitute a nuisance or hazard to the structures, equipment or personnel of the wastewater works, or which interfere with the treatment required to meet the requirements of the state or federal government, or any other public agency with proper authority to regulate the discharge from the wastewater treatment plant;
(f) Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of a half-life or concentration that they are not in compliance with regulations issued by the appropriate authority having control over their use or may cause damage or hazards to the treatment works or personnel operating it;
(g) Any water or wastes having a pH in excess of 9.5;
(h) Materials which exert or cause:
1. Unusual concentrations of suspended solids, (such as, but not limited to Fuller's earth, lime slurries and lime residues) or of dissolved solids (such as, but not limited to sodium chloride or sodium sulfate);
2. Excessive discoloration (such as, but not limited to dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions);
3. Unusual BOD, chemical oxygen demand or chlorine requirements in such quantities as to-constitute a significant load on the wastewater treatment works; (The BOD discharged to the public sewer shall not exceed 400 mg/l.)
4. Unusual volume of flow or concentration of wastes constituting a slug; and/or
5. Water or water containing substances which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the wastewater treatment processes employed, or are amenable to treatment only to such degree that the wastewater treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirements of the NPDES permit or requirements of other governmental agencies having jurisdiction over discharge from the wastewater treatment plant.
(i) Any waters or wastes containing the following substances to such degree that any such material received in the composite wastewater at the wastewater treatment works in excess of limits established by the Wastewater Superintendent: arsenic, cadmium, copper, cyanide, lead, mercury, nickel, silver, total chromium and zinc.
(I) (1) If any water or wastes are discharged or are proposed to be discharged, directly or indirectly, to the public sewers, which water or wastes do not meet the standards set out in or promulgated under this division (I) or which in the jurisdiction of the city may have a deleterious effect upon the treatment works, processes, equipment or receiving waters, or which otherwise create a hazard to life, or constitute a public nuisance, the city may take all or any of the following steps:
(a) Refuse to accept the discharges;
(b) Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge;
(c) Require pretreatment to an acceptable condition for the discharge to the public sewers pursuant to Section 307(b) of the Act and all addenda thereof; and/or
(d) Require payment to cover the added cost of handling or treating the wastes.
(2) The design and installation of the plant and equipment for pretreatment or equalization of flows shall be subject to the review and approval of the city and subject to the requirements of 40 CRF 403, entitled “Pretreatment Standards,” and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
(J) (1) Grease, oil and mud interceptors shall be provided when they are necessary for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing floatable grease in excessive amounts, as specified in division (H) above or any flammable wastes, sand or other harmful ingredients, except that the interceptors shall not be required for private living quarters or dwelling units.
(2) All interceptors shall be a type and capacity approved by the city and shall be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection.
(K) Where preliminary treatment flow equalization or interceptors are required for any water or waste, they shall be effectively operated and maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective condition by the owner at his or her expense and shall be available for inspection by the city at all reasonable times.
(L) (1) When required by the city, the owner of any property serviced by a building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable control structure together with necessary meters and other appurtenances in the building sewer to facilitate observation, sampling and measurement of the wastes.
(2) The structure and equipment, when required, shall be constructed at the owner's expense in accordance with plans approved by the city and shall be maintained by the owner so as to be safe and accessible at all times.
(M) (1) All measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of water and waste to which reference is made in this chapter shall be determined in accordance with 40 CRF 136, “Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants,” the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater and shall be determined at the control structure provided or upon suitable samples taken at said control structure.
(2) In the event that no special structure has been required, the control structure shall be considered to be the nearest downstream manhole in the public sewer from the point at which the building sewer is connected.
(3) Sampling shall be carried out by customarily accepted methods to reflect the effluent constituents and their effect upon the treatment works and to determine the existence of hazards of life, health and property.
(4) Sampling methods, locations, times and durations and frequencies are to be determined on an individual basis subject to approval by the city.
(N) (1) The owner of any property serviced by a building sewer carrying industrial wastes may, at the discretion of the city, be required to provide laboratory measurements, tests and analyses of waters or wastes to illustration compliance with this chapter and any special condition for discharge established by the city of regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over the discharge. The number, type and frequency of sampling and laboratory analyses to be performed by the owner shall be as stipulated by the city. The industry must supply a complete analysis of the constituents of the wastewater discharge to assure that compliance with the federal, state and local standards are being met. The owner shall report the results of measurements and laboratory analyses to the city at the times and in a manner as prescribed by the city.
(2) The owner shall bear the expense of all measurements, analyses and reporting required by the city. At such times as deemed necessary, the city reserves the right to take measurements and samples for analysis by an outside laboratory.
(O) New connections to the sanitary sewer system shall be prohibited unless sufficient capacity is available in all downstream facilities, including, but not limited to capacity for flow, BOD and suspended solids.
(P) No user shall increase the use of process water or, in any manner, attempt to dilute a discharge as a partial or complete substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with the limitations contained in divisions (C) and (D) above or contained in the national categorical pretreatment standards or any state requirements.
(Q) No statement contained in this section shall be constructed as preventing any special agreement or arrangements between the city and any industrial concern whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character may be accepted by the city for treatment, subject to payment therefore by the industrial concern, in accordance with applicable ordinance and any supplemental agreements with the city.
(Ord. 188, passed 7-17-01) Penalty, see § 52.99