Except as otherwise expressly authorized in this section, no water from any roof surface, sump pump, footing tile, swimming pool, any other natural precipitation, cooling water or industrial process water shall be discharged into the sanitary sewer system. Dwellings and other buildings and structures which require sump pumps or footing tiles shall have a permanently installed discharge line which shall not at any time discharge water into the sanitary sewer system, except as provided herein. A permanent installation shall be one which provides for year round discharge capability to either the outside of the dwelling, building, or structure or is connected to a city storm sewer. It shall consist of a rigid discharge line, without valving or quick connections for altering the path of discharge or a system otherwise approved by the City Administrator.
(A) Before March 15, 2004, any person, firm or corporation having a roof surface, groundwater sump pump, footing tile, swimming pool, cooling water or unpolluted industrial process water now connected and/or discharging into the sanitary sewer system shall disconnect or remove same. Any disconnects or openings in the sanitary sewer system shall be closed or repaired in an effective, workmanlike manner.
(B) Every person owning improved real estate that discharges into the city’s sanitary sewer system shall allow the city or a designated representative of the city to inspect the buildings to confirm that there is no sump pump or other prohibited discharge into the sanitary sewer system. In lieu of having the city inspect the property, any person may furnish a city inspection report from a city approved licensed plumber certifying that the property is in compliance with this section.
(C) Any property with a sump pump found not in compliance with this section but subsequently verified as compliant shall be subject to an annual reinspection to confirm continued compliance. Any property found not to be in compliance upon reinspection, or any persons refusing to allow their property to be reinspected, within 30 days after receipt of mailed written notice from the city of the reinspection, shall be subject to the nonrefundable charge set forth in division (E) below.
(D) All new dwellings with sumps for which a building permit is issued after January 1, 2004 shall have a pump and shall be piped to the outside of the dwelling before a certificate of occupancy is issued.
(E) A nonrefundable fee of $100 per month is imposed on every sewer bill mailed on and after April 1, 2004 to property owners who are not in compliance with this section or who have refused to allow their property to be inspected to determine if there is compliance. All properties found during any reinspection to have violated this section will be subject to a $100 per month nonrefundable charge for all months between the 2 most recent inspections in addition to all other regular charges for sanitary sewer service.
(F) (1) The City Administrator is authorized to issue a permit to allow a property owner to discharge water into the sanitary sewer system. Prior to issuance of the permit, the City Administrator may consult with the City Engineer or Public Works Director to verify one of the criteria to issue the permit has been satisfied. The permit shall authorize the discharge only from November 15 to March 15, shall require the owner to permit an inspection of the property on March 16 or as soon thereafter as possible to determine that discharge into the sanitary sewer has been discontinued and shall subject the owner to the $100 monthly nonrefundable charge in the event the owner refuses an inspection or has failed to discontinue the discharge into the sanitary sewer. The nonrefundable charge will commence with the April water billing and continue until the property owner establishes compliance with this section. A property owner is required to meet at least one of the following criteria in order to obtain the permit:
(a) The freezing of the surface water discharge from the sump pump or footing drain is causing a dangerous condition, such as ice buildup or flooding, on either public or private property;
(b) The property owner has demonstrated that there is a danger that the sump pump or footing drain pipes will freeze up and result in either failure or damage to the sump pump unit or the footing drain and cause basement flooding;
(c) The water being discharged from the sump pump or footing drain cannot be readily discharged into a storm drain or other acceptable drainage system.
(2) Following 10 days written notice and an opportunity to be heard, the City Administrator may require the owners of property to discharge their sump pump into the sanitary sewer from November 15 to March 15 if surface water discharge is causing an icy condition on streets.
(G) Except as hereinafter provided, no person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to any public sewer:
(1) Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 150 degrees Fahrenheit;
(2) Any water or waste which may contain more than 100 parts per million by weight of fat, oil, or grease;
(3) Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas.
(Prior Code, § 18.01, Subd. 6) (Am. Ord. 531, passed 2-9- 2004) Penalty, see § 10.99