(a) City installed tap. The city may install sewer taps eight-inches, or smaller, with a depth not exceeding eight feet of cover. The property owner and or customer shall pay a charge as detailed below for any sanitary sewer tap installed by the city prior to the tap being made.
Sewer Tap Fees | ||||||
Pavement | 4" | 6"* | 8"* | |||
Short | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | |
Unpaved | $2,600 | $3,200 | $3,100 | $3,750 | $3,600 | $4,250 |
Asphalt** | $4,200 | $5,300 | $7,000 | $8,000 | $8,600 | $9,600 |
Concrete | $3,500 | $7,900 | $7,500 | $10,200 | $8,600 | $11,500 |
*See also Section (b) for additional costs associated with manholes.
** See also section (c) below for addition asphalt pavement repair fees.
(b) Manhole requirement. All sewer taps greater than four-inch require connection to an existing or installed manhole and shall be contracted and paid for by the customer. If a connection to an existing manhole cannot be made, an additional charge of $4,200 shall be payable by the property owner for the new manhole installation.
(c) City installed tap within asphalt pavement. Any tap connection performed within an asphalt street constructed more than two years prior to the proposed tap connection will be assessed an additional charge associated with the age and pavement condition index (PCI) as adopted by the city council in accordance with the city's Utility Construction Policy.
(d) Taps within new pavement. Proposed tap connections within concrete or asphalt pavement less than two years of age will not be performed by the city and will be required to be made under a CFA between the customer and the city.
(e) Other taps. Any sanitary sewer tap involving unusual conditions, connections to the city's deep sewer system, connections to mains exceeding eight feet of depth, or taps larger than eight inches shall be made through the Community Facilities Agreement process between the customer and city or through the city's Miscellaneous Contracts.
(1) Community Facilities Agreement. The customer shall comply with the requirements of the CFA process and pavement repair in accordance with the city's Utility Construction Policy.
(2) Miscellaneous contract. At the discretion of the city, tap installations may be eligible to be performed through the city's Miscellaneous Contracts. Any installations requiring excavation in a newly paved street (within two years of age) are not eligible for the Miscellaneous Contract process. Construction within the city's Downtown Central Business District are not eligible for the Miscellaneous Contract process unless granted prior approval from the Water Department Director. The Miscellaneous Contract may be used for any size of sewer tap where the depth of cover does not exceed 12 feet.
(f) New developments. Developers shall pay the full cost of all sewer service taps constructed by contract in new developments through a CFA.
(g) Pavement removal. In the case that installation of a sewer tap connection requires the removal of pavement, the city and/or pre-qualified contractor will abide to the city's Utility Construction Policy for all pavement cuts or excavations within the City of Fort Worth rights of way (ROW) and easements. All construction must be in accordance with city standard construction specifications. All pre-planned utility construction within city right-of-way, including drainage or other applicable easements, requires a Street Use Permit for Utility Construction ("Permit") prior to construction.
(h) Other fees. The tap charges shall be in addition to the applicable fees provided for in the city plumbing code and in any other city codes, including, but not limited to, impact fees.
(i) Grade verification. Prior to any construction of a building sewer lateral, the property owner shall verify in writing that the sewer lateral is capable of being installed to such a grade that will permit a sanitary sewer tap to be made by the city and that will meet all applicable city codes. Verification will be made by a drawing depicting the grade of the sanitary sewer lateral and the elevation of the sanitary sewer tap. In the absence of such verification, that portion of any building sewer to be constructed by the plumber or the person securing the permit shall not be constructed prior to the completion of the sanitary sewer tap by the water department forces.
(j) Violations. Any service connection made in violation of the City Code shall be removed at the property owner's expense.
(k) Ownership and maintenance.
(1) The sanitary sewer tap shall be constructed at the expense of the owner/customer. The city shall then own and maintain the sewer tap upon completion and acceptance.
(2) The city shall maintain wastewater service connections from the main to the property line.
(l) Tap removal. When a property owner requests permanent removal or abandonment of a sanitary sewer service line, then the tap removal shall be made through the Community Facilities Agreement process between the customer and city or through the city's Miscellaneous Contracts. The city shall not perform any sewer tap removal.
(1) Community Facilities Agreement. The customer shall comply with the requirements of the CFA process and pavement repair in accordance with the city's Utility Construction Policy.
(2) Miscellaneous Contract. At the discretion of the city, tap removal may be eligible to be performed through the city's Miscellaneous Contracts. Any installations requiring excavation in a newly paved street (within two years of age) are not eligible for the Miscellaneous Contract process. Construction within the city's Downtown Central Business District are not eligible for the Miscellaneous Contract process unless granted prior approval from the Water Department Director. The Miscellaneous Contract may be used for any sewer tap removal where the depth of cover does not exceed 12 feet.
(Ord. 12076, § 2, passed 8-15-1995; Ord. 17619, § 1, passed 6-19-2007, eff. 10-1-2007; Ord. 24061-02-2020, § 3, passed 2-18-2020, eff. 4-1-2020; Ord. 26452-09-2023, § 1, passed 9-19-2023, eff. 10-1-2023)