(A) No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter, or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof without obtaining a written permit from the Board.
(B) No person shall make any connection with the public sewers or drains, or with any extension or connection previously made, without obtaining a written permit from the Board. The application for such permit must be made, in writing, not later than the day previous to the opening of the street by the owner or authorized agent of the property to be drained, and must be accompanied by a clear description of the premises, the name of the owner, the number of fixtures to be connected therewith, and the name of the person employed to do the work. Any permit so issued by the Board shall be subject to recession and/or termination by the Manager, and/or the City Engineer should the user fail to comply with all of the terms, conditions, and provisions of this chapter.
(C) All costs and expenses incident to the installation and connection of the building sewer shall be borne by the owner. The owner or the person installing the building sewer for said owner shall indemnify the city from any loss or damage that may be directly or indirectly occasioned by said installation.
(D) A separate and independent building sewer shall be provided for every building. However, where two buildings are in close proximity and no private sewer is available or can be constructed to the second building through an adjoining alley, court, yard, or driveway, the building sewer from the front building may be extended to the second 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 City Engineer to meet all the requirements of this chapter.
(F) The building sewer shall be cast iron soil pipe, ASTM specification or equal vitrified clay sewer pipe, ASTM specification or equal, or other suitable material as governed by the state’s Uniform Plumbing Code in effect as of the date of adoption of this chapter, and any provisions thereof which may be amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto from time to time hereafter, and as shall be approved by the City Engineer. Joints shall be tight and waterproof. Any part of the building sewer that is located within ten feet of a water service pipe shall be constructed of cast iron soil pipe with leaded joints. Cast iron pipes with leaded joints may be required by the City Engineer where the building sewer is exposed to damage by tree roots. If installed in filled or unstable ground, the building sewer shall be cast iron soil pipe, except that non-metallic material may be accepted if laid on a suitable concrete bed or cradle as approved by the City Engineer.
(G) The size and slope of the building sewers shall be subject to the approval of the City Engineer, but, in no event, shall the diameter be less than six inches for single-family or duplex residential units, and not less than six inches for all other uses. The slope of such six-inch pipe shall be not less than one-fourth inch per foot or sufficient slope to maintain a two feet per second velocity in the sewer.
(H) Whenever possible the building sewers shall be brought to the building at an elevation below the basement floor. No building sewer shall be laid parallel to or within three feet of any bearing wall which might thereby be weakened. The depth shall be sufficient to afford protection from frost. The building sewer shall be laid at a uniform grade and in straight alignment insofar as possible. Changes in direction shall be made only with properly curved pipes and fittings.
(I) In all buildings in which any building drain is too low to permit gravity flow to the public sewer, sanitary sewage carried by such drains shall be lifted by approved artificial means and discharged to the building sewer.
(J) All excavations required for the installation of a building sewer shall be open trench work unless otherwise approved by the City Engineer. Pipe laying and backfill shall be performed in accordance with ASTM specifications, except that no backfill shall be placed until the work has been inspected by the City Engineer or his or her representative.
(K) All joints and connections shall be made gastight and watertight, and as governed by the state’s Uniform Plumbing Code in effect as of the date of adoption of this chapter, and any provisions thereof which may be amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto from time to time hereafter.
(1) Cast iron joints shall be firmly packed with oakum or hemp and filled with appropriate sealing material other than molten lead and be caulked tightly. No paint, varnish, or other coatings shall be permitted on the jointing material until after the joint has been tested and approved. Approved joints of prefabricated elastomeric seal rings or sleeves may also be used.
(2) All joints in vitrified clay pipe shall be made with ASTM C425 type joints. Joints between clay pipe and pipe of other materials shall be made with approved adapter fittings or prefabricated elastomeric sealing rings or sleeves.
(3) Other jointing materials and methods may be used only on approval of the City Engineer.
(4) The connection of the building sewer into the public sewer shall be made at the “Y” branch, if such branch is available at a suitable location. If the public sewer does not have a properly located “Y” branch, the owner shall, at his or her expense, install an approved tapping saddle in the public sewer at the location specified by the City Engineer. The tapping saddle shall be installed in a neatly tapped hole cut into the public sewer; said connection between the tapping saddle and public sewer shall be secured by the use of epoxy compound. The centerline of the building sewer at the tapping saddle shall be at or above the centerline of the public sewer. A smooth neat joint shall be made, and the connection made secure and watertight. Special fittings may be used for the connection only when approved by the City Engineer.
(L) The applicant for the building sewer permit shall notify the City Engineer 24 hours in advance of when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection to the public sewer. The connection shall be made under the supervision of the City Engineer or his or her representative.
(M) All excavations for building sewer installation 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 city.
(N) Any connection made contrary to the provisions of this chapter shall be removed when required by the Board.
(O) No proposed connection or inlet shall be permitted if, in the opinion of the Board and the City Engineer, such inlet and connection would overburden such sewer.
(Prior Code, § 33.04) (Ord. 1961-10, passed 3-22-1961; Ord. 1965-3, passed 1-20-1965; Ord. 1977-22, passed 11-10-1977; Ord. 1996-19, passed 9-26-1996; Ord. 2019-25, passed on 5-13-2020) Penalty, see § 51.999