The following rules shall regulate the discharge and conveyance of wastewater:
RULE 1: All applications for service connection to the city's wastewater system must be made at the office of the building and safety division of the community development department on the form for that purpose. Every such application must be made by the owner of the property to be served or the owner's authorized agent and must include the nature of wastewater discharged into the system. The applicant must agree to conform to these rules as a condition of use of the city's wastewater system.
RULE 2: No person serviced by the city's wastewater system is entitled to use it for any other purpose than those stated in the application, or to service in any way other persons or families.
RULE 3: The service lines must be so arranged that the discharge from each separately owned house or premises is a separate service line and the owner of each house or premises is liable for the charges for the wastewater service provided by the city to that owner's house or premises. One service line may service multiple units that are separately owned provided the common service line is owned, operated and under the control of a single person or entity who is responsible for the maintenance of the service line, including the connection with the main.
RULE 4: Where wastewater is now discharged through one service line from houses or premises under separate ownerships, the director of public works may either decline to furnish wastewater service water until separate services are provided or may continue the service on the condition that one person or entity is responsible for the shared service line.
RULE 5: The wastewater service may be interrupted without notice for maintenance, repairs, extensions or other necessary purposes. The city is not responsible for damages resulting from the temporary interruption of wastewater service.
RULE 6: Wastewater service may not be furnished where there are uncontrolled sources of clear water inputs including defective or leaking faucets, water closets or other fixtures.
RULE 7: The city is not responsible for service pipes, internal plumbing and fixtures; all owners at their own expense must keep service pipes to city mains and all their apparatus in good working order and properly protected from plugging, freezing or other dangers. No claims may be made against the city on account of the plugging, freezing or breaking of any service pipes or apparatus. No reduction from the regular rates shall be made for any time that service pipes or fixtures may be frozen.
RULE 8: No plumber or other person other than authorized personnel from the public works department is allowed to make connections to the city wastewater system or make connections in any conduit, pipe or fixture connecting therewith, or to connect pipes when they have been disconnected, or to reinstate wastewater service off or on any premises without permission of the building and safety division.
RULE 9: None but competent and licensed plumbers are allowed to do any work in connection with the city's wastewater system and all plumbers shall make in writing an accurate return of the work done within twenty four (24) hours after completion, and before wastewater service will be provided the plumber shall describe the position of the service lines and other fixtures, outside of buildings, by reference to street and lot corners in a form required by the building and safety division.
RULE 10: Plumbers failing to perform their work according to the established rules and regulations, or executing it unskillfully to the detriment of the city wastewater system, may be barred from making connection to the city wastewater system, by order of the public works director.
RULE 11: Authorized employees of the city shall have free access at proper hours of the day to all parts of buildings in which wastewater service is provided by the city for the purpose of inspecting the condition of the pipes and fixtures and the manner in which wastewater is generated.
RULE 12: The wastewater rates are charged against the property to which service is provided and against the owner thereof, and if for any cause any sums owing therefor become delinquent, the water service or wastewater service or both may be terminated from the property and in no case reinstated until all such delinquencies and current charges have been paid in full. No change of ownership shall affect the application of this rule.
RULE 13: All accounts for wastewater service are kept in the name of the owner of the property and not in the name of any tenant, and the owner only, or his legally authorized agent, is responsible for the payment of wastewater service rates.
RULE 14: On failure to comply with the rules and regulations established as a condition to the use of the city's wastewater system, or to pay the wastewater rates, or any charge or penalty imposed, in the time and manner herein provided, the water or wastewater service or both may be terminated until payment is made of the amounts due including current charges, together with an amount to be set by resolution to cover the expense of interrupting and reinstating each of the water or wastewater service.
RULE 15: The following acts are prohibited:
A. To use the city wastewater system or permit it to be used for any other purpose than that for which the party pays wastewater rates.
B. To permit water pipes or fixtures to remain in a leaky condition.
C. To allow water fixtures to be run when not in use for the purpose intended without written permission of the director of public works.
D. To plug, damage, destroy or interfere with, or to attach to, or connect with any part of the city's wastewater system without the permission of the city.
E. To disturb or damage any pipe, machinery, tools or other property of the public works department.
F. To throw any deleterious or dangerous matter or substances into the city's wastewater system.
G. To deface or injure any buildings or other improvements of the city used by the public works department for providing, maintaining and delivering water or wastewater services.
H. To place any foreign objects or materials upon the grounds of the city's wastewater treatment plant or such portion of the grounds and streets as may be under its control.
I. To disturb or injure any structures, lawn, grass plot, flowers, vines, bushes or trees belonging to the city at the wastewater treatment plant and lift station sites.
RULE 16: All wastewater service must be provided from public mains. Each service shall be placed to the extent practical, perpendicular to the public main, right of way or easement. All wastewater service lines must be placed at a minimum depth of four feet (4') from the surface of the ground unless the public works director grants an exception.
RULE 17: Public mains must be located in public rights of way or easements given to the city.
RULE 18: It is the responsibility of the owner of the wastewater service to disconnect said service upon abandonment or nonuse at the point of connection with the city's main by a method acceptable to the director of public works. Should the owner fail to satisfactorily disconnect such service, the public works department may make such disconnection and charge the owner the actual cost thereof.
A street opening permit is required for permanently disconnecting wastewater service lines at the wastewater main in the street right of way. A building and safety division inspector shall inspect any wastewater service being abandoned. The service line shall be disconnected, truncated and sealed within four feet (4') of the wastewater main.
RULE 19: No adjustment shall be made on estimated water and wastewater bills on the estimated cycle. Rather, any such adjustment must be made only on the regular reading cycle after the meter is read by city approved city meter readers.
RULE 20: Any unpaid wastewater bill that is more than thirty (30) days past due must have interest assessed against it at the rate of 1.5% per month. (Ord. 2925, 12-3-2001)