(A) Sanitary sewer. Each premises requiring sanitary sewer service shall have a separate and independent connection to a public sanitary sewer where a public sanitary sewer is accessible. If a sanitary sewer is not accessible to a property, then a private sanitary sewer and sewage treatment system may be constructed and maintained within the property limits at the expense of the owner subject to first obtaining all required approvals from the Lake County Health Officer. Plans and specifications for private sanitary sewers and sewage treatment systems shall, in addition to being submitted to Lake County, be submitted to and are subject to approval by the City Council or its duly authorized designee before construction is started. For purposes of this section, a public sewer shall be deemed “accessible” if available in the public street or alley abutting a property requiring sewer service, or the public sewer is located within 250 feet from any of the property lines of a single family dwelling and 1,000 feet from the nearest property boundary of a non-residential, multi-family or subdivision property boundary. The owner of any property currently dependent upon the use of private sewers and freatment systems shall, within six months after the completion of a public sanitary sewer in a public street, way or easement upon which such property abuts or after the sanitary sewer becomes accessible as defined above, shall connect the sanitary sewer from such property into the public sanitary sewer without expense to the city and in the manner provided by ordinance and thereupon discontinue the use of any private sewage treatment system unless the City Council, in its sole discretion, finds that the conditions of § 150.384(B) are satisfied.
(B) Existing private sewage system - interim continued use permitted. Notwithstanding any state; county or local regulatioris to the contrary, in areas where new sanitary sewers are installed and in areas where sanitary sewers are currently in place and existing structures are served by privgte sewage treatment systems, the city will not require existing buildings to connect immediately to a public sewer if, upon request of the property owner, the City Council finds that (i) at least one of the following conditions (1) through (5) are met, and (ii) conditions (6) through (8) are all met and will continue to be satisfied.
(1) The property is within a special service area established by the city and the assessment period has not yet terminated;
(2) The residence to be served would require a sanitary sewer service of more than 500 lineal feet;
(3) Due to the surrounding pattem of development and the location of the existing public sanitary sewer, the property cannot be served without practical or financial hardship;
(4) A unique lot configuration or the topography of the site makes the extension of public sanitary sewer service particularly difficult or complex;
(5) The property is in an area likely to experience future subdivision and development resulting in a more feasible means of extending the public sanitary sewer service into the area by whieh the property will be served.
(6) Evidence is submitted to the Director of Community Development that a covenant, approved by the City Attorney, is recorded with the County Recorder of Deeds documenting that public sanitary sewer is accessible to the property and that continued use of a private sewage system is authorized only on an interim basis.
(7) The property is in full compliance with the certification requirements set forth in § 150.384 (D).
(8) No unauthorized effluent is being discharged to storm sewers, streams or other overland water courses and no cross connection exists between the private sanitary sewer system and any storm sewer; except that cross connections permitted and approved by Lake County and in full compliance with the city’s certification requirement as set forth in § 150.384(D) may be maintained (such cross connections hereinafter being referred to in this section as an “authorized connection”).
(C) Sanitary sewer connection required. If, in the determination of the city, the public sanitary sewer system is accessible as defined in § 1150.384
(A), connection to the public sewer system is required:
(1) For any subdivision of property;
(2) If all required certifications of maintenance and proper operation of the private sewage system are not submitted in accordance with city requirements or if any such certification shows deficiencies in maintenance or operation of the system;
(3) If replacement or significant repair of the system is required by Lake County or deemed necessary by an authorized inspector;
(4) As a condition of the issuance of a permit authorizing the demolition of 50% or more of the existing dwelling;
(5) As a condition of the issuance of a permit authorizing an expansion of the square footage of the dwelling by 50% or more;
(6) As a condition of the issuance of a permit for improvements on the property that, in the determination of Lake County, trigger expansion or enhancement of the private sewage system in any form;
(7) If a cross connection (other than an authorized connection) exists and, after notification by the city, the property owner fails to take corrective action to eliminate said cross connection within 60 days of the date of the notice; or
(8) At any time that it is determined by the city or Lake County that the private sewage system can no longer function in a satisfactory manner.
(D) Certification of maintenance and proper operation required. The owner of any property within the city limits served by a private sewage treatment system is required to submit certification to the Director of Community Development on an annual basis (or, for a private sewage treatment system with an authorized connection, on a semi-annual basis) in accordance with the following:
(l) Certification must be submitted by a state licensed private sewage disposal system installation contractor, environmental health practitioner, Illinois Department of Public Health agent, local health department agent or a licensed professional engineer.
(2) Certification must include dates of inspection of the on site system and verification that said system is operating in full compliance with applicable state, county and local regulations; that no cross connections to a storm sewer exist (excluding authorized connections) and that the system does not present a health or environmental hazard.
(3) Certifications must be submitted in accordance with deadlines established by the Director of Community Development.
(4) In addition to the required Certifications, as a condition of issuance of any transfer stamp pursuant to §§ 39.155 et seq. of the city code, a certification meeting the requirements of this § 150.384(D) must be filed with the Director of Community Development that is dated not more than 120 days prior to the issuance of such transfer stamp.
(E) Non-single family residential buildings. No apartment house, lodging house, hotel, restaurant, hospital, school, clubhouse, convent or similar building or use shall hereafter be erected or established in the city unless its plumbing system is connected to a public sanitary sewer before receiving a final certificate of occupancy.
(F) Rain or surface water, including that from roofs, areaways, pavements and footing drains, shall not be discharged into or through a private sewage treatment system or a public sanitary sewer. Surface water may be discharged into an acceptable storm sewer.
(G) Rain or surface water may not be discharged into leaching fields.
(H) Private sewage treatment systems. The following shall apply as minimum technical standards. All private sewage treatment systems must also be in full conformance with all applicable county and State regulations and requirements.
(1) Any effluent discharged into streams, storm sewers or other flowing watercourses shall conform to the regulations set forth in the Water Pollution Regulations of Illinois published by the State Environmental Protection Agency. Cross connection to the storm sewer shall be remedied in accordance with applicable Code and legal requirements.
(2) Private sewage treatment tanks shall be constructed in full compliance with Lake County regulations.
(3) Private sewage treatment systems shall not be constructed or installed on any lot or tract where the only means of disposal of treated effluent is by seepage or leaching into the soil, unless percolation tests have been made at the site under the supervision of the County Health Department, and the results of the tests have been approved by the Health Department. The methods of conducting the tests shall be as required by the County Health Department.
(4) A permit from the County Health Department for the construction of a sewage disposal field shall be submitted to the Director of Community Development prior to the issuance of a building permit by the city authorizing any construction requiring a private sewage system.
(Prior Code, § 9-187) (Ord. 898, passed 11-5-1973; Ord. 936, passed 1-6-1975; Ord. 974, passed 1-17-1976; Ord. 94-11B, passed 4-21-1994; Ord. 2017-15, passed 4-3-2017)