(A) Sanitary sewers.
(1) No person(s) shall discharge or cause to be discharged any unpolluted waters such as storm water, roof runoff, sump pump discharge, foundation drain, cistern overflow, area drain or cooling water to any sanitary sewer.
(2) Sump pump systems shall have permanently installed discharge lines which shall not at any time discharge water into the sanitary sewer system. A sump pump must not discharge directly or indirectly onto a neighboring property or cause flow of discharged waters onto a neighboring property. For purposes of this section, the term “sump pump” includes not only sump pump systems, but any footing or foundation drainage, tiling or floor drainage, or any other similar method of draining or discharging water from the interior or surrounding area of a structure.
(3) A permanent installation shall be one which provides for year-round discharge capability to either the outside of the dwelling, building or structure, upon the surface ground of the property owner, or is connected to the city storm sewer or discharges through the curb and gutter to the street. If a sump pump hookup is available the sump pump cannot be discharged to the street.
(4) It shall consist of a rigid line without valving or quick connections for altering the path of discharge, and if connected to the city storm sewer line, include a check valve.
(B) Storm sewers.
(1) Storm water and all other unpolluted water shall be discharged to the sewers as are specifically designated as combined sewers or storm sewers, or to a natural outlet approved by the approving authority and other regulatory agencies.
(2) Unpolluted industrial cooling water or process waters may be discharged, on approval of the approving authority and other regulatory agencies, to a storm sewer, combined sewer or natural outlet.
(C) Prohibitions and limitations. 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 liquids, solids or gases which may by reason of their nature or quantity are, or may be, sufficient either alone or by interaction with other substances to cause fire or explosion or be injurious in any other way to the wastewater disposal system or to the operation of the system. Prohibited materials include, but are not limited to, gasoline, kerosene, naphtha, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethers, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, bromates, carbides, hydrides and sulfides;
(2) Any waters or wastes containing toxic or poisonous solids, liquids or gasses in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, that could injure or interfere with any waste treatment or sludge disposal process constitute a hazard to humans or animals, or create a public nuisance in the receiving waters of the wastewater treatment facility. A toxic pollutant shall include, but not be limited to, any pollutant identified pursuant to § 307(a) of the Clean Water Act, being 33 U.S.C. § 1317(a);
(3) Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.0, or in excess of 9.0, or having any corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment and personnel of the wastewater collection and treatment facilities;
(4) Solid or viscous substances in quantities or of a size capable of causing obstruction to the flow in public sewers or other interference with the proper operation of the wastewater collection and treatment facilities, such as, but not limited to, ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood underground garbage, whole blood, paunch, manure, hair and fleshings, entrails and paper dishes, cups, milk containers and the like, either whole or ground by garbage grinders; or
(5) The following described substances, materials, waters or waste shall be limited in discharges to sanitary sewer systems to concentrations or quantities which will not harm either the sanitary sewers, wastewater treatment process or equipment; will not have an adverse effect on the receiving stream and/or soil, vegetation and groundwater; or will not otherwise endanger lives, limbs, public property or constitute a nuisance. The approving authority may set limitations more stringent than those established below if more stringent limitations are necessary to meet the above objectives. The approving authority will give consideration to the quantity of subject waste in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, materials of construction of the sanitary sewers and wastewater treatment facility and other pertinent factors. Wastes or wastewaters discharged to the sanitary sewers shall not exceed the following limitations:
(a) Wastewater having a temperature higher than 150° F (65°C);
(b) Wastewater containing more than 100 mg/l of petroleum oil, non-biodegradable cutting oils or products or mineral oil origin;
(c) Wastewater from industrial plants containing floatable oils, fat or grease;
(d) Any underground garbage. Garbage grinders may be connected to sanitary sewers from homes, hotels, institutions, restaurants, hospitals, catering establishments or similar places where garbage originates from the preparation of food in kitchens for the purpose of consumption on the premises or when served by caterers;
(e) Any waters or wastes containing iron, chromium, copper, zinc and other toxic and non-conventional pollutants to a degree so that the concentration exceeds levels specified by federal, state and local authorities;
(f) Any waters or wastes containing odor-producing substances exceeding limits which may be established by the approving authority or limits established by any federal or state statute, rule or regulation;
(g) Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of a half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the approving authority in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations;
(h) Any waters or wastes containing substances which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the wastewater treatment processes employed, or are amenable to treatment only to a degree that the wastewater treatment facility effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters;
(i) Any water or wastes which, by interaction with other water or wastes in the sanitary sewer system, release obnoxious gasses, form suspended solids which interfere with the collection system, or create a condition deleterious to structures and treatment processes;
(j) Materials which exert or cause:
1. Unusual BOD, chemical oxygen demand, or chlorine requirements in quantities so as to constitute a significant load on the wastewater treatment facility;
2. Unusual volume of flow or concentration of wastes constituting slugs as defined herein;
3. Unusual concentrations of inert suspended solids (such as, but not limited to, fuller's earth, lime slurries and lime residues) or of dissolved solids (such as, but not limited to, sodium sulfate); or
4. Excessive discoloration (such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions).
(k) Incompatible pollutants in excess of the allowed limits as determined by city, state and federal laws and regulations in reference to pretreatment standard developed by the Environmental Protection Agency, and as contained in 40 C.F.R. pt. 403, as amended from time to time.
(D) NPDES permit. No person shall cause or permit a discharge into the sanitary sewers that would cause a violation of the city's NPDES permit and any modifications thereof.
(E) Special arrangements. No statement contained in this subchapter shall be construed as prohibiting any special agreement between the approving authority and any person whereby a waste of unusual strength or character may be admitted to the wastewater collection and treatment facilities, either before or after pre-treatment, provide that there is no impairment of the functioning of the wastewater collection and treatment facilities by reason of the admission of wastes, and no extra costs are incurred by the city without recompense by the person; and further provided that all rates and provisions set forth in this subchapter are recognized and adhered to and provided that national categorical pretreatment standards and the city’s NPDES permit limitations are not violated.
(F) New connections. New connections to the city's sanitary sewer system will be allowed only if there is available capacity in all of the downstream wastewater collection and treatment facilities.
(G) Exception: Private garages; occupancies serving 1- and 2-family dwellings.
(1986 Code, § 403.02) (Am. Ord. 27, passed 5-6-1996; Am. Ord. 48, passed 10-1-2001; Am. Ord. 2011-21, passed 7-5-2011) Penalty, see § 10.99