(a) Connection Permit.
(1) No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connections or opening into, use, alter or disturb any wastewater sewer or a storm sewer without first obtaining a written permit from the Manager.
(2) There shall be three classes of permits for connections to the City's wastewater facilities: Class I - residential, Class II - commercial and Class III - industrial. In all cases, the owner shall make application for a permit to connect to the City's wastewater facilities on a special form furnished by the City. The permit application shall be supplemented
by wastewater information required to administer this chapter. This requires industries to submit information on wastewater characteristics and obtain prior approval for discharges. A permit and inspection fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) for a Class I, fifty dollars ($50.00) for a Class II, or fifty dollars ($50.00) for a Class III connection permit shall be paid to the City at the time the application is filed.
(3) Connections to a storm sewer shall be subject to a permit and inspection fee of fifty dollars ($50.00). Such connections shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter and the approval of the Manager.
(b) Connection Costs. The costs and expenses incidental to the building sewer installation and connection to the City's wastewater facilities shall be borne by the owner. The owner shall indemnify the City from any loss or damage that may directly or indirectly be occasioned by the installation of the building sewer.
(c) Separate Connections Required. A separate and independent building sewer shall be provided for every building, except where one building stands at the rear of another on an interior lot and no private sewer is available or can be constructed to the rear building through an adjoining alley, court yard or driveway, the building sewer serving the front building may be extended to the rear building and the whole considered as one building sewer. The City assumes no obligation or responsibility for damage caused by or resulting from any single building sewer which serves two buildings.
(d) Existing Building Sewers. Existing building sewers may be used for connection of new buildings only when they are found, on examination and test by the Manager to meet the requirements of this chapter.
(e) Building Sewer Design. The size, slope, alignment, construction materials, trench excavation and backfill methods, pipe placement, jointing and testing methods used in the construction and installation of a building sewer shall conform to the building and plumbing code or other applicable requirements of the City. In the absence of code provisions or in amplification thereof, the materials and procedures set forth in appropriate specifications of the ASTM and WPCF shall apply.
(f) Building Sewer Elevation. Whenever practicable, the building sewer shall be brought to a building at an elevation below the basement floor. In buildings in which any building drain is too low to permit gravity flow to the City's wastewater sewer, wastewater carried by such building drain shall be lifted by an approved means and discharged to a building sewer draining the City sewer.
(g) Surface Runoff and Groundwater Drains.
(1) No person shall connect roof, foundation, areaway, parking lot, roadway or other surface runoff or groundwater drains to any sewer which is connected to a wastewater treatment facility unless such connection is authorized in writing by the Manager.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (g)(1) hereof, roof, foundation, areaway, parking lot, roadway or other surface runoff or groundwater drains shall discharge to natural outlets or storm sewers.
(h) Conformance to Applicable Codes.
(1) The connection of a building sewer into a wastewater sewer shall conform to the requirements of the building and plumbing code, including the requirements for grease, oil and sand traps, or other applicable requirements of the City, or the procedures set forth in appropriate specifications of the ASTM or WPCF. The connections shall be made gastight and watertight and verified by the proper testing. Any deviation from the prescribed procedures and materials must be approved in writing by the Manager before installation.
(2) The connection of a surface runoff or groundwater drain to a storm sewer or natural outlet designed to transport surface runoff or groundwater drainage shall conform to the requirements of the applicable building code or other applicable requirements of the City. The connection of any such drain to a wastewater sewer under special permit as provided under subsection (g)(1) hereof, shall conform to the requirements as specified by the Manager as a condition of approval of such permit.
(i) Connection Inspection. The applicant for a building sewer or other drainage connection permit shall notify the Manager when such sewer or drainage connection is ready for inspection prior to its connection to the City's facilities. Such connection and testing as deemed necessary by the Manager shall be made under the supervision of the Manager.
(j) Excavation Guards and Property Restoration. Excavation 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.
(k) Protection of Capacity for Existing Users. The Manager shall not issue a permit for any class of connection to the City's wastewater sewers or wastewater treatment facilities unless there is sufficient capacity, not legally committed to other users, in the wastewater sewers and treatment facilities to convey and adequately treat the quantity of wastewater which the requested connection will add to the system. The Manager may permit such connection if there are legally binding commitments to provide the needed capacity.
(Ord. 1463-90. Passed 5-29-90.)