§ 36-75. Building sewers and connections.

(a)

Permit required. No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter, or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof without first obtaining a written permit from the public works director.

(b)

Classes of building permits. There shall be two classes of building sewer permits: for residential and commercial service, and for service to establishments producing industrial wastes. In either case, the owner or his agent shall make application on a special form furnished by the city. The permit application shall be supplemented by any plans, specifications or other information considered pertinent in the judgment of the public works director. A permit and inspection fee of $50.00 for a residential or commercial building sewer permit and negotiated fee based upon use for an industrial user producing industrial wastes shall be paid to the city at the time the application is filed. The city council may waive the $50.00 per unit fee for residential or commercial developer with the development of five or more units provided that the developer is installing all lines, taps, and connections at his expense. The inspection fee would then be the hourly rate of the public works director as established in the schedule of fees multiplied by the actual hours used during the inspection. In addition to the permit and inspection fee, the owner shall also pay to the city a $30.00 security deposit, which is refundable upon discontinuance of service. No refundable deposits shall be returned to anyone, unless all indebtedness owing to the city under this division shall be paid in full.

(c)

Building costs. All costs and expenses incident to the installation and connection of the building sewer 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.

(d)

One sewer per building. 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, courtyard, or driveway, the building sewer from the front building may be extended to the rear building and the whole considered as one building sewer.

(e)

Existing sewers. Old building sewers may be used in connection with new buildings only when they are found, on examination and test by the public works director to meet all requirements of this division.

(f)

Sewer construction and materials. The building sewer shall be cast iron pipe; ASTM 1251 Class 50 Ductile Iron, ASTM or PVC Specifications SDR 35 conforming to ASTM 3034. Joints shall be tight and waterproof. Any part of the building sewer that is located within ten feet of a water service shall be constructed of cast iron soil pipe. Cast iron pipe may be required by the public works director where the building sewer is exposed to possible damage by tree roots. If installed in filled or unstable ground, the building sewer shall be of 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 public works director. All joints and connections shall be made gastight and watertight.

(g)

Size and slope of sewer. The size and slope of the building sewer shall be subject to the approval of the public works director, but in no event shall the diameter be less than four inches. The slope of such four-inch pipe when installed in a horizontal position shall not be less than one-eighth inch per foot nor more than one quarter inch per foot.

(h)

Elevation of sewer. Whenever possible, the building sewer shall be brought to the building at an elevation below the basement floor. In all buildings in which any building drain is too low to permit gravity flow to the public sewer, sanitary sewage carried by such building drain shall be lifted by an approved means and discharged into the building sewer.

(i)

Bearing walls and alignment. No building sewer shall be laid parallel to or within three feet of any bearing wall, which might thereby be weakened. 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.

(j)

Open trench work. All excavations required for the installation of a building sewer shall be open trench work unless otherwise approved by the public works director. Pipe laying and backfill shall be performed in accordance with ASTM Specification C12; except that no backfill shall be placed until the work has been inspected.

(k)

Surface runoff and groundwater. No person shall make connection of roof downspouts, exterior foundation drains, areaway drains, or other sources of surface runoff or groundwater to a building sewer or building drain which in turn is connected directly or indirectly to a public sanitary sewer.

(l)

Connection rules and regulations. The connection of the building sewer into the public sewer shall conform to the requirements of the building and plumbing code or other applicable rules and regulations of the city, or in amplifications of the ASTM and the WPCP Manual of Practice Number Nine. All such connections shall be made gastight and materials must be approved by the public works director before installation.

(m)

Connection at "Y" branch. 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 is 12 inches in diameter or less, and no properly located "Y" branch is available, a neat hole may be cut into the public sewer to receive the building sewer, which entry in the downstream direction can be of any angle of about 45 degrees. A 45-degree ell may be used to make such connection, with the spigot end cut so as not to extend past the inner surface of the public sewer. A smooth, neat joint shall be made, and the connection made secure and watertight by encasement in concrete. Special fittings may be used for the connection only when approved by the public works director.

(n)

Notice for inspection and connection. The applicant of the building sewer permit shall notify the public works director when the building owner is ready for inspection and connection to the public sewer. The connection shall be made under the supervision of the public works director or his representative.

(o)

Excavation; barricades and notice. All excavations for building sewer installations shall be adequately guarded with barricades and lights so as to protect the public from hazard. Prior to excavation, blockage, disruption, or any disturbance of any public street, road, highway, byway, sidewalk or other public right-of-way, notification must be made to and approval obtained from the public works director at least 72 hours in advance of such excavation, blockage, disruption or disturbance. Streets, sidewalks, parkways, and other public property disturbed in the course of the work shall be restored in a manner satisfactory to the city.

(p)

Industrial waste. Any industry or establishment introducing industrial waste to the system shall agree to comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's pretreatment regulations.

(Code 1985, § 7-104)