Chapter 20 · Utilities

ARTICLE 4. SEWERS AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL

Sections 20-401 to 20-449 · 49 sections

20-401 Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

“ASTM” — means the American Society of Testing Materials or publications thereof.

“BOD (biochemical oxygen demand)” — means the quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five days at 20 degrees Celsius, expressed in milligrams per liter.

“Building drain” — means that part of the lowest horizontal piping of a drainage system which receives the discharge from soil, waste and other drainage pipes inside the walls of the building and conveys it to the building sewer beginning two feet outside the building wall.

“Building sewer” — means the extension from the building drain to the public waste water collection system or other place of disposal.

“Combined sewer” — means a sewer receiving both surface runoff and sewage.

“Garbage” — means solid wastes from the domestic and commercial preparation, cooking and dispensing of food and from the handling, storage and sale of produce.

“Health officer” — means a person having public health responsibility by the state and/or by the county.

“Industrial user” — means:

(1)Any nongovernmental, nonresidential user of a publicly owned treatment works which discharges more than the equivalent of 25,000 gallons per day (gpd) of sanitary wastes and which is identified in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1972, Office of Management and Budget, as amended and supplemented under one of the following divisions:

Division A. Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing

Division B. Mining

Division D. Manufacturing

Division E. Transportation, Communications, Electric, Gas and Sanitary Services

Division I. Services

a. In determining the amount of a user’s discharge for purposes of ICR, domestic wastes or discharges from sanitary conveniences may be excluded.

b. After applying the sanitary waste exclusion, dischargers in such divisions that have a volume exceeding 25,000 gpd or the weight of BOD or SS equivalent to that found in 25,000 gpd of sanitary waste are considered industrial users. Sanitary wastes, for purposes of this calculation of equivalency, are wastes discharged from residential users.

(2)Any nongovernmental user of a publicly owned treatment works which discharges wastewater to the treatment works which contains toxic pollutants or poisonous solid, liquids or gases in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, to contaminate the sludge of any municipal systems or to injure or to interfere with any wastewater treatment process, or which constitutes a hazard to humans or animals, creates a public nuisance, or creates any hazard in or has an adverse effect on the waters receiving any discharge from the treatment works.

(3)All commercial users of an individual system constructed with grant assistance.

“Industrial wastes” — means the liquid wastes from industrial manufacturing processes, trade or business as distinct from sanitary sewage.

“Natural outlet” — means any outlet into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake or other body of surface water or groundwater.

“Normal domestic waste” — means normal wastewater for the city in which the average concentration of suspended solids is established at 300 milligrams per liter (300 mg/l); the average concentration of five-day BOD is established at 250 milligrams per liter (250 mg/l); and the average concentration of oil and greases is established at 100 milligrams per liter (100 mg/l).

“pH” — means the logarithm of the reciprocal of the weight of hydrogen ions in grams per liter of solution.

“Properly shredded garbage” — means the wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food which have been shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers, with no particle greater than one-half inch (1.27 centimeters) in any dimension.

“Public sewer” — means a sewer in which all owners of abutting properties have equal rights and which is controlled by public authority.

“Replacement” — means expenditures for obtaining and installing equipment, accessories or appurtenances which are necessary to maintain the capacity and performance during the service life of the treatment works for which such works were designed and constructed.

“Sanitary sewer” — means a sewer which carries wastewater and to which stormwater, surface water and groundwater are not intentionally admitted.

“Sewer” — means a pipe or conduit for carrying wastewater.

“Shall” — means mandatory; “may” means permissive.

“Slug” — means any discharge of water, wastewater or industrial waste which, in concentration of any given constituent or in which the quantity of flow for any period of duration longer than 15 minutes, exceeds more than five times the average 24-hour concentration of flow quantities during normal operation.

“Storm drain (storm sewer)” — means a sewer which carries stormwater and surface water and drainage, but excludes sewage and industrial wastes, other than unpolluted cooling water.

“Superintendent” — means the director of utilities of the city and/or authorized deputy, agent or representative.

“Suspended solids (SS)” — means solids that either float on the surface of or are suspended in water, sewage or other liquids and which are removable by laboratory filtering.

“Uniform Plumbing Code” — means the latest revision of the Uniform Plumbing Code published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials.

“Useful life” — means the estimated period during which a sewage treatment plant will be operated; for the city the design life of 20 years shall be used.

“Wastewater” — means a combination of the water-carried wastes from residences, business buildings, institutions and industrial establishments, together with such groundwaters, surface waters and stormwaters that may be present.

“Wastewater collection system” — means each and all of the common lateral sewers within a publicly owned treatment system which are primarily installed to receive wastewaters directly from facilities which convey wastewater from individual structures or from private property and which include service connection “Y” fittings designed for connection with those facilities. The facilities which convey wastewater from individual structures or from private property to the public lateral sewer or its equivalent are specifically excluded from the definition, with the exception of pumping units, and pressurized lines, for individual structures or groups of structures when such units are cost effective and are owned and maintained by the city.

“Wastewater treatment facility” — means any devices and systems used in the storage, treatment, recycling and reclamation of municipal wastewater or industrial wastes of a liquid nature to implement section 201 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 USC 1251 et seq.) as amended by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (Pub. L. 92-500), Pub. L. 93-243, and the Clean Water Act of 1977 (Pub. L. 95-217) or necessary to recycle or reuse water at the most economical cost over the useful life of the works, including intercepting sewers, outfall sewers, wastewater collection systems, pumping, power and other equipment and their appurtenances; extensions, improvement, remodeling, additions and alterations thereof; elements essential to provide a reliable recycled supply such as standby treatment units and clear well facilities; and any works, including site acquisition of the land that will be an integral part of the treatment process or is used for ultimate disposal or residues resulting from such treatment; or any other method or system for preventing, abating, reducing, storing, treating, separating or disposing of municipal waste, including storm runoff, or industrial waste, including waste in combined stormwater and sanitary sewer systems.

“Watercourse” — means a channel in which a flow of water occurs, either continually or intermittently.

“WPCF” — means the Water Pollution Control Federation or publications thereof.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-402 Right of entry and inspections

(a)The superintendent of the city, bearing proper credentials and identification, shall be permitted to enter all properties for the purposes of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling and testing in accordance with the provisions of this article. The superintendent shall have no authority to inquire into any processes including metallurgical, chemical, oil, refining, ceramic, paper or other industries beyond that point having bearing on the kind and source of discharge to the sewers or waterways or facilities for waste treatment. Any report, record or information taken for purposes of administrating this article, shall remain confidential to the superintendent; except that such report, record or information may be disclosed to other officials, employees or authorized representatives of the city and except for such effluent information as may be required by federal and state regulations.

(b)The superintendent of the city, bearing proper credentials and identification, shall be permitted to enter all private properties through which the city holds a duly negotiated easement for the purposes of, but not limited to, inspection, observation, measurement, sampling, repair and maintenance of any portion of the wastewater collection system lying within such easement. All entry and subsequent work, if any, on such easement shall be done in full accordance with the terms of the duly negotiated easement pertaining to the private property involved.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-403 Capping of sewers required.

Whenever any structure in the city is demolished and the sewer line that had served the demolished structure is not connected to a new structure, the sewer line that had served the demolished structure shall be capped, at the expense of the owner of the property upon which the demolished structure was located, at the point at which the sewer line connects to the city sewer main.

(Ord. No. 2000-2778, 6-7-2000)

20-404 Deposit of objectionable wastes.

It shall be unlawful for any person to place, deposit or permit to be deposited any human or animal excrement, garbage or other objectionable waste in any unsanitary manner on public or private property within the city or in any area under the jurisdiction of the city.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-405 Wastewater discharge.

It shall be unlawful to discharge any wastewater or other polluted waters into any natural outlet except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with subsequent provisions of this article.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-406 Privies and similar facilities regulated.

Except as provided in this article, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of wastewater.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-407 Connection required.

The owners of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes, situated within the city and abutting any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located or may be located in the future a sanitary sewer of the city, is hereby required to install, at such owner’s expense, toilet facilities therein and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public wastewater collection system in accordance with the provisions of this article within 90 days after the official notice to do so, provided that such public wastewater collection system is within 150 feet of the property line.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-408 Sewer connection outside city limits.

No sewer connection will be permitted for areas outside the city limits until the developer or owner obtains approval from the governing body. Any sewer lines needed to connect with existing city sewer mains and laterals must conform to city and state specifications for the same.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-409 Private wastewater disposal; when authorized.

Where a public sanitary sewer is not available under the provisions of section 20-407, the building sewer shall be connected to a private wastewater disposal system complying with the provisions of this article.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-410 Same; permit.

(a)Required; fee. Before commencement of construction of a private wastewater disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the superintendent. The application for such permit shall be made on a form furnished by the city, which the applicant shall supplement by any plans, specifications and other information as are deemed necessary by the superintendent. A permit and inspection fee of $25.00 shall be paid to the city at the time the application is filed.

(b)When effective. A permit for a private wastewater disposal system shall not become effective until the installation is completed to the satisfaction of the superintendent. The superintendent shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction; and, in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the superintendent when the work is ready for final inspection and before any underground portions are covered. The inspection shall be made within 96 hours of the receipt of notice by the superintendent or representative.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-411 Same; standards.

The type, capacities, location and layout of a private wastewater disposal system shall comply with all recommendations of the state department of health and environment. No permit shall be issued for any private wastewater disposal system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities where the area of the lot is less than 20,000 square feet, when a public water supply is used. In the case of a private water supply, the minimum lot size will be 40,000 square feet. No septic tank shall be permitted to discharge to any natural outlet.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-412 Same; operation at expense of owner.

The owner shall operate and maintain the private wastewater disposal facilities in a sanitary manner at all times, at no expense to the city.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-413 Same; additional requirements.

No statement contained in this article shall be construed to interfere with any additional requirements that may be imposed by the health officer.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-414 Uncovering of public sewer regulated.

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 superintendent.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-415 Building sewer permit.

(a)There shall be one class of building sewer permits for residential and commercial service. The owner or 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 superintendent.

(b)No permit shall be issued to make connection with any public sewer or appurtenance thereof for the purpose of sewering any real estate which has not been specially assessed or is not legally liable to special assessment for the cost of extension of sewer services until the owner of such real estate shall have paid to the city clerk a sewer connection fee, which shall be computed by multiplying the number of square feet contained in any parcel of real estate for which sewer service is sought by $0.20. If the parcel of real estate for which a sewer connection fee computed as set out in this subsection has been paid in full shall at a later date be included in a duly established sanitary sewer improvement district, the amount paid as a sewer connection fee shall be credited upon any assessment that be levied upon such parcel of real estate by reason of such sanitary sewer improvement district.

(Ord. No. 2143, 5-2-1979)

20-416 Owner responsible for costs.

All costs and expense 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.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-417 Separate sewer required.

A separate and independent building sewer shall be provided for every building (refer to section 20-224); 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.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-418 Use of old sewers.

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

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-419 Specifications.

The size, slope, alignment, materials of construction of a building sewer and the methods to be used in excavating and backfilling the trench, installing jointing, and testing the building sewer shall conform to the Uniform Plumbing Code as modified in this section.

(1)Minimum internal pipeline diameter for all building sewers shall be four inches.

(2)Building sewers shall be constructed of one of the following pipeline materials:

a. Extra-strength vitrified clay pipeline and fittings conforming to ASTM C 700.

b. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gravity sewer pipe and fittings, Type PSP or PSM conforming to ASTM Standards D 3033 or D 3034. All PVC sewer pipe shall have a minimum rating of SDR 35.

c. Cast or ductile iron pipe with a minimum pressure rating of 150 pounds per square inch conforming to Federal Specification WW-P421b, or ANSI A21.51, A21.6 or A21.8; except iron used in the manufacture of pipe shall have minimum design strength value, in pounds per square inch, of 21,000 for bursting strength and 45,000 for modulus of rupture.

(Ord. No. 2326, 12-15-1982)

20-420 Elevation of building 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 wastewater collection system, wastewater carried by such building drain shall be lifted by an approved means and discharged to the building sewer.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-421 Prohibited connections.

No person shall make connection of roof downspouts, exterior or interior 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 wastewater collection system.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-422 Conformity to plumbing code.

The connection of the building sewer into the public wastewater collection system shall conform to the requirements of the Uniform Plumbing Code or other applicable rules and regulations of the city. All such connections shall be made gastight and watertight. Any deviation from the prescribed procedures and materials must be approved by the superintendent before installation.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-423 Inspection.

The applicant for a building sewer permit shall notify the superintendent when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection to the public sewer. The connection shall be made under the supervision of the superintendent or representative, within 96 hours of the receipt of the notice.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-424 Excavations to be guarded.

All excavations 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.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-425 Prohibited discharges generally.

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, uncontaminated cooling water or unpolluted industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-426 Discharge of stormwater.

Stormwater and all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to such sewers as are specifically designated as storm sewers as approved by the superintendent, to a storm sewer or to a natural outlet. Such flows are also subject to federal and state regulations.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-427 Specific prohibited discharges.

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to any public sewers:

(1)Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas.

(2)Any waters or wastes containing toxic or poisonous solids, liquids or gases in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, to injure or interfere with any wastewater treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, create a public nuisance, or create any hazard in the receiving waters of the wastewater treatment plant.

(3)Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 6.0 or higher than 9.0, or having any other property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment and personnel of the treatment works.

(4)Solid or viscous substances in quantities or of such size capable of causing obstructions to the flow in sewers, or other interference with the proper operation of the treatment works 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, etc., either whole or ground by garbage grinders.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-428 Regulated discharges.

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged the following described substances, materials, waters or wastes if it appears likely in the opinion of the superintendent that such wastes can harm either the sewers, wastewater treatment process or equipment; have an adverse effect on the receiving stream; or can otherwise endanger life, limb, public property or constitute a nuisance. In forming an opinion as to the acceptability of these wastes, the superintendent will give consideration to such factors as the quantities of subject wastes in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, materials of construction of the sewers, nature of the wastewater treatment process, capacity of the wastewater treatment plant, degree of treatability of wastes in the wastewater treatment plant and other pertinent factors. The substances prohibited are:

(1)Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius).

(2)Any water or waste containing fats, wax, grease or oils, whether emulsified or not, in excess of 100 milligrams per liter or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between 32 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit (0 and 49 degrees Celsius).

(3)Any garbage that has not been properly shredded. The installation and operation of any garbage grinder equipped with a motor of three-fourths horsepower (0.76 hp metric) or greater shall be subject to the review and approval of the superintendent.

(4)Any waters or wastes containing strong acid pickling wastes, or concentrated plating solutions whether neutralized or not.

(5)Any waters or wastes containing iron, chromium, copper, zinc and similar objectionable or toxic substances; or wastes exerting an excessive chlorine requirement, to such degree that any such material received in the composite wastewater at the wastewater treatment works exceeds the limits established by the superintendent for such materials, or pretreatment requirements established by state, federal or other public agencies of jurisdiction for such discharge.

(6)Any waters or wastes containing phenols or other taste-producing or odor-producing substances in such concentrations exceeding limits which may be established by the superintendent as necessary, after treatment of the composite wastewater to meet the requirements of the state, federal or other public agencies of jurisdiction for such discharge.

(7)Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the superintendent in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations.

(8)Materials which exert or cause:

a. 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 chloride and sodium sulfate).

b. Excessive discoloration (such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions).

c. Unusual BOD, chemical oxygen demand or chlorine requirements in such quantities as to constitute a significant load on the wastewater treatment works.

d. Unusual volume of flow or concentration of wastes constituting slugs.

(9)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 such degree that the wastewater treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters.

(10)Any waters or wastes having a five-day BOD greater than 300 milligrams per liter, or containing more than 350 milligrams per liter of suspended solids, or having an average daily flow greater than two percent of the average wastewater flow of the city shall be subject to the review of the superintendent. Where necessary, in the opinion of the superintendent, the owner shall provide, at the owner’s expense, such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to reduce the BOD to 300 milligrams per liter, or reduce the suspended solids to 350 milligrams per liter, or control the quantities and rates of discharge of such waters or wastes. Plans, specifications and any other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the superintendent; and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until such approvals are obtained in writing.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-429 Action by superintendent.

If any waters or wastes are discharged or are proposed to be discharged to the public wastewater collection system, which waters contain the substances or possess the characteristics enumerated in section 20-314, and which in the judgment of the superintendent may have a deleterious effect upon the treatment works, processes, equipment or receiving waters, or would otherwise create a hazard to life or constitute a public nuisance, the superintendent may:

(1)Reject the wastes;

(2)Require pretreatment to an acceptable condition for discharge to the public wastewater collection system;

(3)Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge; and/or

(4)Require payment to cover the added cost of handling and treating the wastes not covered by existing taxes or user charges.

If the superintendent permits the pretreatment or equalization of waste flows, the design and installation of the plants and equipment shall be subject to the review and approval of the superintendent and subject to the requirements of all applicable codes, ordinances and laws.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-430 Interceptors required.

Grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be provided when, in the opinion of the superintendent, they are necessary for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing grease in excessive amounts, or any flammable wastes, sand or other harmful ingredients; except that such interceptors shall not be required for private living quarters or dwelling units. All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the superintendent and shall be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-431 Certain facilities maintained by owner.

Where preliminary treatment or flow-equalizing facilities are provided for any water wastes, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner, at the owner’s expense.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-432 Control manhole.

When required by the superintendent, the owner of any property serviced by a building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable control manhole, together with such necessary meters and other appurtenances in the building sewer, to facilitate observation, sampling and measurement of the wastes. Such manhole, when required, shall be accessibly and safely located and shall be constructed in accordance with plans approved by the superintendent. The manhole shall be installed by the owner at the owner’s expense and shall be maintained so as to be safe and accessible at all times.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-433 Measurements determined by standard methods.

All measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes to which reference is made in this article shall be performed by a laboratory approved by the superintendent and shall be determined in accordance with the latest edition of “Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater,” published by the American Public Health Association, and shall be determined at the control manhole provided, or upon suitable samples taken at such control manhole. If no special manhole has been required, the control manhole shall be considered to be the nearest downstream manhole in the public sewer to the point at which the building sewer is connected. Sampling shall be carried out by customarily accepted methods to reflect the effect of the constituents upon the treatment works and to determine the existence of hazards to life, limb and property. (The particular analyses involved will determine whether a 24-hour composite of all building sewers of premises is appropriate or whether a grab sample or samples should be taken. Normally, but not always, BOD and suspended solids analyses are obtained from 24-hour composites of all building sewers whereas pH’s and heavy metals are determined from periodic grab samples.)

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-434 Minimum standards.

Any pretreatment standards as established by state, federal or other public agencies of jurisdiction for such discharge will be used as the minimum requirements by the superintendent as applied to this article.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-435 User charges; determination.

The service charge to be paid by all contributors of the city municipal wastewater collection and treatment system shall be determined as provided by section 20-202.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-436 When meter required.

If a lot, parcel of land, premises or facility discharging wastewater, industrial process waste, water or other liquids, either directly or indirectly into the city’s wastewater collection and treatment system or which eventually enters the system is supplied with water from any source other than from the city’s municipal water system, then the sewer user charge will be the minimum monthly sewer service charge unless the owner of the lot, parcel of land, premises or facility installs and maintains at such owner’s own expense a water meter approved by the city’s water department. This meter shall serve as a control for the establishment of the sewer user charge and shall be accessible to the city’s meter readers.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-437 Multiple meters at one site.

Where more than one water meter is installed for service to one industry or commercial business located at a single site or adjoining sites, only one minimum monthly charge shall apply. The additional monthly charge shall apply to the total average winter water use from all meters which supply service to one industry or commercial business located at a single site or adjoining sites.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-438 Adjustment of charge in case of leak.

Where it can be established that a contributor has had a water leak during the establishment of the contributor’s average water use, the contributor’s charge may be adjusted by the cashier of the utility office by using the previous month average water use or portion thereof.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-439 Prorated.

If wastewater service is commenced or terminated during a period for which bills are rendered, billing shall be prorated on a daily basis.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-440 Water service commenced after first two metered months.

Should a customer begin using city water service too late in any year to apply the formulas set out in section 20-201, then the sewer service charge shall be determined pursuant to section 20-202.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-441 Review by city.

The city shall annually review sewer service charges and revise them, if necessary, to reflect, as a minimum, the following conditions:

(1)Sewer service charges shall maintain a proportional distribution of operation, maintenance and replacement (OM&R) costs among all users and/or user classes.

(2)Sewer service charges shall generate adequate revenues to pay the costs of OM&R.

(3)All end-of-year balances collected through sewer service charges to pay for OM&R must be carried over to the next year and sewer service charges adjusted accordingly.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-442 Information regarding wastewater treatment.

The city shall annually notify each user with a regular bill of the rate and that portion of sewer service charges which are attributable to wastewater treatment.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-443 Surcharge.

Any user shall be assessed a surcharge, in addition to any sewer service charges, if the waste discharged by this user has concentrations greater than normal domestic wastewater as defined in section 20-201. The user’s surcharge shall be calculated by the following formula:

Cu = (Vc)(Vu)+ (Bc)(Bu)+ (Sc)(Su)+ (Pc)(Pu)

where:

Cu = A user’s surcharge per unit of time.

Vc = OM&R cost for transportation and treatment of a unit of wastewater volume.

Vu = Volume contribution from a user per unit of time.

Bc = OM&R cost for treatment of a unit of BOD.

Bu = Total BOD contribution from a user per unit of time.

SC = OM&R cost for treatment of a unit of SS.

Su = Total SS contribution from a user per unit of time.

Pc = OM&R cost for treatment of a unit of any pollutant.

Pu = Total contribution of any pollutant from a user per unit of time.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-444 Accounts.

The city shall maintain at least two ledger accounts for sewer service charge revenues. One account shall contain that portion of sewer service charge revenues allocated to the operation and maintenance of the wastewater collection and treatment system. The other account shall be a sinking fund and shall contain that portion of sewer service charge revenues allocated for repair and/or replacement of equipment. A third account may be established and shall contain all other revenues generated through sewer service charges.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-445 Use of O&M revenues.

Revenues placed in the operation and maintenance (O&M) account shall be used only for meeting O&M costs; all revenues placed in the replacement account shall be used only for replacement costs as defined in section 20-101. All revenues borrowed from any other account which are used to meet O&M or replacement costs shall be repaid the following year by adjusting sewer service charges, if necessary.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-446 Effect of alteration of standards.

Whenever current standards or guidelines are altered by any governmental agency in such a manner as to cause expansion and/or upgrading of the treatment works, sewer service charges must be adjusted in accordance with the current guidelines to reflect the costs of expanding and/or upgrading the treatment works.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-447 Correction of violation.

Any person found to be violating any provision of this article shall be served by the city with written notice stating the nature of the violation and providing a 30-day time limit from the date of such notice for the satisfactory correction thereof. The offender shall, within the period of time stated in such notice, permanently cease all violations.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-448 Violation declared misdemeanor.

Any person who shall continue any violation beyond the time limit provided for in section 20-447 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable pursuant to section 1-108 of this Code.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)

20-449 Liability.

Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall become liable to the city for any expense, loss or damage occasioned by the city by reason of such violation, including such fines, penalties and other costs which may be assessed to the city for violation of wastewater treatment plant effluent requirements, where such violation is created by a user of the treatment works who, in turn, is in violation of city, state or federal regulations.

(Ord. No. 2133, 3-21-1979)