Minnesota Rural Water Association

Our Mission: "To provide the latest information, education, and technical assistance to protect
our public waters and improve the quality of life in Minnesota."

 Home

About MRWA

Members

Financing

Legislative/Security

News/Publications

Links

 

 Sample Ordinances  
   

Sample Sewer Ordinance  

Sanitary Sewer Ordinance Amendment 

1 ) Purpose. In adopting this ordinance, the City Council finds that the discharging of water from any roof, surface ground, sump pump, footing tile, or swimming pool or other natural precipitation into the City sewerage system will and has on numerous occasions in the past, flooded and overloaded the sewerage system to such an extent as to cause significant and grave damage to the property of large numbers of city residents. 

2) Definitions and Method. No water from any roof, surface, ground, sump pump, footing tile, swimming pool or other natural precipitation shall be discharged into the sanitary sewerage system. Dwellings and other buildings and structures which require, because of the infiltration of water into basements, crawl spaces and the like, a sump pump system to discharge excess water, shall have a permanently installed discharge line which shall not at any time discharge water into the sanitary sewerage system, except as provided herein. A permanent installation shall be one which provides for year-around discharge capability to either the outside of the dwelling, building or structure, or is connected to the City storm sewer or discharges through the curb and gutter to the street. It shall consist of a rigid discharge 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. 

3.) Disconnection. Before April 1, _______, any person, firm or corporation having a roof, surface, ground, sump pump, footing tile or swimming pool now connected and/or discharging into the sanitary sewer system shall disconnect and/or remove same. Any disconnects or openings in the sanitary sewer shall be closed or repaired in an effective, workable manner, as approved by the Public Works Supervisor. 

4.) Inspection. Every person owning improved real estate that discharges into the City’s sanitary sewer system shall allow an employee of the City of _______ or their designated representative to inspect the buildings to confirm that there is no sump pump or other prohibited discharging into the sanitary sewer system. In lieu of having the City inspect their property, any person may furnish a certificate from a licensed plumber certifying that their property is in compliance with this Ordinance. 

Any person refusing to allow their property to be inspected or refusing to furnish a plumber’s certificate within (14) days of the date City employee(s) or their designated representatives are denied admittance to the property, shall immediately become subject to the surcharge hereinafter provided for. Any property found to violate the Ordinance shall make the necessary changes to comply with the Ordinance and furnish proof of the changes to the City by April 1, ______. 

5.) Future Inspections. At any future time, if the City has reason to suspect that an illegal connection may exist in a premises, the owner, by written notice shall comply with the provisions of Article 4 above. 

6.) Waivers. The City Public Works Supervisor shall have the power and duty of hearing and deciding requests for waivers from the applicability of the provisions of this ordinance where strict enforcement would cause undue hardship because of circumstances unique to the individual property under consideration or cause a safety problem. 

Application for waivers pursuant to this Subdivision shall be addressed in writing to the City of ___________ Public Works Supervisor. The application shall at a minimum identify the property for which the waiver is being applied for, the name of the property owner/applicant, and describe in detail what characteristics of the subject property create an undue hardship. Within a reasonable time the City Public Works Supervisor shall make its order deciding on the matter and serve a copy of such order upon the applicant by mail. Upon approval of an application for a waiver, a property owner shall be allowed to temporarily pump directly into the sanitary sewer system between the dates October 15 and April 1. 

7.) Penalty. A surcharge of One Hundred ($100.00) dollars per month is hereby imposed and added to every sewer billing mailed on and after April 1, _______, to property owners who are not in compliance with this Ordinance. The surcharge shall be added every month through October, _________, until the property is in compliance. The surcharge shall continue to be levied monthly for the months of April through October (both inclusive) of every year, on properties not complying with the Ordinance. 

8.) Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be effective from, and after its adoption and publication. 

Adopted this ________day of ________________ , _____________.

 

MRWA is a proud member of
National Rural Water Association

©2005 Minnesota Rural Water Association.  All Rights Reserved

Fast Tracks
Training Calendar
MRWA Quizzes
Fleet Program
Sample Ordinances
Job Listings

MRWA Search



Minnesota Rural Water Association

217 12th Avenue SE
Elbow Lake, MN  56531
Phone: 218-685-5197
Fax: 218-685-5272
E-mail: mrwa@mrwa.com