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Sample
Sewer Ordinance
AN AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR FINANCING THE CONSTRUCTION,
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF A SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM AND THE FACILITIES
CONNECTED THEREWITH AND DETERMINING THE BASES THEREFORE IN THE MANNER OF
COLLECTING THE SAME AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATION THEREOF
The
City does ordain as follows:
Section
2, Subsection C is hereby amended to read as follows:
C. In adopting this ordinance,
the City Council finds that the discharge 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.
Such damage is caused by the backup of sewage into the living quarters of
residents and in addition to other damage creates a hazard to health. The City Council therefore, finds it
essential to the maintenance of health and to minimize damage to property that
the provisions of this ordinance be strictly enforced to avoid emergencies in
the future.
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.
Before June 1, 1993, 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, workmanlike manner,
as approved by the City Water and Wastewater Superintendent.
Every person owning improved
real estate that discharges into the City’s sanitary sewer system shall allow
an employee of the City or their designated representative to inspect the
buildings to confirm that there is no sump pump or other prohibited discharge
into the sanitary sewer system. In lieu of having the City inspect their
property, any person may furnish a certificate from a city 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 June 1, 1993.
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 this subdivision.
The council 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 Clerk. The
applications 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 Council 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 December 1st and
April 1st, and provided the applicant agrees to pay an additional fee of $25.00
per year for the additional sewer service, payable April 1 of the year. The
holder of a waiver shall employ a licensed plumber to certify prior to April 15
of each subsequent year that their discharge water connection has been removed
from the sanitary sewer. Failure to provide such certification will place the
waiver holder in violation of this ordinance.
A surcharge of One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars per month is hereby imposed and
added to every sewer billing mailed on and after July 1, 1993, to property
owners who are not in compliance with this Ordinance. The surcharge shall be
added every month until the property is in compliance.
No sanitary or sewerage industrial wastes shall contain any substance which is
deemed deleterious substance therein, he shall be required to discontinue the
discharge of such substance into the sewage system. If, after ten days written
notice, such user continues to discharge such deleterious substance in the
sewage system, he shall be subject upon conviction to a fine of not less than
$5.00 nor more than $50.00. Each day of which such violation continues to exist,
after notice to discontinue, such discharge as been given shall be deemed a
separate violation.
This Amendment shall take effect from and after it’s adoption and publication
according to law.
Passed by the City Council at the City of _________, Minnesota, on ________________.
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