§ 24-81. Building sewers and connections.

(a)

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.

(b)

There shall be two (2) separate 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 superintendent. A permit and inspection fee in the amount established by ordinance for a residential or commercial building sewer permit and a negotiated fee based upon use for industrial wastes shall be paid to the city at the time the application is filed.

(c)

All costs and expenses incident to the installation and connection of the building sewer shall be borne by the owner, who shall indemnify the city from any loss or damage that may directly or indirectly be occasioned by the installation of the building sewer.

(d)

A separate and independent building sewer shall be provided for every building, except that where one (1) 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 from the front building may be extended to the rear building and the whole considered as one (1) building provided the buildings are sole ownership.

(e)

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.

(f)

The size, slope, alignment, materials and construction of a building sewer, and the methods to be used in excavating, placing pipe jointing, testing and backfilling the trench, shall all conform to the requirements of the building and plumbing code or other applicable rules and regulations of the city. In the absence of code provisions or in amplification thereof, the materials and procedures set forth in appropriate specifications of the A.S.T.M. and Water Pollution Control Federation Manual of Practice No. 9 shall apply.

(g)

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 to the building sewer.

(h)

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

(i)

The connection of the building sewer into public sewer shall conform to the requirements of the building and plumbing code or other applicable rules [or] regulations of the city, or in amplifications of the A.S.T.M. and W.P.C.P. Manual of Practice No. 9. 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.

(j)

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

(k)

Each premises, business or household must pay the prevailing sewer tap fee based on the water meter size.

(l)

When an existing building is subdivided for new tenants, sewer fees must be paid for each individual unit. Utilization of the existing internal sewer lines are permitted for the subdivided building, provided building is a sole ownership.

(Ord. No. 11-97, 4-10-97)