Article 2. Connection To and Discharge Into Sanitary Sewer

14.2.1.     Connection to sanitary sewer required.

The owner of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purpose, situated within the City and abutting any street, alley or right- of-way in which there is now located or may in the future be located a public sanitary sewer of the City, is hereby required at the owner’s expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sanitary sewer in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter, prior to issuance of an occupancy or permit, or if not available at the time of issuance of occupancy permit then within ninety (90) days after date of official notice that the public sewer is within one-hundred (100) feet of the property line.

14.2.2.     Sewer system connection fee.

The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to collect a fee as set out in the City Fee Resolution for any connection by any person, persons, business or organization of any property onto the sanitary sewer system of the City. This fee is to be paid at the time application for new connection is made, and prior to issuance of an occupancy permit.

14.2.3.     Separate sewers.

In accordance with the plumbing chapter of the City’s municipal code 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, court, yard, or driveway, the building sewer from the front building may be extended to the rear building and the whole considered as one building sewer and except for duplexes which shall have one building sewer for each dwelling unit.

14.2.4.     Connection into public sewer.

The connection of the building sewer into the public sewer shall be made in the “Y” branch, if such branch is available at a suitable location. Where the public sewer is twelve (12) inches in diameter or less, and no properly located “Y” branch is available as verified by the Director, the owner shall at his or her expense have installed a “Y” branch or a tap through the use of a saddle, approved by the Director in the public sewer at the location specified by the Director. Where the public sewer is greater than twelve (12) inches in diameter, and no properly located “Y” branch is verified as being available by the Director, a neat hole may be made in the public sewer to receive the building sewer, with entry in the downstream direction at an 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. The invert of the building sewer at the point of connection shall be at the same or at a higher elevation than the invert 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 Director or his/her designee.

14.2.5.     Clean out.

When a building drain (sewer) is installed or replaced in the City an approved clean out shall also be installed within two (2) feet of the exterior structure. When the flow line of a sewer is greater than four (4) feet below grade, the clean out shall be installed with a combination fitting, wye and 1/8th bend, or other approved fittings which assure directional entry into the sewer. When such sewers installed in areas within the City, which have clay sewer mains, new sewer taps shall be made with the use of a core drill bit and shall provide a coupon of the pipe. Such coupon shall be made available at the time of inspection.

14.2.6.     Inspection of building sewer.

The applicant for the plumbing permit to construct a building sewer shall notify the Building Inspector when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection to the public sewer. The connection shall be made under the supervision of the Building Inspector or his or her designee.

14.2.7.     Permit; alter public sewer.

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 Building Inspector.

14.2.8.     Release/emission into sanitary sewer system.

No person shall, either directly or indirectly, release or emit into the sanitary sewer system of the City any groundwater, surface water, subsurface drainage water, roof, yard, court or areaway water, condensing water from any refrigerating units having a capacity of over one ton, swimming pool, or any water from any air conditioning unit having a capacity of over three tons.

(Ord. 292)

14.2.9.     Unlawful deposits upon property.

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

14.2.10.     Unlawful release or emit; natural outlet.

It shall be unlawful to release or emit to any natural outlet within the City, or in any areas under the jurisdiction of the City, any sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with this Chapter.

14.2.11.     Unlawful discharge/release/emission into sewer.

No person shall discharge, release, emit or cause to be discharged, released, or emitted the following described substances, materials, waters, or wastes if it appears likely in the opinion of the Director, Building Inspector, or designee, that such wastes can harm either the sewers, sewage 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 determining the severity of violation, the Director or Building Inspector may consider 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 sewage treatment process, capacity of the sewage treatment plant, and other pertinent factors. The substances prohibited are:

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

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 sewage treatment process, constitute a hazard in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant, including but not limited to cyanides in excess of two mg/l as CN in the wastes as discharged to the public sewer.

Any water or wastes having a PH lower than 5.5, or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, and personnel of the sewage works.

Solid or viscous substances in quantities or of such size capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers, or other interference with the proper operation of the sewage works such as, but not limited to, ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, unground garbage, whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails and paper dishes, cups, milk containers, etc., either whole or ground by garbage grinders.

Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 150ΕF (65ΕC).

Any water or wastes containing fats, wax, grease or oils, whether emulsified or not, in excess of 100 mg/l or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between 32 and 150ΕF (0 and 65ΕC).

Any garbage that has not been properly shredded. The installation and operation of any garbage grinder equipped with a motor of 3/4 horsepower (0.76 hp metric) or greater shall be subject to the review and approval of the Director or Building Inspector.

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

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 sewage at the sewage treatment works exceeds the limits established by the Director or Building Inspector for such materials.

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

Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the Director or Building Inspector in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations.

Any waters or wastes having a PH in excess of 9.5.

Materials which exert or cause:

Unusual concentrations of inert suspended solids (such as, but not limited to, Fullers earth, lime slurries, and lime residues) or of dissolved solids (such as, but not limited to, sodium chloride or sodium sulfate).

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

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

Unusual volume of low or concentration of wastes constituting “slugs” as defined herein.

Waters or wastes containing substances which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the sewage treatment processes employed, or are amenable to treatment only to such degree that the sewage treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters.

Any waters or wastes having (1) a five-day BOD greater than 300 parts per million by weight, or (2) containing more than 350 parts per million by weight of suspended solids, or (3) having an average daily flow greater than two percent (2%) of the average sewage flow of the City, shall be subject to the review of the Director or Building Inspector. Where necessary in the opinion of the Director or Building Inspector the owner shall provide, at his or her expense, such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to (1) reduce the biochemical oxygen demand to 300 parts per million by weight, or (2) reduce the suspended solids to 350 parts per million by weight, or (3) 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 Director or Building Inspector and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until the approvals are obtained in writing.

Depositing any such substance into the City’s sanitary sewage system is hereby declared a nuisance and may be abated in accordance with Nuisance abatement procedures provided by this Code.

The Director or Building Inspector may require any party owning or leasing property from which prohibited substances are being discharged into the City’s sewers, sewage treatment plant, or any part of the sanitary sewer system, to obtain the services of an independent lab to test such wastewater emissions to determine the products discharged into the City’s sanitary sewer system and the levels of such discharges. The independent lab must be instructed to provide a copy of any results directly, and immediately, to the Director or Building Inspector of Public Works for the City of Bel Aire, Kansas. Failure to obtain the required tests within the amount of time allowed for by the Director or Building Inspector may result in the City disconnecting water service to such property, and assessment of all costs associated with disconnection and reconnection of water service. If the property owner or lessee refuses to obtain such testing, the City may obtain such testing, and charge such costs back to the property owner in accordance with Nuisance abatement procedures provided by this Code. All costs associated with such testing shall be paid by the party obtaining such testing.

14.2.12.     Prohibited substances.

If any waters or wastes are discharged, released, emitted, or placed, or are proposed to be discharged, released, emitted, or placed, to or within the public sewers, which waters contain substances or possess characteristics which in the judgment of the Director or Building Inspector, may have a deleterious effect upon the sewage works, processes, equipment, or receiving waters, or which otherwise create a hazard to life or constitute a public nuisance, the Director or Building Inspector may:

Reject the wastes,

Require pretreatment to an acceptable condition for discharge to the public sewers;

Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge;

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

If the Director or Building Inspector permits the pretreatment or equalization of waste flows, all of the following shall be subject to review and approval of the Director or Building Inspector: the design and installation of the pretreatment process, the site of pretreatment, and the sites) of the source contamination. All means of pretreatment shall be subject to the requirements of all applicable codes, ordinances and laws.

14.2.13.     Sumps and sump pump pits.

No sump or sump pump pit may be connected to the sanitary sewer system of the City, and no fluids or solids associated with a sump or sump pump may be deposited into the City’s sanitary sewer system.

(Ord. 292)

14.2.14.     Covering of manholes.

It shall be unlawful to cover or cause to be covered or concealed any City entry access covers with any type of debris such as dirt, grass, grass clippings, rocks, tree limbs, wood, scrap iron, cars. The property owner shall be liable for all damages resulting to the access cover or caused by preventing or delaying access to such cover in emergency situations, including when the property owner fences in the easement upon which such access is located.

14.2.15.     Inspection.

The Director or Building Inspector, Building Inspector, or any designee, shall have the right and privilege to enter upon any property connected, or to be connected, to the sewer system of the City within reasonable hours, for the purpose of making inspections in the interests of protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the community.

(Ord. 292)