– Meter Tests and Adjustment of Bill

Should the customer then request that the meter be tested for accuracy, the customer shall have the privilege of being present when such test is made. In case the test discloses an error of more than three (3%) percent in favor of the City, a correct registering meter shall be installed at the expense of the City, and the Customer’s account shall be credited with the excess consumption.

Chapter 2.24

SEWER SYSTEM

Sections:

2.24.010 - Sewer System Merged into Water System

2.24.020 - Application for Service

2.24.030 - Definitions

2.24.040 - Rates

2.24.050 - Special Rule – Apartment Houses

2.24.060 - Number of Sewer Connections not Determinative

2.24.070 - Proration

2.24.080 - Payment

2.24.090 - Late Charge

2.24.100 - Discontinuance by Customer

2.24.110 - Discontinuance by City

2.24.120 - Lien

2.24.130 - Additional Definitions

2.24.140 - Use of Public Sewers Required

2.24.150 - Private Sewage Disposal

2.24.160 - Building Sewers and Connections

2.24.170 - Building Standards

2.24.180 - Repair Standards

2.24.190 - Connecting Ground & Drainwater Prohibited

2.24.200 - Storm Water Drains

2.24.210 - Discharge of Pollutants Prohibited

2.24.220 - Interceptors

2.24.230 - Preliminary Treatment or Flow of Equalizing Devices

2.24.240 - Manholes – When Required

2.24.250 - Standards for Measurement

2.24.260 - Special Agreements

2.24.270 - Damaging Sewers Unlawful

2.24.280 - Prevention of Sewage Back Flow

2.24.290 - Powers and Authority of Inspectors

(A) An application shall be made for all connections to the Tekoa Public Sewer System on a form to be provided by the Tekoa Clerk-Treasurer. The application shall be accompanied by a fee (listed in the fee resolution). This fee shall cover the cost of connection, including up to 100 feet of sewer line. Cost and labor for new hookups that exceeds the original fee, will be billed the actual additional cost.

(B) When approved by the city, such application shall constitute an agreement whereby the applicant agrees to conform with the provisions of this chapter. This Section shall apply to all applications, whether for new connection to the Tekoa Public Sewer System or for an additional connection to an existing service. (Ord. 651, §1, 1997; Ord. 582, Ch. 1, §1, 1985).

2.24.030 – Definitions. Whenever used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

a. Single Family Residential Unit. The term “Single Family Residential Unit” shall mean any building, house, mobile home, or other structure which is being used as a family’s dwelling unit.

b. Apartment House and Apartment Unit. The term “Apartment House” shall mean any building, house, mobile home, or other structure that is being used as a residential dwelling unit by more than one family, and at least one family is paying rent, whether in money or some other form of consideration, for the use thereof. The term “Apartment Unit” shall mean each separate residential dwelling unit within the Apartment House where indentifiable; provided that the number of Apartment Units shall be determined with reference to the number of families residing within the Apartment House where there are no separate and identifiable Apartment Units.

c. Residential Unit. The term “Residential Unit” shall include a Single Family Residential Unit and an Apartment Unit, as the contest may require.

d. Commercial Unit. The term “Commercial Unit” shall mean each separate business being conducted in any building, house, mobile home or other structure.

e. Special Terms. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nursing homes, hospitals, and schools shall not be included within the meaning of the foregoing terms. The rates hereinafter set forth shall be applicable to such uses. (Ord. 582, Ch. 2, §1; 5/6/1985).

A. Charges for sewer service each month shall be billed as of the last day of the month, and shall be due not later than the 25^th day of the following month. For example, sewer charges for January will be billed as of January 30, and will be due not later than February 25. Any charge for sewer service not paid when due shall be considered delinquent.

B. If a sewer service bill is not paid when due, it shall be considered delinquent and a late charge will be assessed as fixed from time-to-time by resolution of the City Council. The late charge will be included and become part of the delinquent payment due for sewer service. (Ord. 582, Ch. 3, §1; 5/6/1985; Ord. 818, §1, 11/17/2014).

2.24.090 – Late Charge. A late charge that is listed in the fee schedule shall be assessed against each sewer bill that is not paid on or before the twenty-fifth (25th) day of the month for which it is due. (Ord. 710, §1, 2001; Ord 582, Ch. 3, §2l 5/6/1985).

2.24.100 – Discontinuance by Customer. A customer shall be required to give notice to the City of the customer’s intention to discontinue service. Monthly charges shall continue to be made against the unit until the City is notified of the discontinuance. (Ord. 582, Ch. 4, §1; 5/6/1985).

2.24.110 – Discontinuance by City. The City may discontinue sewer service to any customer for any lawful reason, including without limitation, non-payment of monthly sewer charges. Prior to discontinuance of sewer service, the City shall provide written notice of such discontinuance to the customer by mail or by personal delivery of such notice to the customer’s address. If mailed notice is given, the sewer service shall not be discontinued prior to the eighth (8th) business day following mailing of the notice. If personal delivery of the notice is made, the sewer service shall not be discontinued prior to five o’clock (5:00) p.m. of the first business day following delivery. (Ord. 582, Ch. 4, §2; 5/6/1985).

2.24.120 – Property Owner Obligation to Pay Charges – Lien. All sewer connection fees, monthly charges, late charges, and any other charges relating to the Tekoa Public Sewer System shall be the obligation of, and shall be charged to, the owner of the premises served. The City of Tekoa shall ha a lien against the premises for any delinquent sewer charges. Such lien may be enforced by foreclosure as provided in RCW 35.67.290 until such time as all delinquent charges and a reconnection fee, listed in the fee schedule, have been paid to the City Clerk-Treasurer. (Ord. 731, §1, 7/3/2003; Ord. 582, Ch. 4, §3; 5/6/1985).

2.24.130 – Additional Definitions. Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms used in this Chapter shall be as follows:

1. “BOD” (denoting Biochemical Oxygen Demand) shall mean the quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five (5) days at 20°C, expressed in milligrams per liter.

2. “Building Drain” shall mean 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 five (5) feet (1.5) meters outside the inner face of the building wall.

3. “Building Sewer” shall mean the extension from the building drain to the public sewer or other place of disposal.

4. “Combined Sewer” shall mean a sewer receiving both surface runoff and sewage.

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

6. “Industrial Wastes” shall mean the liquid wastes from industrial manufacturing processes, trade, or business as distinct from sanitary sewage.

7. “Natural Outlet” shall mean any outlet into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake, or other body of surface or ground water.

8. “Person” shall mean any individual, firm, company, association, society, corporation, or group.

9. “pH” shall mean the logarithm of the reciprocal of the weight of hydrogen ions in grams per liter of solution.

10. “Property Shredded Garbage” shall mean the wastes from the preparation, cooking, and dispensing of food that 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 (1/2) inch (1.27 centimeters) in any dimension.

11. “Public Sewer” shall mean a sewer in which all owners of abutting properties have equal rights, and is controlled by public authority.

12. “Sanitary Sewer” shall mean a sewer which carries sewage and to which storm, surface, and groundwaters are not intentionally admitted.

13. “Sewage” shall mean a combination of the water-carried wastes from residences, business buildings, institutions, and industrial establishments, together with such ground surface, and stormwaters as may be present.

14. “Sewage Treatment Plant” shall mean any arrangement of devises and structures used for treating sewage.

15. “Sewage Works” shall mean all facilities for collecting, pumping, treating, and disposing of sewage.

16. “Sewer” shall mean a pipe or conduit for carrying sewage.

17. “Shall” is mandatory; “May” is permissive.

18. “Slug” shall mean any discharge of water, sewage, or industrial waste which in consideration of any given constituent or in quantity of flow exceeds for any period of duration longer than fifteen (15) minutes more than five (5) times the average twenty-four (24) hour concentration of flows during normal operation.

19. “Storm Drain” (sometimes termed “Storm Sewer”) shall mean a sewer which carries storm and surface waters and drainage, but excludes sewage and industrial wastes, other than unpolluted cooling water.

20. “Superintendent” shall mean the Superintendent of Sewage Works of the City of Tekoa, or his authorized deputy, agent, or representative.

21. “Suspended Solids” shall mean solids that either float on the surface of, or are in suspension in water, sewage, or other liquids, and which are removable by laboratory filtering.

22. “Watercourse” shall mean a channel in which a flow of water occurs, either continuously or intermittently. (Ord. 522, Art. I; 2/15/1975)

2.24.140 – Use of Public Sewers Required. It shall be unlawful for any person to place, deposit, or permit to be deposited in any unsanitary manner on public or private property within the City of Tekoa, or in any area under the jurisdiction of said City, any human or animal excrement, garbage, or other objectional waste.

It shall be unlawful to discharge to any natural outlet within the City of Tekoa, or in any area under the jurisdiction of said City, any sewage or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with subsequent provisions of this ordinance.

Except as herein provided, 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 sewage.

The owner of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes, situated within the City and abutting on any street, alley, or right-of-way in which there is now located or may in the future be located a public sanitary or combined sewer of the City, is hereby required at his expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance, within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within one hundred (100) feet of the property line. (Ord. 522, Art. II; 12/15/1975).

All permits, fees, inspections, materials, installation procedures and regulations required for approval and use of a private sewage disposal system shall be in accordance with applicable ordinances of Whitman County as administered by the Whitman County Health Department. (Ord. 522, Art. III; 12/15/1975).

Unless authorized by the City, the Superintendent shall construct the building of sewer. All costs and expense incident to the installation and connection of the building of sewer shall be borne by the owner and paid to the City before occupancy. The owner shall indemnify the City from any loss or damage that may directly or indirectly be occasioned by the installation of the building of sewer.

A separate and independent building sewer shall be provided for every building; except where one building stand sat 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.

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 Chapter (Ord. 522, Art. IV §§1-4; 12/15/1975).

1) Cast-iron soil pipe (ASTM Specification A-74)

2) Vitrified Clay pipe (ASTM Specification C-13)

3) Portland cement concrete pipe (ASTM Specification C-14) Extra Strength

4) Asbestos-cement pipe (ASTM Specification C428 or C296)

5) Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)Gravity Sewer Pipe and Fittings (ASTM Specification D3033 – Type PSP or ASTM Specification D3034 – Type TSM)

6) Acrylonitrile – butadiene – styrene drain, waste and vent (ABS-DWV) plastic pipe and fittings, schedule 40 (ASTM Specification D-2661)

7) Other pipe material as specifically authorized by the Superintendent of Sewers.

All ASTM Specifications referred to shall be the latest issue.

b) Non-metallic building sewer or drainage piping shall not be run or laid in the same trench with water service pipes or any underground water pipes unless both of the following requirements are met:

1) The bottom of the water piping at all points shall be a t least twelve (12) inches above the top of the sewer piping.

2) The water piping shall rest on a solid shelf at one side of the common trench.

If installed in filled or unstable ground, the building sewer shall be of cast iron pipe, except that non-metallic material may be accepted if laid on a suitable clean granular material or concrete bed or cradle as approved by the Superintendent of Sewers. Suitable clean-outs shall be located at the building drain connection and at all bends totaling 45° or greater and shall be located at a spacing no greater than 100 feet. The size and slope of the building sewer shall be subject to the approval of the Superintendent of Sewers, but in no event shall the inside diameter be less than four (4) inches for a single connection to a single family residence nor less than six (6) inches inside diameter for approved connections to two (2) single family or multiple residence. The size of building sewers for other connections shall be not less than six (6) inches inside diameter. The slope of such building sewer shall be not less than two (2) percent for four (4) inch and six (6) inch pipe. If the depth of the public sewer requires a lesser slope of the building sewer, such lesser slope must be approved by the Superintendent of Sewers, who shall require the owner to release the City in writing from all liability for damages caused by such lesser slope.

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.

c) The connection of the building sewer into the public sewer shall conform to the requirements of the building and plumbing code or other applicable rules and regulations of the City, or the procedures set forth in appropriate specifications of the A.S.T.M. and the W.P.C.F. 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.

d) If the City authorizes the applicant to construct the building sewer, the applicant 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 his representative.

e) 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. 522, Art. IV §§5, 6, 8-10; 12/15/1975).

2.24.180 – Repair Standards. All building sewer connections to the public sewer shall be maintained in a sanitary and watertight condition. If, in the opinion of the Supervisor, any such connection is in need of repair, the Supervisor, after 60 days written notice to the owner, may cause said repair to be made and file a statement of the cost thereof with the City Clerk and thereupon a warrant check shall be issued under the direction of the City against the water and sewer department for the payment of such cost. The amount of such cost, together with a penalty of 10 percent of the amount thereof, plus interest at 8 percent per annum upon the total amount of such cost and penalty shall be assessed against the property served by said building sewer and shall become a lien thereof. (Ord. 522, Art. IV §11; 12/15/1975).

2.24.190 -- Connecting Ground and Drain Water Prohibited. No person shall make connection of roof downspouts, exterior 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 sanitary sewer. All existing drains as described in this section shall be disconnected and the water therefrom disposed of elsewhere at the owners’ expense. Said disconnection to be accomplished within ninety (90) days from official notice. (Ord. 522, Art. IV §7; 12/15/1975).

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any stormwater, surface water, ground water, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, uncontaminated cooling water, or unpolluted industrial process water to any sanitary sewer. (Ord. 522, Art. V. §1; 12/15/1975).

a) 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 sewage treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, create a public nuisance, or create any hazard in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant, including but not limited to cyanides in excess of two (2) mg/l as CN in the wastes as discharged to the public sewer.
3. Any waters 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.

4. 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.

b) 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, 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 forming his opinion as to the acceptability of these wastes, the Superintendent will give consideration to such factors as to 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, degree of treatability of wastes in the sewage treatment plant, and other pertinent factors. The substances prohibited are:

1) Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than one hundred fifty (150°F) (65°C).

2) Any water or waste containing fats, wax, grease, or oils, whether emulsified or not, in excess of one hundred (100) mg/l or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between thirty-two (32) and one hundred fifty (150°F) (0 and 65°C).

3) Any garbage that has not been property shredded. The installation and operation of any garbage grinder equipped with a motor of three-fourths (3/4) 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 iron 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 sewage at the sewage treatment works exceeds the limits established by the Superintendent for such materials.

6) Any waters or wastes containing phenols or other taste or odor producing substances, in such concentrations exceeding limits which may be established by the Superintendent as necessary, after treatment of the composite sewage, to meet the requirements of the State, Federal, or other public agencies of jurisdiction for such discharge to the receiving waters.

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) Any waters or wastes having a pH in excess of (9.5).

9) Materials which exert or cause:

(i) 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 and sodium sulfate).

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

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

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

10) Waters or wastes containing substances which are not amendable to treatment or reduction by the sewage treatment processes employed, or are amendable 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.

c) If any waters or wastes are discharged, or are proposed to be discharged to the public sewers, which waters contain the substances or poses the characteristics enumerated in Section 2.24.210(b) of this Code, and which in the judgment of the Superintendent, 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 Superintendent may:

1) Reject the wastes

2) Require the pretreatment to an acceptable condition for discharge to the public sewers

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 sewer charges under the provisions of Section 10 of the Article.

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. 522, Art. V, §§3-6; 12/15/1975).