A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, deposit or permit to be deposited any sewage, except non-contact cooling waters, on the ground surface of any public or private property within the jurisdiction of the City.
B. 
It shall be unlawful to discharge any sewage except noncontact cooling waters to any natural outlet within the jurisdiction of the City, except where authorized by the DNR.
C. 
Except as provided for in Section 9.02.22., 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.
D. 
The owner of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes situated within the jurisdiction of the City and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is located a sanitary sewer is hereby required, at their expense, to install suitable toilet facilities therein and to connect such facilities directly with the public sewer collection system in accordance with the provisions of this section within a period determined by the City Engineer but in no event more than one year and to pay such connection charges as may be established herein or by other ordinance.
A. 
Where a sanitary sewer is not available, the building sewer shall be connected to a private, individual sewage system complying with the provisions of this section.
B. 
Before commencement of construction of a private sewage system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the City Engineer. The application for such permit shall be made on a form furnished by the City, which the applicant shall supplement by any plans, specifications and/or other information as is deemed necessary by the City Engineer. The application fee is located within the City Fee Schedule and is due at the time the application is filed.
C. 
A permit for a private sewage system shall not become effective until the installation is completed and approved by the City Engineer or designee. The City Engineer or designee shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction; and in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the City Engineer or designee when the work is ready for final inspection and before any underground portions are covered. The inspection shall be made within 48 hours of the receipt of notice by the City Engineer or designee.
D. 
The type, capacity, location and layout of a private, individual sewage disposal system shall comply with § NR 214.16, Wis. Adm. Code.
E. 
At such time as a sanitary sewer becomes available to a property served by a private sewage system, as provided in Section 9.02.21D, a direct connection shall be made to the sanitary sewer in compliance with this section, and any septic tanks, cesspools and similar private or individual sewage facilities shall be abandoned in accordance with § NR 214.16, Wis. Adm. Code.
A. 
No authorized person shall alter, disturb or uncover any connections with or opening into any sanitary sewer or appurtenance thereof without first obtaining written permission from the City Engineer.
B. 
Permits and charges:
1. 
Two classes of building sewer permits.
a. 
For establishments producing only domestic wastewaters, including residences, institutions, public facilities and commercial establishments; and
b. 
For service to establishments producing industrial wastewater.
2. 
In either case, the owner or their representative 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.
3. 
For each sewer and water inspection, there shall be a permit fee as set forth in the City of Onalaska Fee Schedule In addition, there shall be a charge pursuant to the project's value. This fee is to be applicable for installation and inspection for connections to the main or end of the lateral at the curb to the buildings, as well as for septic tank and dry well installations, also for each tap and water service pipe connected to the City water main, including fire protection services.
C. 
Sewer laterals. All costs for the installation, connection, maintenance, and replacement of sewer laterals connected to City mains and interceptors shall be the responsibility of the property owner. The property owner shall indemnify the City from any loss or damage that may directly or indirectly be occasioned by the installation and upkeep of the sewer lateral.
[Amended 3-8-2022 by Ord. No. 1726-2022]
D. 
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 individual sewage system 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 in such cases to the rear building and the whole considered as one building sewer.
E. 
Old building sewers may be used in connection with new buildings only when they are found, on examination and test by the City Engineer or designee, to meet all requirements of this section.
F. 
The size, slope, alignment, materials of construction of a building sewer, and the methods to be used in excavating, placing of the pipe, jointing, testing and backfilling the trench shall all conform to the requirements of current State of Wisconsin Plumbing Code, except that bituminous fiber pipe shall not be allowed.
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 sanitary sewer, sewage carried by such a building drain shall be lifted and discharged to the building sewer by facilities conforming to current State of Wisconsin Plumbing Code, Wis. Adm. Code.
H. 
No person shall make connection of roof downspouts, exterior foundation drains, areaway drains, basement sump pumps or other sources of surface runoff or groundwater to the building sewer or building drain which, in turn, is connected directly or indirectly to a sanitary sewer. If such connections are found during an inspection by the City Engineer or designee, the penalty provisions of Section 9.02.14[1] are applicable.
[1]
Editor's Note: So in original.
I. 
The connection of the building sewer into the sanitary sewer shall conform to the requirements of Section 9.02.23F above.
J. 
The applicant for the building sewer permit shall notify the City Engineer or designee when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection to the sanitary sewer. The connection shall be made under the supervision of the City Engineer or designee.
1. 
All excavations for building sewer installation shall be adequately guarded with barricades and lights so as to minimize the hazard to public welfare and safety. Streets, sidewalks, parkways and other public property disturbed in the course of the work shall be restored in a manner satisfactory to the City.
2. 
Where sanitary sewer construction requires excavation of streets or sidewalks, the applicant shall be required to obtain a permit for excavation from the City Engineering Department.
K. 
All building sewers, both new and existing, shall be maintained in such condition as to prevent inflow or infiltration of unpolluted waters from the groundwater table, storm runoff or other sources. If, during an inspection defined in Section 9.02.13B of this Title, upon plugging the building sewer at or near its point of entry into the sanitary sewer, unpolluted water should be observed by the City Engineer or designee to back up into the building being served, the building sewer shall be declared defective and correction shall be ordered under Section 9.02.14.
A. 
All industrial users subject to categorical standards or required to pretreat industrial waste who discharge or propose to discharge wastewaters to the wastewater collection system shall maintain such records of production and related factors, effluent flows and pollutant amounts or concentrations as are necessary to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of this division and any applicable state or federal pretreatment standards or requirements.
B. 
The owner or operator of any premises or facility discharging industrial wastes subject to categorical pretreatment standards or required to pretreat industrial waste shall install, at their own cost and expense, suitable monitoring equipment to facilitate the accurate observation, sampling and measurement of wastes. Such equipment shall be maintained in proper working order and kept safe and accessible at all times.
C. 
Industrial records relating to wastewater discharges shall be available upon request by the City. All treatment standards shall be made available to officials of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources upon demand.
D. 
Monitoring equipment shall be located and maintained on the industrial user's premises outside of the building. When such a location would be impractical or cause undue hardship on the user, the City may allow modifications as necessary.
E. 
When more than one user can discharge into a common sewer, the City may require the installation of separate monitoring equipment for each user. Where there is a significant difference in wastewater constituents or characteristics produced by different operations of a single user, the City may require that separate monitoring facilities be installed for each separate discharge.
F. 
Whether constructed on public or private property, the monitoring facilities shall be constructed in accordance with the City's requirements and all applicable construction standards and specifications.
A. 
Compliance determinations with respect to Section 9.03.32C prohibitions and limitations may be made on the basis of either instantaneous grab samples or composite samples of wastewater. Composite samples may be taken over a twenty-four-hour period or cover a longer or shorter time span, as determined necessary by the City to meet the needs of specific circumstances.
B. 
Laboratory analysis of industrial wastewater samples shall be performed in accordance with the current edition of "Standard Methods," "Methods for Chemical Analysis of Water and Waste," published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or the "Annual Book of Standards, Part 23, Water, Atmospheric Analysis," published by the American Society for Testing and Materials.
C. 
Sampling of industrial wastewater for the purpose of compliance determination with respect to Section 9.03.32C prohibitions and limitations will be done at intervals as the City may designate. However, it is the intention of the City to conduct compliance sampling or to cause such sampling to be conducted for all industrial users subject to categorical standards or required to pretreat industrial wastes at least once per year.
A. 
Purpose. The purpose of this section is the regulation of the collection and disposal of grease interceptor waste for the protection of the City sanitary sewer system and the environment. The objective of this section is to reduce the operational and maintenance costs to the City of maintaining the sanitary sewer system by preventing the accumulation of grease within the collection system lines. This section shall apply to the City of Onalaska and to persons outside the City who, by contract, agreement or otherwise with the City, are users of the City's sanitary sewer. This section shall be in addition to any restrictions, regulations or prohibitions set forth in Section 9.03.32.
B. 
Administration. The City of Onalaska shall administer, implement, and enforce the regulations of this section.
C. 
Applicability.
1. 
Waste that contains grease shall be discharged into the sanitary sewer system only under the conditions of this division. The following facilities shall discharge all waste from sinks, dishwashers, drains, and any other fixtures through which grease may be discharged into an adequately sized, properly maintained and functioning grease interceptor before the discharge enters the sanitary sewer. The following facilities shall also provide a grease interceptor(s), inlet flow control device, inspection port and a grease interceptor effluent monitoring port.
2. 
Every commercial food preparation and food service facility, including but not limited to bakeries, cafes, commercial kitchens, delicatessens, ice cream parlors, hospitals, restaurants, schools, and similar facilities, especially where meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products or fried foods are prepared or served:
a. 
All shopping centers that have food-processing facilities;
b. 
All food courts;
c. 
All other facilities discharging grease in amounts that, in the opinion of the City of Onalaska, will, alone or in combination with other substances from the discharges of the same or other facilities, have a reasonable chance to inhibit the flow in the sanitary sewer;
d. 
All new areas of intensified use or dwelling, including, but not limited to, adult day-care facilities, assisted living facilities, convalescent homes, day nursing and child-care facilities in which food preparation occurs, homes for the mentally challenged, hotels, maternity homes, motels in which there is a commercial food preparation service, nursing homes, retirement and life-care communities and homes, and truck stops with commercial food service, shall be required to have grease interceptors. Modifications to existing facilities that do not add new buildings or new grease-generating activities are exempt from this requirement; and
e. 
Interceptors shall not be required for single-family residences, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, or apartment complexes unless the City first determines there are discharges from the property that may create problems in the sanitary sewer system. The determination shall be made based upon an investigation of the property and a comparison of the content and amount of discharge from the property with the discharges of other properties similar in size and use. Upon a determination that the discharges may create problems in the sanitary sewer system, the City may require the installation of a sufficiently sized grease interceptor to treat the discharges.
D. 
Compliance and time line.
1. 
On or after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section, an existing facility shall be required to install an approved, adequately sized, and properly operated and maintained grease interceptor when any of the following conditions exist:
a. 
It is found by the City of Onalaska to be contributing grease in potential quantities sufficient to inhibit sanitary sewer flow or necessitate increased maintenance on the sanitary sewer collection system in order to keep impairments to the main line flow from occurring.
b. 
It is remodeling the food preparation or kitchen waste plumbing facilities in such a manner to be subject to a permit issued by the Inspection Department.
c. 
Its interceptor allows a discharge of oil or grease in excess of 250 mg/l.
2. 
New facilities required by this or other applicable ordinances to maintain a grease interceptor shall install such a unit prior to commencement of discharge to the sanitary sewer system.
3. 
Any requests for extensions to installation dates must be made, in writing, to the City of Onalaska at least 30 days in advance of the compliance date. The written request shall include the reasons for the facility's failure or inability to comply with the compliance date set forth, the additional time needed to complete the remaining work, and the steps to be taken to avoid future delays. The City of Onalaska shall determine the date for compliance.
4. 
Existing facilities required by this or other applicable ordinances to maintain a grease interceptor that demonstrate that the installation of a grease trap is not feasible may use bioremediation as an alternative. The City of Onalaska will determine whether a facility may exercise this option for sanitary sewer maintenance. The bioremediation method and product must be approved by the City of Onalaska, in writing, prior to use in the drainage system. In addition, the operator must maintain written documentation of a current contract with a bioremediation supplier approved through the City of Onalaska.
E. 
Discharge criteria.
1. 
Where oil and grease are a by-product of food preparation and/or cleanup, reasonable efforts shall be made to separate waste oil and grease into a separate container for proper disposal. Except as contained in by-products of food preparation and/or cleanup, waste oil and grease shall not be discharged to any drains or grease interceptors. Such waste shall be placed in a container designed to hold such waste and either utilized by industry or disposed of at suitable locations.
2. 
None of the following agents shall be placed directly into a grease interceptor or into any drain that leads to the interceptor:
a. 
Emulsifiers, de-emulsifiers, surface active agents, enzymes, degreasers, or any type of product that will liquefy grease interceptor wastes;
b. 
Any substance that may cause excessive foaming in the sanitary sewer system; or
c. 
Any substance capable of passing the solid or semisolid contents of the grease interceptor to the sanitary sewer system.
3. 
The influent to interceptors shall not exceed 150° F. The temperature at the flow control device inspection port shall be considered equivalent to the temperature of the influent.
4. 
Toilets, urinals, and other similar fixtures shall not discharge through a grease interceptor.
5. 
Waste shall only enter the grease interceptor through the inlet flow control device.
6. 
Where food-waste grinders are installed, the waste from such units shall discharge directly into the building drainage system without passing through a grease interceptor. Living quarters are exempted from this requirement.
F. 
Requirements for grease interceptors.
1. 
The operator must apply for all necessary permits prior to installation of any grease trap or interceptor.
2. 
The Plumbing Inspector assigned by the City will oversee the installation of the trap or interceptor.
3. 
Grease traps shall be installed a minimum distance of 10 feet from sinks and dishwashers to allow for adequate cooling of wastewater. Water temperatures must be less than 150° F. prior to entering grease trap.
4. 
Sample port. A sample port shall be installed on the effluent line of each grease trap. The port shall be a minimum of six inches in diameter and be connected to the sewer line at a ninety-degree angle to allow for sampling activities. The port shall be installed in such a manner as to be protected from stormwater contamination and maintained in a safe and proper operating condition. The plug on the sample port must be easily removable.
G. 
Interceptor maintenance.
1. 
It shall be unlawful for a grease or grit generator to allow grease or grit interceptor waste to be removed from their premises by a transporter who does not have all applicable federal, state, or local permits or registrations, including any permit required by the City of Onalaska. If a vacuum truck company is used to remove the grease from the interceptor or trap, the following information must be kept on file with the operator and submitted to the City of Onalaska.
a. 
The vacuum truck company name, address, and telephone number;
b. 
The name of a primary and secondary contact person at the vacuum truck company;
c. 
The City of Onalaska/La Crosse County Health Department permit number;
d. 
Be signed and dated by an authorized representative of the vacuum truck company indicating acceptance of the terms of the contract;
e. 
The name, address, and telephone number of the disposal site; and
f. 
The signature of the facility representative present when the grease trap was cleaned.
2. 
The vacuum truck company shall provide a certificate of insurance, certificate of assurance, and certificate of indemnification to the City of Onalaska.
3. 
Facilities are responsible for maintaining grease traps in continuous proper working condition. Further, facilities are responsible for inspecting, repairing, replacing, or installing apparatus and equipment as necessary to ensure proper operation and function of grease traps and compliance with discharge limitations at all times.
4. 
Records of maintenance are required to be maintained on site for three years (ninety-day maintenance frequency assumes proper sizing and installation consistent with this guidance).
5. 
The facility shall maintain adequate documentation that the grease interceptor is appropriately cleaned and inspected.
H. 
Required pumping frequency.
1. 
Unless otherwise specified, in writing, by the City of Onalaska, each grease interceptor in active use shall be cleaned at least once every calendar quarter or more frequently as needed to prevent carryover of grease into the sanitary sewer system, unless it is demonstrated to the City that the pumping frequency can be performed at greater intervals without impairment of the operation of the public sewer. The City of Onalaska may specify cleaning more frequently when quarterly pumping is determined, by the City, to be inadequate. Any grease generator desiring a schedule less frequent than quarterly shall submit a request to the City of Onalaska.
2. 
The facility shall be responsible for providing such additional pumping as needed.
3. 
All grease interceptors shall be maintained by the facility at the facility's expense.
I. 
Interceptor maintenance log. Every facility having a grease interceptor shall maintain an interceptor maintenance log indicating each pumping for the previous three years. This log shall include the date, time, amount pumped, hauler and disposal site, initials of individual recording the information, and shall be kept in a conspicuous location on the premises of the facility for inspection. Said log shall be made immediately available to any authorized inspector.
J. 
Fees.
1. 
The City, with the approval of the City Council, has the option to establish permit fees under this section in the City Fee Schedule.
2. 
The fees for such permits shall be for a permit issued for a period of one year. The control authority may prorate the amounts for permits with shorter durations. All permits will expire at 12:00 midnight on the date specified on the permit as determined by the City.
K. 
Violation.
1. 
It is unlawful for any person and/or facility to discharge into the sanitary sewer system in any manner that is in violation of this division or of any condition set forth in this division. No person shall cause or permit the plugging or blocking of, or otherwise interfere with or permit the interference of the operation of, a grease interceptor or the sanitary sewer system, including alteration or removal of any flow-constricting devices so as to cause flow to rise above the design capacity of the interceptor.
2. 
No person and/or facility shall discharge grease in excess of 250 mg/l to the sanitary sewer system.
3. 
The City of Onalaska may suspend water or sewer service when such suspension is necessary, in the opinion of the La Crosse Count Health Department and/or City, in order to stop an actual or threatened discharge which:
a. 
Presents or may present an imminent or substantial endangerment to the health or welfare of persons or the environment;
b. 
Causes or may cause stoppages or excessive maintenance to be required to prevent stoppages in the sanitary sewer collection system;
c. 
Causes interference to the sanitary sewer system; or
d. 
Causes the City to violate any condition of its NPDES community discharge permit.
4. 
Any person notified of a suspension of the water or sewer service shall immediately stop or eliminate the discharge. In the event of a failure of the person to comply voluntarily with a suspension order, the City may take such steps as deemed necessary, including immediate termination of water or sewer service, to prevent or minimize actual or threatened damage to the sanitary sewer system or sewer connection or endangerment to any individuals. The City shall reinstate the water or sewer service upon receipt of proof that such conditions causing the suspension have passed or been eliminated. A detailed written statement submitted by the facility describing the cause(s) of the harmful discharge and the measure(s) taken to prevent any future occurrence shall be submitted to the City within 15 days of the date of occurrence.
5. 
Any person who violates any provision of this section, or who shall fail to comply with any provision hereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be subject to a fine of not more than $500 for each violation and each day a violation continues, shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punished accordingly.
6. 
In addition to any applicable fines or penalties, a violator shall be liable to the City for any expense, loss, or damage occasioned by the City for cleanup and proper disposal of said materials. The violator shall be further required to pay an administrative fee equal to 1/2 of assessed cleanup costs.
7. 
The City has the option to take additional action against any facility that has caused three or more sanitary sewer blockages in one calendar year due to excess grease accumulation.