[Adopted 3-28-1979 by L.L. No. 2-1979 as Ch. 318 of the 1979 Code]
This article shall be known as the "Sewer System Licensing and Use Law of the Town of Ramapo."
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BOARD
The Town Board of the Town of Ramapo, County of Rockland, New York.
DISTRICT
All sewer districts of the Town presently existing or hereinafter constituted, except for those of the Villages of Sloatsburg, Hillburn, Suffern, Pomona, New Square and Spring Valley.
[Amended 2-6-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012]
HOUSE SEWER
Includes all pipes and appurtenances necessary to connect a building with the system, and it shall begin at the inside face of the foundation wall, or at an equivalent place, and it shall end at the connection to the system. Two or more rules and regulations may apply to different parts of the house sewer. The Board shall levy appropriate taxes or sewer rentals for sewer service upon the property owner within said district and shall collect such taxes or sewer rentals as authorized. The Town Board shall govern all sewer districts in accordance with applicable law and specifications and regulations for sewers issued by the New York State Department of Health and the Rockland County Department of Health.[1]
[Amended 2-6-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012]
SEWER CONTRACTOR
Any person, firm or corporation acting as agent for the owner and performing the work necessary to lay, relay or repair sewer pipe or connections, or any appurtenant part thereto.
[Added 2-6-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012]
SYSTEM
All sewers, sewer lines and appurtenances to the sewer improvement in said district.
TOWN
The Town of Ramapo, County of Rockland, New York.
[1]
Editor's Note: The definition of "Superintendent," which immediately followed this definition, was repealed and all references in this article to the "Superintendent" were amended to "Director of Public Works" 2-6-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012.
[Amended 2-6-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012]
It shall be the responsibility of the owner for whom a house connection is being furnished to procure any necessary permits for street openings and to replace the street surface as provided by the New York State Highway Law and any regulations issued thereunder by the Town of Ramapo Superintendent of Highways or any other department or agency having jurisdiction. Any person, firm or corporation acting as agent for the owner and desiring to lay, relay or repair sewer pipe or connections, or any appurtenant part thereto, in or below the surface of any private or public highway, road, street or avenue within the district to connect to any part of the system shall, prior to the commencement of any work, apply for and obtain the permit required in the manner provided in the New York State Highway Law and may on behalf of the owner obtain the street opening permit as provided above. Such person, firm or corporation, except when he or it is proceeding under contract with the Town and/or district, shall be licensed in the manner provided by § 218-26 of this article.
A. 
An owner or his agent, before commencing any work or excavation for a house sewer or connection to the sewer, or before making any alterations or additions to existing house sewers or connections which may be or are proposed to be connected to the system, shall file with the Director of Public Works a written application for a permit, signed by him or his agent on the form provided by the Director of Public Works. Said application shall be accompanied by a complete description of the proposed work, together with a plan or sketch thereof showing in detail the location of the proposed connection, the contract price and such other pertinent facts as the Director of Public Works may request. No work shall be done and no connection shall be made until the application has been approved and permission given by the Director of Public Works. No connection to the system shall be made except under inspection of the Director of Public Works and not before public notice is given by the Board that the system is in readiness for use.
B. 
All charges, fees or rates for said permit shall be due and payable in advance to the Town and when so paid shall be credited to the operation and maintenance fund of the district. Any such permit will be issued upon the express condition that the Board may, at the recommendation of the Director of Public Works, at any time revoke and annul same if it is deemed for the best interests of the district and Town. Such person, firm or corporation, except when he or it is proceeding under contract with the Town and/or district, shall be licensed in the manner provided by § 218-26 of this article.
[Amended 1-25-1995 by L.L. No. 2-1995; 8-13-2003 by L.L. No. 3-2003; 2-6-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012]
One permit shall be issued to cover the excavation and construction of the house sewer and/or to disconnect the existing house drain or sewer pipe from the cesspool or septic tank and then to connect it to the newly laid house sewer discharging into the street sewer, the fee for which shall be $150. If no permit is issued within 30 days, the fees shall be returned to the applicant, together with one copy of the filed application with the reasons for rejection noted thereon and signed by the Director of Public Works. The permit fee shall not be refunded once a sewer permit is issued. In the event the property owner chooses to change sewer contractors after a sewer permit is issued, a new permit must be obtained.
[Added 2-6-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012]
The Department of Public Works shall review all building permit applications for installation of plumbing facilities in basements or below the first floor, for which a sewer review fee, as set forth in the Standard Schedule of Fees, shall be paid.
[Amended 2-6-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012]
All house sewer construction shall be done by the owner or contractor at the owner's cost and expense between the lateral connection left by the Town at the property line and the building. The Director of Public Works shall approve, subject to § 218-22, the opening into the existing sewer for the house connection. Where the existing sewer main is not located in a public street, the person desiring to connect with such sewer main shall relocate said main in the nearest public street in accordance with specification of the Director of Public Works.
A. 
License required. Every person, firm or corporation, before the commencement of any work to construct a house sewer or connection to the sewer system, shall make application in writing to the Director of Public Works for a license.
B. 
Application for license. Prior to the issuance of any license by the Director of Public Works, an applicant shall furnish to the Director of Public Works satisfactory proof as follows:
(1) 
That said applicant is qualified to do such work in a good, workmanlike manner.
(2) 
That said application is accompanied by bond with sureties acceptable to the Board, in the sum of not less than $10,000, guaranteeing:
(a) 
That the applicant shall duly and faithfully perform said work in all respects.
(b) 
That the applicant shall comply in all respects with all rules and regulations established by the Town.
(c) 
That the applicant will indemnify the Town for all loss or damage that may result from his work for a period of not less than one year from date of completion and approval by the Director of Public Works.
(d) 
That the applicant, as a condition of approval of the license, is deemed to guarantee to each and every owner for whom work shall be performed, for a period of not less than one year after date of completion and approval by the Director of Public Works of the work to be performed, the proper construction and installation of the work performed.
(e) 
That the applicant will receive a permit from the Town before commencing any work or excavation.
(f) 
That in the event the applicant has been deemed to have violated this article or any rule or regulation, upon notice thereof said applicant will forthwith, at his own expense, cure said violation, and in the event of his failure to do so within a reasonable time thereafter, said violation may be cured by the Town, and any expense incidental thereto will be paid by the applicant.
(3) 
The fee for such license shall be $50 payable to the Town upon submission of the application.
[Amended 12-22-1982 by L.L. No. 10-1982]
C. 
Insurance required. The applicant shall furnish certificates of public liability insurance in the sum of $50,000 and $100,000 and property damage insurance in the sum of $5,000, which shall indemnify and save harmless the district and Town, its officers, agents and employees, from all suits and actions for the recovery of damages, money or otherwise, for and on account of any injury or damages resulting in death or otherwise received or sustained by any person, persons or property as a direct or indirect result of any work, labor or materials used by the applicant and/or as a result of negligence, carelessness or recklessness of the applicant in the performance of said work and/or as a result of any act of omission or commission of said applicant. Said applicant shall have workmen's compensation insurance as required by law, and the application shall be accompanied by certificates thereof or by satisfactory proof of the exemption. All of said policies of insurance shall bear an endorsement in favor of the Town of Ramapo.
D. 
Cancellation and renewal of licenses. Upon receiving said certificate from the Board, the applicant shall furnish to the Director of Public Works a certificate of issuance signed by the Town Clerk. Said license may be canceled and annulled by the Board for cause after a public hearing thereon, but such license shall be automatically canceled and annulled upon the expiration of either the bond or the insurance required for such license. The owner of such canceled license shall not thereafter be licensed for a period of two years after the date of the cancellation of said license. Said license shall expire on the 31st day of December in each year succeeding the date of its initial issuance.
[Amended 2-6-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012]
E. 
Work performed by owner.
(1) 
Nothing herein contained shall prevent any owner from constructing the connection and/or furnishing the material from the house drain to the property line and any owner doing such work on his private property need not, unless required by any other law, obtain a license nor furnish any bond, public liability insurance nor any workmen's compensation insurance but shall otherwise comply with this article.
(2) 
The owner shall comply with this article concerning any work necessary and materials for the connection and shall obtain all necessary street opening permits.
A. 
No trench shall be backfilled nor shall any portion of the pipe or fitting be covered until inspected and approved by the Director of Public Works. Application for inspection shall be made in writing to the Director of Public Works within 24 hours of when the building sewer is ready for inspection, and such inspection shall be made as soon as practical thereafter. Verbal requests may be made for inspection; however, only written requests shall constitute documented proof of the request.
[Amended 2-6-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012]
B. 
Upon approval of the work performed, the Director of Public Works shall issue a certificate of use for said sewer connection, the issuance of which shall remain subject to the requirements of § 218-22. The certificate of use may be revoked by the Director of Public Works for any violation of this article. The owner shall be entitled to appeal said revocation to the Board, which shall hear the same at a public hearing duly advertised at which the Director of Public Works shall be present. The Board may restore the certificate or approve the action of the Director of Public Works.
All buildings or premises within the district shall be connected with said system as provided by any applicable County of Rockland regulation, local law or ordinance. Whether or not said connection is made, all sewer rentals or assessments shall commence as required by law.
[Amended 2-6-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012]
If and when a sewer connection is completed and approved, for any property upon which buildings are located, existing waste disposal facilities, including privy vaults, cesspools, septic tanks or similar facilities, shall immediately be disconnected and filled with a suitable material or completely crushed so that no underground void remains; they shall be abandoned by the property owner within 30 days after final inspection and approval of the street sewer by the Director of Public Works. The Town of Ramapo shall not provide any inspections of the abandoned tank. The property owner shall be solely responsible for filling the abandoned tank or facility.
[Amended 2-6-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to cause, allow or permit the discharge of sewage wastes from any building or buildings or premises within the sewer district into or upon any highway, private or public way, stream, watercourse, ditch, either surface or subsurface, groundwater drain or stormwater drain.
B. 
Every building shall have a separate and independent connection with the district sewer directly in front of the land upon which it is situated except as otherwise permitted. When a building is situated in the rear of another building, provided that both are on the same tax lot parcel and in the same ownership, both buildings may be connected into a single house sewer. No buildings in separate ownership shall be permitted to share the same house sewer.
C. 
Size of house sewer. For single, two-family and three-family residences the street lateral portion of the house sewer shall be six inches in diameter. For single and two-family homes the building lateral portion of the house sewer shall be four inches in diameter. The building lateral shall be six inches in diameter for three-family homes. Proposed house sewer sizes for commercial buildings are subject to the approval of the Director of Public Works.
D. 
In each house drain constructed subsequent to the adoption of this article, at a point just inside of the cellar wall, a four-inch standard cleanout fitting with screw ferrules shall be provided. The lowest part of the screw ferrule shall be placed at a point not less than 12 inches above the cellar floor or the highest portion thereof if at different elevations.
E. 
Construction materials for house sewers.
(1) 
Approved materials for sanitary sewer pipe are cast-iron, ductile iron, and polyvinyl chloride pipe; other pipe materials shall require the approval of the Director of Public Works.
(2) 
Class of pipe shall conform to manufacturer's recommendations for width of trench, depth of cover and class of bedding.
(3) 
Cast-iron sewer pipe shall conform to federal specifications for CIP WW-P421A. Cast-iron soil pipe shall conform to Standard Specification for CI Soil Pipe ASTM Designation A74-75 Extra Heavy. Neoprene gaskets shall conform to ASTM Designation C564-70.
(4) 
Ductile iron pipe shall be centrifugally cast in metal molds in accordance with ANSI/AWWA C151/A21.51. Gaskets shall be furnished in accordance with ANSI/AWWA C111/A21.11. Asphaltic outside coating and inside lining and coating are in accordance with ANSI/AWWA C151/A21.10.
(5) 
Polyvinyl chloride pipe shall conform to ASTM Specification D 3034-78 SDR 35, using elastomeric gasket joints.
(6) 
Trenching.
(a) 
The trench width at the point at the top of the pipe shall not exceed two feet plus the diameter of the pipe.
(b) 
All pipe, regardless of type or size, shall be laid on a bed of from four inches to six inches of three-quarter-inch crushed stone. All loose earth shall be removed from excavation, then stone shall be placed in excavation and brought to grade, then pipe shall be bedded in the stone.
(c) 
All connections on main, between consecutive manholes, shall be accurately measured and recorded, certified as to accuracy by the subdivider or subdivider's engineer as required by Local Law No. 1, County of Rockland, Article VIII, Section I, and submitted to the Director of Public Works. Depth of connection at curb below finished grade shall also be recorded.
(d) 
All sanitary sewer pipe shall have a minimum cover of 2.5 feet in all paved and proposed paved areas. Lesser cover may be approved by the Director of Public Works on a case-by-case basis, which may include encasement of the sewer in concrete.
(e) 
Sanitary sewer lines and water service lines must have a minimum separation of 10 feet.
(7) 
Backfilling.
(a) 
Semi-granular material shall be used for backfilling. Material shall be free of large stone, hard dry lumps, wood and trees and, in cold weather, free of frozen lumps.
(b) 
All pipe shall be backfilled by hand in six-inch layers to a point 1 1/2 feet above the top of the pipe. Each layer shall be tamped. The backfill shall be tamped around the lower half of pipe. The remainder of backfilling may be done in a manner acceptable to the Director of Public Works.
(c) 
Sewer trenches, in existing or proposed roads, shall be backfilled and tamped in layers of one foot each. Pavement shall be restored subject to the terms of the applicable road opening permit and approval of the Director of Public Works. The contractor shall maintain restored pavement until such time that the Superintendent of Highways shall give approval of the job.
(8) 
House connections.
(a) 
House connection pipe shall be laid to minimum grade of 1/4 inch to one foot, unless otherwise approved by the Director of Public Works. House connection under public or proposed public roads shall not exceed 50 linear feet without specific permission of the Director of Public Works.
(b) 
Pipes and joints for house connections shall conform to the sewer pipe specifications shown above.
(c) 
All house connections at the main shall be of the Y type, installed at the same time as the main and at a point on the main indicated on the plan by the builder or builder's engineer. In the event that no Y was installed for a given lot, an approved saddle shall be installed by the builder.
(d) 
Joints between PVC and CIP shall be adapters by manufacturer of pipe, or flexible rubber couplings as manufactured by Fernco, Inc., or approved equal. Proposed joints between other dissimilar materials shall be subject to the manufacturer's recommendations and approval of the Director of Public Works.
(e) 
The ends of all house connections shall be terminated with a permanent, waterproof, approved cap or plug until such time as the house soil line and house connection line are joined.
(f) 
Cleanouts shall be constructed just outside the building foundation wall and at the right-of-way line where the street lateral transitions to the house lateral. Cleanouts shall be installed at intervals not exceeding 90 feet measuring from the main and at ninety-degree change of direction where long radius bends are not used. Cleanouts shall be brought up to approximately one foot below ground level. Cleanouts in a paved area may be brought up almost to ground level, protected by a masonry box and steel plate. The location of the cleanout caps shall be triangulated off of fixed objects and submitted to the Sewer Inspector.
(g) 
No backfilling of house connection shall be allowed without express permission of the Department of Public Works after pipe installation has been inspected and approved.
(h) 
Permit to connect to public sewers shall be taken out before any work commences. All applications shall be filled out completely and signed by both owner and contractor. Contractors must be licensed in accordance with provisions of this article.
(i) 
House connection inspection requests shall be called in or submitted with sewer permit number, tax lot number and name and address of owner. These items shall also be available to the inspector at the job site.
(j) 
A grease and oil interceptor tank shall be installed in house connection lines or restaurants, luncheonettes, nursing homes, hospitals, gas stations and garages with floor drains, automobile laundries, and other types of commercial establishments as may be required at the discretion of the Department of Public Works, Rockland County Sewer District No. 1.
(k) 
Any subdivision with "dry" sewers shall, at the time of sanitary sewer construction, install house connection lines to within five feet of CI soil pipe coming out of the foundation. All house connection ends shall be triangulated from two house corners or labeled, permanent objects, in relation to CI soil pipe and submitted to the Department of Public Works by the subdivider or subdivider's engineer and certified as to accuracy by a licensed professional engineer according to Local Law No. 1, County of Rockland, Article VIII, Section 1.
(9) 
Manholes.
(a) 
Manholes shall be installed in street sewer at a maximum distance of 300 feet apart unless otherwise approved by the Department of Public Works.
(b) 
Manholes shall be of an approved precast concrete type, with resilient gaskets at section joints and with resilient seals at pipe to manhole joints or approved equal. Any deviation from this method must be approved by the Department of Public Works. Refer to Construction Drawing Nos. 2 and 3, copies of which may be obtained from the Department of Public Works.
(c) 
Manholes shall be cast with proper deflections and elevations on inlets and outlets and be on the job site before any pipe installation begins.
(d) 
Manholes shall be constructed on a firm base. Unstable material shall be removed from excavation and stone or concrete used to establish a stable base, as determined by the Department of Public Works.
(e) 
Drop manholes shall be constructed when there is a change of grade at the manhole of 24 inches or more. Details are shown on Construction Drawing No. 3, copies of which may be obtained from the Department of Public Works.
(f) 
Depths of inverts in manholes shall be 3/4 diameter of sewer pipe. Portland cement mortar shall be used for the building of inverts.
(g) 
Manhole castings shall be brought up to finished grade with the use of riser sections. A maximum of 10 inches of laid-up masonry may be used between manhole and casting. Casting shall be Campbell No. 1203 or approved equal. Cover shall be Campbell No. 1203-107 or approved equal. Manholes in easements shall have locking-type covers. Refer to Construction Drawing No. 4, copies of which may be obtained from the Department of Public Works.
(h) 
Watertight EPDM rubber seals as supplied by Infi-shield, Inc., or an approved equal shall be installed between manhole section joints. The Department of Public Works shall determine the applicable section joints.
(10) 
The Department of Public Works shall be notified 24 hours before start of job, and cut sheets shall be submitted to the office before any work starts.
(11) 
All new proposed roads shall be cut to subgrade before sanitary sewer is installed.
(12) 
An inspection report certified by a licensed New York State professional engineer stating the results of a low-pressure air test, an infiltration and/or an exfiltration test shall be submitted to the Department of Public Works, Town of Ramapo. All mains, manholes and house connections (main to right-of-way) shall be tested at the expense of the subdivider or contractor. Type of test to be run shall be directed by the Department of Public Works. The allowable rate of infiltration and/or exfiltration shall not exceed 100 gallons per inch diameter of pipe per mile per day. All visible leaks shall be sealed.
(13) 
All manholes shall be successfully vacuum tested prior to being accepted by the Town of Ramapo. Specific testing procedures shall be obtained from the Department of Public Works.
(14) 
Deflection tests for sewer mains shall be conducted with a five-percent madrel supplied by the Town of Ramapo. Arrangements to borrow the mandrel from the Town shall be made at least 48 hours in advance of the testing date. In the event any damage occurs to the mandrel during testing, the contractor shall be responsible for any and all repairs or replacement.
(15) 
Before final inspection, all sewer mains and manholes shall be cleaned and power flushed and be free of all silt, stone, debris, and other foreign materials.
(16) 
In the event only part of a subdivision is paved, the manholes and castings in the remaining portion shall be protected from shifting and displacement by construction vehicles or other means by the installation of a four-inch to six-inch thick ten-foot diameter binder course encompassing the manhole casting.
(17) 
In the event that, to sewer a given lot, group of lots or a subdivision, a highway or road crossing is necessary to an existing gravity sewer main and tunneling is required by the state, county or Town Highway Department, a carrier pipe shall be installed in a casing pipe of material and quality as specified on Construction Drawing No. 5, a copy of which may be obtained from the Department of Public Works.
F. 
Where, due to special or unusual conditions, a house sewer connection cannot be constructed within the provisions of this article, or where such chapter does not exactly apply, the Director of Public Works shall, upon the receipt of an application for a house sewer connection under such conditions, submit a report and recommendation explaining all details of the case to the Board for its decision. Notice thereof shall be given to the applicant, who shall have the right to appear before said Board, and consideration shall be given to the requests of the applicant.
G. 
Nothing in this article shall prevent an owner or his agent from appealing to the Board, on written notice to the Director of Public Works, from any requirement or decision which in the opinion of the owner or agent is unfair to him or imposes upon him an unusual hardship.
H. 
The Director of Public Works or his duly authorized representatives shall, in the discharge of his duties and in the enforcement of these regulations and for the purposes of inspection and reinspection, have the right to enter upon the properties and the buildings located in the district at a reasonable time for the purpose of determining whether sewer or drain construction on such premises is in accordance with the requirements of this article.
[Amended 2-6-2012 by L.L. No. 2-2012]
A violation of any ordinance, rule or regulation hereunder is hereby declared to be a misdemeanor, and the offender shall be liable to prosecution for each violation and shall be subject to a fine of not to exceed $1,000 for each offense or imprisonment of not more than one year, or both, and shall also be liable to a civil penalty of $1,000 for each violation. In addition thereto, an action or proceeding may also be maintained in the name of the Town in a court of competent jurisdiction to compel compliance with or to restrain by injunction the violation of any such ordinance, rule or regulation, notwithstanding that the ordinance, rule or regulation may provide a penalty or punishment for such violation. All moneys recovered hereunder by the Town shall be credited to the operation and maintenance fund of the district. The Board may at any time in its discretion stop and prevent the discharge into the system of any substance deemed by it liable to injure the system or any pertinent part thereof or to interfere with the normal operation of the system or any pertinent part thereof, and said Board may at any time, without notice and without liability, obligation or recourse, sever the house sewer connection or drain from the system through which such detrimental substances are discharged. Upon proof of the abatement of the detrimental discharge or correction of the cause of such discharge, the Board may cause the disconnected house sewer or drain to be reconnected to the system upon the receipt of a fee of $40 for such reconnection.
This article shall take effect immediately after compliance with law concerning the publication, posting and public hearing as provided by law and shall be operative only within the unincorporated area of the Town of Ramapo.