Borough of Edgewater, NJ Article II Public and Private Sewers

§ 347-17 Unlawful acts; sewer cleaning registration.

No person shall:

A. Place, deposit or permit to be deposited in an unsanitary manner upon public or private property within the Borough or in any area under the jurisdiction of the Borough any human or animal excrement, garbage, industrial waste, foul liquids or other objectionable waste.

B. Discharge to any natural outlet, gutter, stream, ditch, culvert, catch basin or watercourse in the Borough or in any area under the jurisdiction of the Borough any sanitary sewage, industrial waste or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with subsequent provisions of this chapter.

C. Uncover any portion of the public sewers or drains or the connection branches thereof or open any manhole or flush tank except with written permission of the Mayor and Council or some person designated by the Mayor and Council to issue permits.

D. Open any public street or place for the purpose of making sewer connection or make or cause to be made any connection with a building connection branch of a public sewer, except under a special written permit, signed by the Mayor and Council or such other official or department of the Borough as may hereafter be designated by the Mayor and Council, allowing such specific connection and under the supervision of the Mayor and Council or such other official or department.

E. Make or cause or allow to be made any excavation within four feet of any public sewer or blast any rock within 10 feet thereof, save with the express written permission of the inspector employed by the Mayor and Council and under his supervision and control.

F. Break or cut or remove any pipe of any main or public sewer or make or cause to be made any connection with such sewer except through the specific branch or branches allotted for the purpose, the allotment of such connection and its location to be designated by the Mayor and Council or such other official or department as may hereafter be designated by the Mayor and Council.

G. Discharge or cause or permit the discharge into any main or public sewer, directly or indirectly, of any clear drainage, swimming pools, air-conditioning units, groundwater, surface water or rainwater from sidewalks, yard areas, courts, roofs, basements, or any sump, cistern or tank overflow.

H. Discharge or cause to permit the discharge into any main or public sewer, directly or indirectly, of any drainage or overflow from cesspools, manure pits, privies or other receptacles storing or designed to store organic wastes.

I. Connect or cause or permit the connection with any main or public sewer, directly or indirectly, of any garbage disposal units, exhausts, boiler blowoffs, sediment drips or any pipes carrying or constructed to carry hot water, acids, dyes, brine, germicides, greases, brewery mash, gasoline, naphtha, benzene, oil, flammable or explosive liquids, industrial wastes, radioactive materials or any other substance detrimental to the sewers or their appurtenances or to the operation of the sewage system or sewage disposal works.

J. Throw or deposit or cause or allow to be thrown or deposited in any fixture, vessel, receptacle, inlet or opening connected directly or indirectly with any main or public sewer any straw, garbage, wood, glass, feathers, tar, plastics, vegetable, cloth, parings, ashes, cinders, rags or viscous substance capable of causing obstructions to the flow in the sewers, except feces, urine, necessary toilet papers and liquid house slops, or allow any house sewer connection with a main or public sewer to be likewise connected with any privy vault or cesspool or underground drain or with any channel conveying water or filth, except such soil pipes, building drains, building sewers and other plumbing works as shall have been duly inspected and approved by the Plumbing Inspector.

§ 347-18 Prohibited discharges.

Except as hereinafter provided, no person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to any public sewers:

A. Liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 150° F.

B. Water or waste which may contain more than 100 parts per million, by weight, of fat, oil or grease.

C. Gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas.

D. Wastewater containing more than 25 milligrams per liter of petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil or any product of mineral oil origin.

E. Water or waters having a pH lower than 5.5 or higher than 9.0 or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structure, equipment and personnel of the sewage works.

F. Waters or water containing a toxic or poisonous substance in sufficient quantity to injure or interfere with any sewage treatment process, to constitute a hazard to humans or animals or to create any hazard in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant.

G. Waters or wastes containing suspended solids of such character and quantity that unusual attention or expense is required to handle such matters at the sewage treatment plant.

H. Noxious or malodorous gas or substance capable of creating a public nuisance.

I. Garbage, kitchen refuse or similar matter, including the installation, maintenance or use in or about any premises of any device which grinds mashes, crushes, pulverizes, shreds or otherwise similarly treats garbage or refuse and permits the garbage or refuse to enter into the sanitary sewerage system. The aforesaid prohibition shall apply to those devices which are commonly referred to as "garbage disposal units" or "garbage grinders."

J. Prior to the issuance of permission to discharge additional flow to the Borough's sanitary sewer or storm sewer systems, the applicant for the proposed sanitary sewer or storm sewer system improvement is require to demonstrate to the Borough Engineer that adequate downstream hydraulic conveyance capacity exists for the proposed sanitary sewer or storm sewer system improvement. As part of this requirement for permission to discharge additional flow to the Borough's sewer system, the information submitted to the Borough Engineer shall include a report prepared by a professional engineer, including grading and drainage plans and profiles, computations and other information that may be required by the Borough Engineer.

K. Prior to the issuance of permission to discharge additional flow to the Borough's storm sewer system, the applicant for the proposed storm sewer system improvement is require to demonstrate to the Borough Engineer that the improvement will not cause flooding, exceed the hydraulic capacity of the sewer or cause surcharge of the storm sewer system. As part of this requirement for permission to discharge additional flow to the Borough's sewer system, the information submitted to the Borough Engineer shall include a report prepared by a professional engineer, including grading and drainage plans and profiles, computations and other information that may be required by the Borough Engineer.

L. Prior to the issuance of permission to discharge additional flow to the Borough's sanitary sewer or storm sewer systems, the applicant for the proposed sanitary sewer storm sewer system improvement is require to demonstrate to the Borough Engineer that the improvement will not cause deterioration or intensification of deterioration of the sanitary or storm sewer systems. As part of this requirement for permission to discharge additional flow to the Borough's sewer system, the information submitted to the Borough Engineer shall include a report prepared by a professional engineer, including grading and drainage plans and profiles, computations and other information that may be required by the Borough Engineer.

§ 347-19 Grease, oil and sand interceptor standards.

A. Grease traps at existing establishments.

(1) Grease traps are required for all waste outlets from all grease-producing establishments. The type of grease traps must be approved by the Borough prior to installation in accordance with the specifications.

(2) Each grease-producing establishment shall be required to control oil and grease discharges, as follows:

(a) Where outside space permits the installation of a grease trap of the type shown on Diagram A (attached hereto as Appendix D[1]), an exterior grease trap shall be installed, sized as shown below, and a bacterial pretreatment program shall be developed and implemented.

[1] Editor's Note: Appendix D is included at the end of this chapter.

(b) Where outside space does not permit the installation of an exterior grease trap, an interior grease trap shall be installed, and a bacterial pretreatment program shall be developed and implemented. Such interior grease traps and pretreatment program shall be approved by the Borough prior to installation and implementation, respectively.

(c) No existing or new grease traps shall be installed adjacent to or immediately downstream from a hot water source. Every grease trap shall be so located as to be readily accessible for inspection, cleaning and removal of intercepted waste products.

B. Grease traps at new establishments.

(1) Grease traps shall be installed on the exterior of each new grease-producing establishment so as to ensure that the grease-producing establishment's effluent will meet the grease and oil limitations listed in this section.

(2) Each new grease-producing establishment shall furnish the following information to the Borough prior to discharging any effluent to the Borough sewer system:

(a) Description of the establishment, including number of employees, number of patrons, number of seats, frequency of seating, and type of grease-producing facilities;

(b) Listing of fixtures, including, but not limited to, dishwashers and other grease-producing units, describing their function and volume;

(c) Listing of drain outlet sizes or trap sizes at each fixture;

(d) Total annual water use and daily minimum and maximum use; and

(e) Expected concentrations of grease and oil (as estimated from similar establishments).

(3) All exterior grease trap chambers shall be constructed of noncorrosive materials, such as reinforced concrete or fiberglass. The chamber shall be capable of sustaining ten-ton truck loading and shall have baffles and fittings made of noncorrosive materials. Access shall be available through twenty-four-inch manhole frames and covers located at each end of the chamber. All grease traps shall be equal to the product of Tyler Pipe (Tyler, TX), Town & Country (as distributed by Trap-Zap of South Norwalk, CT), or Zum Industries (Dallas, TX). See Diagram A attached.[2]

[2] Editor's The diagram, Appendix D, is included at the end of this chapter.

(4) The following design method for the sizing of grease interceptors has been developed and recommended for use by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, under Uniform Plumbing Code, Appendix H. The Borough has elected to adopt this method for all future grease trap sizing, with the exceptions noted below.

(a) Restaurants.

[1] The calculation of the required size of grease interceptors to be installed in restaurants shall be as follows:

Number of Meals per Peak Hour

x

Waste Flow Rate

x

Retention Time

x

Storage Factor

=

Interceptor Size (liquid capacity)

[2] The following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

[a] Number of meals per peak hour. For restaurants: multiply the number of seats by 60, divide by the estimated time a patron takes to eat. A restaurant which serves people quickly may have a seating time from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. Another restaurant may be the type for leisurely meals with a seating time from 90 minutes to 120 minutes.

[b] Waste flow rate.

[i] With dishwashing machine: six-gallon (22.7 liter) flow.

[ii] Without dishwashing machine: five-gallon (18.9 liter) flow.

[iii] Single-service kitchen: two-gallon (7.6 liter) flow.

[iv] Food waste disposer: one-gallon (3.8 liter) flow.

[c] Retention times.

[i] Commercial kitchen waste dishwasher: 2.5 hours.

[ii] Single-service kitchen, single serving: 1.5 hours.

[d] Storage factors.

[i] Fully equipped commercial kitchen:

[A] Eight-hour operation: 1.

[B] Sixteen-hour operation: 2.

[C] Twenty-four-hour operation: 3.

[ii] Single-service kitchen: 1.5.

(b) Other oil- or grease-producing establishments. Review by the Borough of other grease-producing establishments will be based on submitted data and required pretreatment to meet the effluent standards.

(5) Exceptions to the above requirements will be considered on written request to the Borough where the above formula requires a grease trap in excess of 1,000 gallons. In this regard, the Borough will permit the following:

(a) The Borough will permit the trial installation of a single external one-thousand-gallon grease trap for restaurants seating less than 100 persons, except for restaurants known to produce exceptional quantities of grease and oil.

(b) The Borough will permit the trial installation of two external one-thousand-gallon grease traps in series for restaurants seating more than 100 persons or for restaurants known to produce exceptional quantities of grease and oil.

(c) Reductions in these requirements will be considered if there are no deep-fat fryers, minimal cooking, and minimal dishwashing.

(6) It is the property owner's obligation to meet the discharge concentration standards for oil and grease set forth in other sections of these regulations. If subsequent tests show that the discharge concentration standard is not being met, then the above-described design method shall apply and additional grease trap capacity shall be furnished.

(7) Additional requirements are as follows:

(a) The grease trap(s) shall be placed at a distance from the structure sufficient to permit cooling and coagulation of oil and grease within the grease trap.

(b) Piping must be arranged so that only kitchen wastes and kitchen floor drains are tributary to the grease traps. Bathroom facilities and all other waste outlets must bypass the grease traps.

(c) Cleanouts must be provided between the building and the grease traps, between grease traps in series, and (as a sampling point) downstream of the last grease trap.

(d) The trap openings must be extended to the surface, using minimum thirty-inch-diameter barrels, and topped with a standard manhole frame and cover.

(e) Every installation shall be reviewed for uplift resistance, with groundwater assumed to be at the surface.

(8) Installation of grease traps shall meet the recommendations of the Uniform Plumbing Code, including locations, flow control and venting. Grease trap installation will also require a plumbing permit and compliance with municipal plumbing code regulations. Sampling manholes for food service establishments shall be installed downstream of the grease trap, but upstream of any interconnection with bathroom sanitary service lines.

C. Grease trap maintenance.

(1) Each grease-producing establishment shall submit a grease trap maintenance program to the Borough for approval, prior to construction. The frequency of grease removal is dependent upon the capacity of the interceptor and the quantity of grease in the wastewater. Maintenance intervals may vary from once a week to once in several weeks, but in no event less than once monthly. When the grease removal interval has been determined for a specific installation, regular cleaning at that interval is necessary to maintain the rated efficiency of the interceptor. After the accumulated grease and waste material has been removed, the interceptor should be checked to make sure that the inlet, outlet and air relief ports are clear of obstructions such as solidified grease.

(2) The maintenance program must include provision for a bacterial pretreatment program, using products, equipments and dosage as approved by the Borough. Records must be kept of all maintenance on grease traps. The record must be available for inspection by Borough representatives, upon request during normal business hours. The record shall include the following information: date, time, description of work done, comments on the additional work needed, quantity of grease removed, and names of personnel performing the work. Any establishment which fails to provide such records or provides inadequate records shall be subject to a penalty and/or termination of service.

§ 347-20 Oil and grease violations.

A. General. All penalty assessment hearings shall be held before the Edgewater Municipal Court and shall be conducted in accordance with the rules established pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act.

B. Final decision. Any final decision issued by the Edgewater Municipal Court shall be in writing or stated in the record and must include a separately stated findings of facts and conclusions of law. The parties of record shall be notified of any final decision or order by personal service or mail and any such decision or order shall be effective, unless otherwise stated therein, upon delivery or mailing whichever is sooner.

C. Cost recovery. If the Borough prevails, it may then recover court costs, as well as other costs associated with preparing and litigating the matter, from the violator. To accomplish recovery the Borough must include an assessment for hearing costs along with the final decision.

D. Penalty reduction. The Borough may, at its own discretion, reduce any penalty up to 50%; however the Borough may not reduce the amount of any component of a penalty which represents the economic benefit gained by the violator from the violation.

E. Penalties. The Borough or its authorized representative may assess a penalty for violations of the requirements, limitations and prohibitions concerning oil and grease expressed in § 347-19 of the Borough Code. It is the Borough's intention to inspect installation and maintenance records of significant discharges of oil and grease discharges. Where violations are discovered, the Borough may assess fines in the following manner, and as described in this section.

(1) First offense: Up to $250/day until corrected, plus reimbursement of costs and damages.

(2) Second offense: $500/day until corrected, plus reimbursement of costs and damages.

(3) Third or more offense: $1,000/day until corrected, plus reimbursement of costs and damages, plus possible closure of discharge to Borough sewers.

§ 347-21 Rules and regulations.

The Borough of Edgewater has adopted "Sanitary Sewer Collection System and Pump Station Rules and Regulations," revised August 19, 2008.

§ 347-22 Restricted discharges.

A. The admission into the public sewers of any waters or wastes having a five-day BOD greater than 300 parts per million by weight, more than 350 parts per million by weight of suspended solids, any quantity of substances with the characteristics described in the previous sections of this chapter, or an average daily flow greater than 2% of the average daily sewage flow of the Borough shall be subject to the review and approval of the Edgewater Department of Public Works.

B. When there is reasonable indication, as determined by Borough personnel, that the discharge is exceeding the maximum allowed limits, then the Borough shall have the discharge sampled and tested. The grease-producing establishment shall pay for the cost of this effort.

§ 347-23 Preliminary treatment facilities.

A. Where necessary, in the opinion of the Plumbing Inspector, the owner shall provide, at his expense, such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to:

(1) Reduce the BOD to 300 parts per million and suspended solids to 350 parts per million by weight;

(2) Reduce objectionable characteristics or constituents to within the maximum limits provided for in § 347-18, Prohibited discharges, of this chapter; or

(3) Control the quantities and rates of discharge of such waters or wastes.

B. Plans, specifications and any other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the Plumbing Inspector and of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, if required, and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until said approvals are obtained in writing.

C. Where preliminary treatment facilities are provided for any waters or wastes, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner at his expense.

§ 347-24 Control manholes.

When required by the Department of Public Works, the owner of any property served by a building connection or building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable control manhole in the building sewer to facilitate observation, sampling and measurement of the waste. Such manhole, when required, shall be accessibly and safely located and shall be constructed in accordance with plans approved by the Plumbing Inspector and the Department of Public Works. The manhole shall be installed by the owner at his expense and shall be maintained by him so as to be safe and accessible at all times.

§ 347-25 Measurements, tests and analyses.

A. All measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes to which reference is made in this chapter shall be determined in accordance with the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water, Sewage and Industrial Wastes, published by the American Public Health Association, Inc. Said publication is hereby incorporated in this chapter by reference and made a part hereof as fully as though it had been set forth at length herein. In accordance with law, the required number of copies have been placed on file in the office of the Borough Clerk and in the office of the Board of Health and shall remain on file in said offices for use and examination by the public so long as this chapter shall remain in effect.

B. All such measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes shall be determined from samples taken at the control manhole provided for as described in the previous section. In the event that no special manhole has been required, the control manhole shall be considered to be the nearest downstream manhole in the public sewer to the point at which the building sewer is connected.

§ 347-26 Right of entry for inspection.

The Borough and its duly authorized officers and employees bearing proper credentials and identifications shall be permitted to enter upon all properties for the purposes of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling and testing, in accordance with the provisions of this article.

§ 347-27 Damage to system.

A. No person shall break, damage, destroy, deface or tamper with any structure, appurtenance or equipment which is a part of the municipal sewer system.

B. Any person who, by reason of the violation of the provisions of this chapter or other improper use of the municipal sewer system or any of its branches, appurtenances or connections, shall cause damage to said municipal sewer system or to the facilities of the Bergen County Utilities Authority to which the municipal sewer system is connected, by reason of which the Borough may sustain damage or may be or become liable to the Bergen County Utilities Authority for damages which it may sustain, shall be liable to the Borough for all costs and expenses that may be incurred by the Borough for the correction of any such damage. The Borough shall have the right to recover such costs and expenses from any such person by appropriate action at law in a court of competent jurisdiction. The right of the Borough to be reimbursed for any costs and expenses incurred by it by reason of such damages shall be an additional remedy, and such person shall also be subject to the penalties contained in this chapter for violation of its provisions.

C. Any owner may install and maintain, at his expense, a sewage flow meter, approved by the Borough Engineer, to measure the flow into the sewer lines. Where such a sewage flow meter is maintained, the owner shall be billed on the actual readings of such meter at the same rate as determined hereinabove.

D. In any specific case not contemplated or not clearly defined herein or where the type of waste will place an extraordinary burden on the sewerage facilities either because of its quantity or its quality, the Borough Council is hereby authorized, by contract or otherwise, to establish a specific rate as may be necessary.

§ 347-28 Violations and penalties.

Unless otherwise provided in this article, violations of the provisions of this article shall be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty.