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City of Seward, NE
Seward County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Amended 11-15-1977 by Ord. No. 1101]
No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter, or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof without first obtaining a written permit from the Superintendent.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[Amended 10-19-1982 by Ord. No. 31-82[1]]
There shall be two classes of building sewer permits: a) for residential and commercial service, and b) for service to establishments producing industrial wastes. In either case, the owner or his agent shall make application at the Building Inspection Department. The City shall require every applicant to pay a sewer connection fee; said fee to be set by resolution of the City Council and on file in the City Building Inspection Department. Said fee for connection to the sewer system shall be paid in advance. If the drain is to be connected with the sewer built by private parties or to pass through property not owned by the applicant, the written consent of the owner must be procured and filed with the application. The permit application shall be supplemented by any plans, specifications, or other information considered pertinent in the judgment of the Superintendent.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
All moneys raised from the charge for connecting a private drain or sewer to the main sewer of the City shall be credited to the sewer funds of the City and used for the maintenance and operation of the existing system or to create a reserve fund for the purpose of future maintenance or construction of a new sewer system of the City. Revenues from such charge shall also be used for abatement or reduction of ad valorem taxes being levied or to be levied from the payment of bonds outstanding or to be issued for the construction of, or additions to, the sewage system of the City.
[Amended 11-7-1978 by Ord. No. 1144]
A. 
No person shall engage in or conduct the business of sewer connection and house drainage or excavate any trenches for sewer pipe, or open, uncover or in any manner make connection with or lay any sewer drain, or attach to, modify or repair any appurtenances to sewer connections with the sewer in the streets or alleys or with any private sewer or drain in the City without holding a proper license for such work, and without complying with the provisions of this chapter and other provisions of this Code relating thereto and with the provisions of any resolution or order hereinafter passed by the Mayor and Council pertaining to sewers; provided, however, this regulation shall not apply to persons under special contract with the City for construction, extension or repair of sewers.
B. 
No person shall receive such license who shall not have furnished satisfactory evidence of responsibility and qualifications to apply his trade in accord with the requirements of this chapter and the Council's rules for the conduct of such work. The license fee of a drainlayer and/or a plumber shall be set from time to time by the City Council, payable in advance, and no license shall be granted for a greater period than one year. No licensed drainlayer or plumber shall allow his name to be used by any other person directly or indirectly, either to obtain a permit or do any work under his or their license or bond. Such licenses shall expire April 30 following their issuance.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 225, Art. VIII, Plumbing Code.
The licensed plumber or drainlayer who connects the public sewers shall be held responsible on his bond for any damages he may cause to the sewers, public streets or alleys. He shall restore the streets or alleys to the satisfaction of the Water/Wastewater Superintendent, and make good any settlement of ground or pavement caused by the excavations made by said plumber or drainlayer under or by virtue of any permit issued under the provisions of this article. In the event of settling within one year after being refilled, the Water/Wastewater Superintendent shall have the right and it shall be his duty to demand and require the restoration by the party who made such excavation.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[Amended 7-21-1987 by Ord. No. 13-87]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to break into, or otherwise open, any lateral or trunk sewer at any other place than where a "Y" has been placed for the connection of service sewers, except upon written permission of the Water/Wastewater Superintendent, and when an opening is made in any sewer, at any place other than where a "Y" is left for such purpose, it shall be so made by inserting in the place of a single joint a like-size joint having a "Y" connection. No service sewer trench shall be filled or sewer pipe covered until the service has first been inspected by the Water/Wastewater Superintendent, and all persons making such connections shall give a reasonable notice of the time when such sewer shall be ready for inspection. All trenches left open shall be properly guarded in the daylight hours and in the nighttime shall be further guarded by the placing of lighted lanterns at the excavation, which lanterns shall be kept lighted from one-half hour after sundown until one-half hour before sunrise. All trenches in unpaved streets and alleys shall be refilled in a careful and workmanlike manner, shall be well and thoroughly done in uniform layers of not exceeding four inches and tamped with a tamper of not less than 40 pounds weight, or with puddled earth, so as to replace as nearly as possible all excavated material and leave the surface in as good a condition as before the commencement of the work. Excavations in streets and alleys shall be made in such manner as to impede travel as little as possible. The Water/Wastewater Superintendent may determine and limit the time such excavation may remain open, and, when unnecessarily delayed, he may direct that the number of workers be increased to hasten the work to such an extent as he may deem necessary.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
B. 
No drain or sewer pipe shall be less than four inches, internal diameter, in that portion of the line extending from the street sewer to the property line of the property connected, and the connection with the public sewer must be made with an increaser. All sewers outside of buildings must be laid in a trench with a uniform grade not less than 1/8 inch to the foot and greater if practical.
(1) 
Cylindrical vitrified salt-glazed pipes of standard weight, good quality, free from flaws, and well glazed over the entire surface may be used outside of buildings to a point not less than two feet from the foundation of such building. All pipes must be well connected with Portland cement mortar and the excess mortar wiped out after laying. All changes of direction must be made with pipes of not greater than 1/8 bend. No pipe shall be laid at a less depth than four feet unless by special permit of the Water/Wastewater Superintendent.
(2) 
All trenches and excavations deeper than five feet will be shored or the sides shall be placed with the proper angle of repose or otherwise supported by means of sufficient strength to protect the employees working therein. For all excavations and trenches deeper than five feet near large buildings, shoring shall be used.
(3) 
For all excavations or trenches in unstable ground deeper than four feet, shoring shall be used or the sides shall be sloped with the proper angle of repose. Unstable ground shall include soft, sandy, or filled area or waterlogged areas, or areas wet from groundwater or a water line leak or leaks.
(4) 
The angle of repose shall be as stated in OSHA Safety and Health Standards (29 CFR 1926/1910) No. 2207, dated 1985. Such standards and additional information contained in such standards are made a part hereof by this reference and are on file with the office of the City Clerk-Treasurer, City of Seward, Nebraska. Said OSHA standards are made a part of this chapter by this reference thereto and shall be on file in the office of the City Clerk-Treasurer, City of Seward, Nebraska.
(5) 
The party excavating and his bondmen shall be liable for all damages arising by reason of any neglect in regard to these requirements and provisions.
(6) 
All alternative jointing methods and materials must be approved by the Superintendent prior to installation.
C. 
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.
D. 
No person shall make connection of roof downspouts, interior and 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.
E. 
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,[2] or the procedures set forth in appropriate specifications of the ASTM and the WPCF 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.[3]
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 225, Building Construction.
[3]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
F. 
The applicant for the building sewer permit 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.[4]
[4]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
G. 
A separate and independent building sewer shall be provided for every building.
H. 
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.[5]
[5]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
I. 
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 the building and plumbing code or other applicable rules and regulations of the City.[6]
[6]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 225, Building Construction.
J. 
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.[7]
[7]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 340, Streets, Sidewalks and Municipal Property.
K. 
All architects, owners, agents or contractors will see that a certificate of inspection from the Water/Wastewater Superintendent is presented before accepting any plumbing work of any description.[8]
[8]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[Added 6-19-1979 by Ord. No. 1165[1]]
Any building sewer which is abandoned, for any reason, must be cut off from the City sewer, and capped in a manner and at such place as the Water/Wastewater Superintendent may approve, by the owner of the property being served by such building sewer.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[Added 8-21-1984 by Ord. No. 21-84[1]]
A. 
The Municipal Water/Wastewater Department may require the owner of any property which is within the municipality and connected to the public sewers or drains to repair or replace any connection line which serves the owner's property and is broken, clogged or otherwise in need of repair or replacement. The property owner's duty to repair or replace such a connection line shall include those portions upon the owner's property and those portions upon public property or easements up to and including the point of junction with the public main.
B. 
The Municipal Clerk shall give the property owner notice by registered letter or certified mail, directed to the last-known address of such owner or the agent of such owner, directing the repair or replacement of such connection line. If within 30 days of mailing such notice the property owner fails or neglects to cause such repairs or replacements to be made, the Water/Wastewater Superintendent may cause such work to be done and assess the cost upon the property served by such connection.
(Neb. RS 18-1748)
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).