[Amended 11-15-1977 by Ord. No. 1101]
A. 
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, including interior and exterior foundation drains, uncontaminated cooling water, or unpolluted industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer.
B. 
Stormwater and all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to such sewers as are specifically designated as combined sewers or storm sewers, or to a natural outlet approved by the Superintendent. Industrial cooling water or unpolluted process waters may be discharged, on approval of the Superintendent, to a storm sewer, combined sewer, or natural outlet.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
C. 
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to any public sewers:
(1) 
Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid, or gas.
(2) 
Any waters or wastes containing toxic or poisonous solids, liquids, or gases in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, to injure or interfere with any sewage treatment process, constitute a hazard in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant, including but not limited to cyanides in excess of two mg/l as CN in the wastes as discharged to the public sewer.
(3) 
Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.5, or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, and personnel of the sewage works.
(4) 
Solid or viscous substances in quantities or of such size capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers, or other interference with the proper operation of the sewage works, such as, but not limited to, ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, unground garbage, whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails and paper dishes, cups, milk containers, etc., either whole or ground by garbage grinders.
(5) 
Any waters or wastes having a five-day BOD greater than 300 parts per million by weight, or containing more than 350 parts per million by weight of suspended solids, or having an average daily flow greater than 2% of the average sewage flow of the City, shall be subject to the review of the Superintendent. Where necessary, in the opinion of the Superintendent, the owner shall provide, at his expense, such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to reduce the biochemical oxygen demand to 300 parts per million by weight, or reduce the suspended solids to 350 parts per million by weight, or control the quantities and rates of discharge of such waters or wastes. Plans, specifications, and other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the Superintendent, and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until said approvals are obtained in writing.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
D. 
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged the following described substances, materials, waters, or wastes if it appears likely, in the opinion of the Superintendent, that such wastes can harm either the sewers, sewage treatment process, or equipment, have an adverse effect on the receiving stream, or can otherwise endanger life, limb, public property, or constitute a nuisance. In forming his opinion as to the acceptability of these wastes, the Superintendent will give consideration to such factors as the quantities of subject wastes in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, materials of construction of the sewers, nature of the sewage treatment process, capacity of the sewage treatment plant, degree of treatability of wastes in the sewage treatment plant, and other pertinent factors. The substances prohibited are:[3]
(1) 
Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 65° C.
(2) 
Any water or waste containing fats, wax, grease, or oils, whether emulsified or not, in excess of 100 mg/l or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between 32° F. and 150° F. (0° C. and 65° C.).
(3) 
Any garbage that has not been properly shredded. The installation and operation of any garbage grinder equipped with a motor 3/4 horsepower (0.76 hp metric) or greater shall be subject to the review and approval of the Superintendent.
(4) 
Any waters or wastes containing strong acid iron pickling wastes, or concentrated plating solutions, whether neutralized or not.
(5) 
Any water or wastes containing iron, chromium, copper, zinc, and similar objectionable or toxic substances; or wastes exerting any excessive chlorine requirement, to such degree that any such material received in the composite sewage at the sewage treatment works exceeds the limits established by the Superintendent for such materials.
(6) 
Any waters or wastes containing phenols or other taste- or odor-producing substances, in such concentrations exceeding limits which may be established by the Superintendent as necessary, after treatment of the composite sewage, to meet the requirements of state, federal, or other public agencies of jurisdiction for such discharge to the receiving waters.
(7) 
Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the Superintendent in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations.
(8) 
Any waters or wastes having a pH in excess of 9.5.
(9) 
Materials which exert or cause:
(a) 
Unusual concentrations of inert suspended solids (such as, but not limited to, Fuller's earth, lime slurries, and lime residues) or dissolved solids (such as, but not limited to, sodium chloride or sodium sulfate).
(b) 
Excessive discoloration (such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions).
(c) 
Unusual BOD, chemical oxygen demand, or chlorine requirements in such quantities as to constitute a significant load on the sewage treatment works.
(d) 
Unusual volume of flow or concentration of wastes constituting "slugs" as defined herein.
(10) 
Waters or wastes containing substances which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the sewage treatment processes employed, or are amenable to treatment only to such degree that the sewage treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters.
[3]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
A. 
If any waters or wastes are discharged or are proposed to be discharged to the public sewers, which waters contain the substances or possess the characteristics enumerated under § 325-6.1 of this article, and which, in the judgment of the Superintendent, may have a deleterious effect upon the sewage works, processes, equipment, or receiving waters, or which otherwise create a hazard to life to constitute a public nuisance, the Superintendent may:
(1) 
Reject the wastes;
(2) 
Require pretreatment to an acceptable condition for discharge to the public sewers;
(3) 
Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge; and/or
(4) 
Require payment to cover the added cost of handling and treating the wastes not covered by existing taxes or sewer charges under the provisions of § 325-6.7 of this article.
B. 
If the Superintendent permits the pretreatment or equalization of waste flows, the design and installation of the plant and equipment shall be subject to the review and approval of the Superintendent, and subject to the requirements of all applicable codes, ordinances and laws.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[Amended 4-3-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-10; 5-5-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-13]
Grease, oil, and sand traps shall be provided when, in the opinion of the Water/Wastewater Director, they are necessary for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing grease in excessive amounts, or any flammable wastes, sand, or other harmful ingredients. All traps shall be of a type and capacity approved by the Water/Wastewater Director and shall be located so as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection.
A. 
Finding and purpose. The City Council finds that sewage overflow released at inappropriate exit points releases contamination, creating public health risks and property damage. Cooking grease and oil from a heavy concentration of restaurants in a small area can enter the City's sewer system. The purpose of this section is to regulate the disposal of food service establishment cooking grease to prevent blockages in the City's sewer system caused by the collection of grease, thereby forcing raw sewage to escape through manhole covers, surface drainage systems or other inappropriate exit points by separating the grease from the sanitary water to dispose of it before it enters the sewer collection and treatment system.
B. 
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
FATS, OILS AND GREASES
Organic polar compounds derived from animal and/or plant sources, containing multiple carbon chain triglyceride molecules, detectable and measurable using analytical test procedures established in Part 136 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as amended, hereafter sometimes referred to as "grease" or "greases."
FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT
A facility engaged in preparing food for consumption by the public, such as a restaurant, commercial kitchen, caterer, hotel, school, hospital, prison, correctional facility, or care institution, which prepares food by frying, baking, grilling, sauteing, broiling, rotisserie cooking, boiling, blanching, roasting, toasting, poaching, infrared heating, barbecuing, or any other method of food preparation that produces a hot, non-drinkable food product in or on a receptacle that requires washing.
GREASE TRAP
A device hooked directly to the outgoing drains of sinks and dishwashers, inside the restaurant near the food preparation areas, intended for separating the grease from the wastewater before it enters the sewer collection and treatment system.
WASTEWATER
Used or spent water from homes, communities, farms and businesses that contains enough harmful material to damage the water's quality. Wastewater includes both the domestic sewage and industrial waste from manufacturing sources.
C. 
Public nuisances. Any condition caused or permitted to exist in violation of the requirements of this section shall be deemed and is declared to be a public nuisance.
D. 
Food service establishment requirements. All food service establishments which discharge wastewater into the City's sewer collections and treatment shall implement the following requirements:
(1) 
Owners and employees of a food service establishment shall implement and be able to demonstrate compliance for handling fats, oil, and grease. The Water/Wastewater Director may request records of annual grease pickups by recycle companies, name of company, company's phone number, and records of collection dates and volume recovered.
(2) 
Containers used for storage of fats, oils, and grease shall be kept in leakproof containers and shall be secured with close-fitting lid so as to minimize the creation of a nuisance conditions. The storage container shall be kept in a location on the premises so that there is no possibility of an accidental or deliberate spillage of the waste onto the public right-of-way. All stored fats, oils, and grease shall be removed for recycling as frequently as may be necessary to prevent the creation of a nuisance. Spillage of any fats, oils, and grease shall be removed and cleaned immediately. Containers must be free of garbage and trash.
(3) 
All new food service establishments shall be required to submit to the Water/Wastewater Director plans outlining the manner in which they will comply with the grease trap requirements. All existing food service establishments which plan modifications in plumbing improvements shall be required to include in the plan the manner in which they will comply with the grease trap requirements.
E. 
Grease trap requirements. Grease traps shall conform with the following standards:
(1) 
Upon approval by the Water/Wastewater Director, a grease trap complying with the provisions in this section shall be installed in the waste line leading from sinks, drains, and other fixtures or equipment in food service establishments where grease may be introduced into the drainage or sewage system in quantities that could affect line stoppage or hinder sewage treatment or private sewage disposal.
(2) 
Grease trap sizing and installations shall conform to the requirements in the International Plumbing Code.
(3) 
Grease traps shall be maintained in efficient operating condition by periodic removal of the accumulated grease. No such collected grease shall be introduced into any drainage piping or public or private sewer.
(4) 
The grease trap user shall maintain a written record of inspection, maintenance, and removal of accumulated grease for three years. All such records shall be made available for on-site inspection by enforcement officials during all business operating hours.
(5) 
No food waste disposal unit or dishwater shall be connected to or discharge into any grease trap.
F. 
Enforcement officials. The provisions of this section shall be jointly enforced by the Water/Wastewater Director. They or their authorized representatives are hereby authorized to make such inspections and take such actions, including lawful entry upon such premises, as may be required to enforce the provisions of this section.
G. 
Violations and penalties. Except as otherwise provided herein, any person who violates the prohibitions or provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a violation. The penalty for such violation shall be an amount not to exceed $500 for any one offense, recoverable with costs; and in default of said payment the offender shall stand committed to the County Jail until such fine and costs are paid. Each period of 24 hours during or on which a violation occurs or continues shall be deemed a separate offense.
Where preliminary treatment of flow-equalizing facilities are provided for any waters or wastes, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner at his expense.
[Amended 4-3-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-10]
When required by the Superintendent, the owner of any property serviced by a building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable control manhole, together with such necessary meters and other appurtenances in the building sewer to facilitate observation, sampling, and measurement of the wastes. Such manhole, when required, shall be accessibly and safely located, and shall be constructed in accordance with plans approved by the Superintendent. The manhole will be installed by the owner at his expense, and shall be maintained by him so as to be safe and accessible at all times.
All measurements, tests, and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes to which reference is made in this article shall be determined in accordance with the latest edition of "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater," published by the American Public Health Association, and shall be determined at the control manhole provided, or upon suitable samples taken at said control manhole. In the event 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. Sampling shall be carried out by customarily accepted methods to reflect the effect of constituents upon the sewage works and to determine the existence of hazards to life, limb, and property. (The particular analyses involved will determine whether a twenty-four-hour composite of all outfalls of a premises is appropriate or whether a grab sample or samples should be taken. Normally, but not always, BOD and suspended solids analyses are obtained from twenty-four-hour composites of all outfalls whereas pHs are determined from periodic grab samples.)
No statement contained in this article shall be construed as preventing any special agreement or arrangement between the City and any industrial concern whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character may be accepted by the City for treatment, subject to payment therefor by the industrial concern.
A. 
Where, in the judgment of the Council by reason of special conditions, the application of the use charges hereinbefore set forth would be inequitable or unfair to either the City or the user, or in the cases where the character of the sewage from a consumer is such that an additional burden is placed upon the sewerage system greater than that imposed by the average sewage delivered to the sewage disposal plant, a special rate may be established by contract or by resolution, duly passed and approved by the Council. To assist the Council in determining whether or not special conditions exist or additional burden is placed upon the sewerage systems, the consumer shall, upon the request of the Council, provide access to the owner's sewer lateral at a point where representative samples may be taken. Strength from the character of this waste shall be tested and it shall be determined to the satisfaction of the Council, at the owner's expense, the strength of the waste and any special characteristics the waste may have.
B. 
If any user can show to the satisfaction of the Council that any substantial portion of the water consumed by the user as determined by this section is used for such purpose that it does not contribute to the sanitary sewerage, that water shall be disregarded for the purpose of determining the sewer use charges to the user.