A. 
Any person proposing a new discharge into the system or a substantial change in the volume or character of pollutants that are being discharged into the system shall notify the Superintendent at least 45 days prior to the proposed change or connection by completing the proper permit application(s) (sewer entry permit, street excavation permit, industrial wastewater discharge permit, etc.).
B. 
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 a building sewer cannot be constructed to the rear building through an adjoining alley, courtyard, or driveway, the building sewer from the front building may be extended to the rear building and the whole considered as one private sewer. A private sewer shall not be constructed in this manner unless preapproved by the Superintendent. Any such approval shall be by written agreement and shall be recorded in the County Registry of Deeds. A copy of such approval and an as-built plan prepared and stamped by an engineer registered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall be kept on file in the office of the Superintendent.
C. 
Old building sewers may not be used to connect new buildings to the public sewer unless they are found, on examination and test by the Superintendent, to meet all requirements of these Rules and applicable sewer design guidelines and the Superintendent approves their use.
D. 
No person shall make connection of roof downspouts, exterior foundation drains, yard drains, sump pumps, or other sources of surface runoff or groundwater to a building sewer or building drain which is connected to the public sewer. Any such existing connections must be disconnected. The Town of Palmer reserves the right to impose a fee upon, or discontinue sewer service to, users who do not comply with this provision upon receiving notice from the Town.
E. 
All excavations for the installation and connection of building sewers shall be adequately guarded per applicable construction standards 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 at the applicant's expense in a manner satisfactory to the Superintendent and DPW Director.
F. 
Upon showing proof of identification, the Superintendent shall have the right to access, at all reasonable hours, all parts of any premises connected to the public sewer for the purposes of inspecting the user's sewer connection, appurtenances, and fixtures, or for disconnecting service.
A. 
The Superintendent is authorized, in all cases where there is a public sewer or drain in any street of the Town or easement held by the Town, to cause every owner of land adjoining such street or easement, his agent or tenant to provide, subject to the provisions of this chapter, a sufficient building sewer or drain from his house, yard or lot, to and into such public sewer or drain, whenever, in the opinion of the Superintendent, DPW Director or Board of Health, the same shall be necessary for the protection of the public health, and shall thereupon give such owner, agent or tenant notice in writing, specifying the time within which such building sewer or drain shall be constructed.
B. 
The Superintendent may prohibit the maintenance of any privy, cesspool, or septic system on any premises served by an accessible public sewer whenever the Superintendent, DPW Director or Board of Health dictates prohibition is required for the protection of the public health.
C. 
Any person who neglects to construct a building sewer under the provisions of this section within the time specified in such notice to do so, or maintains a privy, cesspool, or septic system in violation of such prohibition, shall receive notice. The Town of Palmer reserves the right to impose a fee upon users who do not comply with this provision upon receiving notice from the Town.
A. 
Whenever the construction of a new public sewer or drain by the Town is desired, application therefor shall be made by petition in writing to the Superintendent, signed by the owners of not fewer than six properties in the Town which would be served by said sewer or drain.
B. 
Upon receipt of said petition, the Superintendent may refer the petition to the Department of Public Works for investigation, hearing and report thereon. Before holding any hearing on said petition, the Department of Public Works shall give all parties notice.
C. 
After hearing all interested parties, the Department of Public Works shall report to the Superintendent whether, in the department's opinion, the public convenience or the public health requires the laying out or construction of a new public sewer or drain by the Town.
A. 
Whenever any street is opened for the laying of pipes or conduits for water, gas or other utilities, or for the performance of any works of construction or repairs, such laying of pipes and repairs and work connected therewith, or such work of construction shall be executed so as not to obstruct the course, capacity or construction of a public sewer or drain, and whenever pipes or conduits for any purpose or any work of construction shall hereafter be found to exist at such depth or in such location as to interfere with any existing sewer or with the building of any public sewer of the required size, and at the proper depth and grades, the person maintaining the same shall, upon notice thereof, at once remove, change and alter such pipes or other works in such manner as the DPW Director may direct.
B. 
If such person neglects to immediately remove, change or alter such pipes or conduits in accordance with the terms of notification, then the DPW Director may make such removal, change or alteration, and the cost thereof shall be paid by such person.
C. 
In order to prevent the laying of pipes, conduits, or other underground appurtenances in vertical or horizontal conflict with existing or proposed sewers and drains, all street excavation permits shall be reviewed and approved by the DPW Director (in addition to any other required Town approvals, such as that of the Superintendent).
A. 
All main line sewers and drains laid by private parties in any street or right-of-way as approved by the Superintendent and DPW Director shall become public sewers and drains upon connection to public sewers and drains. The building sewer shall remain private and be the responsibility of the property owner from the point it exits the house to the point the lateral enters the public sewer.
B. 
No such sewer shall be connected with a public sewer or drain until the appropriate permits have been filed, fees have been paid, and all other documents deemed necessary are received and approved by the DPW Director and Superintendent. The private party/private sewer or drain owner shall also convey in writing to the Town exclusive control over the same, with the right to enter such street or right-of-way and uncover the same as necessary for maintenance and control of such sewer or drain and making connections thereto.
C. 
Costs to prepare the aforementioned documents and provide third-party review of said documents on behalf of the Town shall be borne by the private party/private sewer or drain owner.
D. 
Private sewers and drains will be subject to inspection and testing in accordance with Article III of these Rules and as specified by the Superintendent or DPW Director.
E. 
Connection of the private sewers and drains to existing POTW shall be completed by the same contractor constructing the private sewers and drains and shall be at the expense of the private party/private sewer or drain owner.
A. 
Property owners are responsible for the installation and maintenance of building sewers and private sewers.
B. 
Building/Private sewer installation or repair shall be completed by a contractor holding a drainlayer's license issued by the Town.
C. 
No connection shall be made between any building/private sewer or drain to any public sewer or drain unless it is of such size, material, construction, depth and location as the Superintendent or DPW Director may stipulate in the terms of the sewer entry permit and until the appropriate permits have been obtained and all associated fees have been paid.
D. 
If a property is not served by an existing sewer service lateral from the sewer main to the property line, a person may connect his building/private sewer to the public sewer upon application to the Superintendent, who may prescribe the place of such connection, and the materials and manner of construction of same; provided, however, that the same shall be constructed with due observance of the terms of the sewer entry permit and all applicable regulations regarding construction.
E. 
The sewer entry permit applicant shall provide at least forty-eight-hour notice to 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 DPW Director. A charge in the amount of the actual cost to the Town will be made for any additional inspections required as a result of faulty workmanship or nonconformance to the requirements contained herein. Inspections will be made only during the normal working hours of the Superintendent.
A. 
No user shall connect to the public sewer without prior approval from the Superintendent. All prospective users shall file a sewer entry permit.
B. 
The user must supply the grinder pump, piping, and any other appurtenances required for connection to the sewer. The costs for all required plumbing and electrical connections and wiring shall be borne by the user. Installation shall be performed only by a licensed plumber, drainlayer, or electrician, as applicable.
C. 
Detailed plans and specifications prepared and stamped by an engineer registered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall be submitted to the Superintendent for review and approval prior to construction.
D. 
The user shall be responsible for any and all required operation and maintenance (including replacement) of the grinder pump unit and associated piping. The user shall be responsible for the maintenance and repair of all sewer piping from the house to the pump, and from the pump to the public sewer, and the electrical service facilities from the house to the electrical control panel.
E. 
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 sewer is too low to permit gravity flow to the public sewer, sanitary sewage shall be lifted by a grinder pump and discharged to the public sewer.
F. 
Piping from the building to the grinder inlet must permit gravity flow. The piping from the unit outlet to the point of connection to the public sewer must allow for flow under pressure generated by the unit to the public sewer.
G. 
All building drains from the house must be connected into one four-inch-diameter PVC pipe to convey the flow to the grinder pump unit. All connections to this pipe shall be made with appropriate watertight fittings such that no infiltration is allowed into the pipe.
H. 
The Superintendent will prescribe the number and capacity of the grinder pump(s), or a duplex pump, as necessary for the number of buildings and facilities to be served.
I. 
Every building sewer, grinder pump installation, and connection to the public sewer must be inspected and approved by the DPW Director or Superintendent before the work is backfilled. The Superintendent may, at his discretion, permit the utilization of existing piping between the building and the grinder-pump unit if such exists.
J. 
The Town shall not be liable for any damage or expense resulting from defects in or malfunctioning of a user's grinder pump or associated piping or electrical service.