[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Selectmen of the Town of
Winchester effective 1-1-1953;
amended effective 6-1-1955; 8-1-1989 (§ 49 of the prior
compilation). Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
There is hereby enacted an ordinance regulating the use of public
and private sewers and drains, sewage disposal, the installation and
connection of building and house sewers, the discharge of waters and
wastes into the public sewer system and providing penalties for violation
thereof; and for the establishment of rates and charges for the connection
to and use of the public sewer system in the Town of Winchester, County
of Litchfield and State of Connecticut.
Unless specifically indicated otherwise in the content, terms
used in this chapter shall have the following meanings:
The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation
of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five days
at 20° C., expressed in parts per million by weight.
The Building Code of the Town of Winchester, including amendments
or additions thereto, and shall include the Plumbing Code therein
contained.
Includes, where appropriate, the house drain, and shall mean
that part of the lowest horizontal piping of a drainage system which
receives the discharge from soil, waste and other drainage pipes inside
the walls of the building and conveys it to the building sewer, beginning
five feet outside the inner face of the building wall.
Includes the term "house sewer" where appropriate and shall
mean the extension from the building drain to the public sewer or
other place of disposal.
Wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food,
and from the handling, storage and sale of produce; and shall include
such wastes as defined above which have been shredded to such degree
that all particles will be carried freely under normal flow conditions
in the public sewer, with no particle greater than 1/2 inch in any
dimension.
The liquid wastes from industrial processes as distinct from
sanitary sewage.
Any individual, firm, company, association, society, corporation
or group.
The logarithm of the reciprocal of the weight of hydrogen
ions in grams per liter of solution.
A sewer which carries sewage and to which storm-, surface
and groundwaters are not intentionally admitted.
A combination of the water-carried wastes from residences,
business buildings, institutions and industrial establishments, together
with such ground-, surface and stormwaters as may be present.
All facilities for collecting, pumping, treating and disposing
of sewage, and shall include both public and private sewage facilities
within the Town of Winchester.
The Water and Sewer Commission of the Town of Winchester
as defined in Section 605 of the Town Charter, as amended.
The Superintendent of Public Works of the Town of Winchester,
or his authorized assistant, deputy, agent or representative.
Solids that either float on the surface of or are in suspension
in water, sewage or other liquids; and which are removable by laboratory
filtering.
A.
It shall be unlawful to discharge, from any source within the Town
of Winchester, any sanitary sewage, garbage, industrial wastes or
other polluted waters except in accordance with the provisions of
this chapter.
B.
Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct
or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other
facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.
C.
The owner of each house, building or property intended or used for
human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes within the
Town of Winchester bordering or abutting upon streets, roads and highways
within said Town in which there is now constructed or in which there
may hereafter be constructed a public sanitary sewer is hereby required
at his expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and
to connect such facilities directly to the public sewer in accordance
with this chapter within 90 days after official written notice to
do so; provided, however, that no such connection to the public sewer
shall be required where the building sewer would exceed 100 feet in
length.
Where no connection to any public sewer shall be required as set forth in § 323-3C, the building drain may be connected to a private disposal system, constructed and maintained in accordance with the provisions of the Building Code of the Town of Winchester; or at his own expense the owner may connect the building drain into the public sewer system.
A.
No person shall uncover, make connection with, or opening into, use,
alter or disturb any part of the public sewage works without first
obtaining a written permit from the Superintendent of Public Works.
B.
There shall be two classes of building sewer permits: 1) for residential
and commercial service, and 2) for service to establishments producing
industrial wastes. In either case, the owner or his agent shall make
application on a special form furnished by the Town. The permit application
shall be supplemented by any plans, specifications or other information
considered pertinent in the judgment of the Superintendent. A permit
and inspection fee for a residential or commercial building sewer
permit or for an industrial building sewer permit, in amounts set
from time to time by the Water and Sewer Commission, shall be paid
to the Town Treasurer at the time the application is filed.
C.
All costs and expenses incident to the installation and connection
of the building sewer shall be borne by the owner. The owner shall
indemnify the Town from any loss or damage that may directly or indirectly
be occasioned by the installation of the building sewer.
D.
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 no private sewer is available or can be constructed
to the rear building through an adjoining alley, court, yard or driveway,
the building sewer from the front building may be extended to the
rear building and the whole considered as one building sewer.
E.
Old house 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.
F.
The building sewer shall be cast iron soil pipe, current ASTM specification
or equal; vitrified clay sewer pipe, current ASTM specification or
equal; or other suitable material approved by the Superintendent.
Joints shall be tight and waterproof. Any part of the building sewer
that is located within 10 feet of a water service pipe shall be constructed
of cast iron soil pipe with leaded joints. Cast iron pipe with leaded
joints may be required by the Superintendent where the building sewer
is exposed to damage by tree roots. If installed in filled or unstable
ground, the building sewer shall be of cast iron soil pipe, except
that nonmetallic material may be accepted if laid on a suitable concrete
bed or cradle as approved by the Superintendent.
G.
The size and slope of the building sewer shall be subject to the
approval of the Superintendent, but the diameter shall not be less
than six inches; except that in connection with dwelling houses of
not exceeding two families, four-inch heavy-duty cast iron pipe may
be used. The slope of such pipe shall be not less than 1/8 inch per
foot.
H.
Jointing materials and methods shall be approved by the Superintendent.
I.
The connection of the building sewer into the public sewer shall
be made at a Y branch if such branch is available at a suitable location.
If the public sewer is 12 inches in diameter or less and no properly
located Y branch is available, the owner shall, at his expense, install
a Y branch in the public sewer at the location specified by the Superintendent.
Where the public sewer is greater than 12 inches in diameter and no
properly located Y branch is available, a neat hole may be cut into
the public sewer to receive the building sewer. Each such connection
shall be made in a manner and with such fittings as shall be approved
by the Superintendent, and no such connection shall be covered until
inspected and approved by the Superintendent.
J.
A house trap shall be placed immediately within the building wall
and connected to the building drain, except where the owner shall,
for good cause shown, receive permission from the Superintendent to
place said trap at another point along the building drain or sewer.
The trap shall be of cast iron, with two hand-holes furnished with
brass screw-top cleanouts. A fresh air inlet branch shall be placed
on the house side of the trap, with a pipe of the same diameter and
material as the trap and building drain extended to a point five feet
outside the building and to a point not less than six feet distant
from any door, window or other opening in the building. The pipe may
finish in the wall of the building, with a suitable barred grating,
or may be extended above the surface of the ground to a height of
not less than one foot and finished with a bell top or return bend
of the same diameter as the pipe.
K.
Where the building drain passes through the wall of the building
to the connection to the building sewer it shall be cast iron. No
tile or fabricated pipe will be permitted.
A.
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any stormwater,
surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, cooling
water or unpolluted industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer.
B.
Except as hereinafter provided, no person shall discharge or cause
to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to
any public sewer:
(1)
Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 150° F.
(2)
Any water or waste which may contain more than 100 parts per million,
by weight, of fat, oil or grease.
(3)
Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil or other flammable or explosive
liquid, solid or gas.
(4)
Any garbage that has not been properly shredded.
(5)
Any ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags,
feathers, tar, plastics, wood, paunch manure or any other solid or
viscous substance capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers
or other interference with the proper operation of the sewage works.
(6)
Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.5 or higher than 9.0,
or having other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard
to structures, equipment and personnel of the sewage works.
(7)
Any waters or wastes containing a toxic or poisonous substance in
sufficient quantity to injure or interfere with any sewage treatment
process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals or create any hazard
in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant.
(8)
Any waters or wastes containing suspended solids of such character
and quantity that unusual attention or expense is required to handle
such materials at the sewage treatment plant.
(9)
Any noxious or malodorous gas or substance capable of creating a
public nuisance.
C.
Grease, oil and sand interceptors.
(1)
Grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be provided when, in the
opinion of the Superintendent, they are necessary for the proper handling
of liquid wastes containing grease in excessive amounts, or any flammable
wastes, sand and other harmful ingredients; except that such interceptors
shall not be required for private living quarters or dwelling units.
All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the Superintendent,
and shall be located so as to be readily and easily accessible for
cleaning and inspection.
(2)
Grease and oil interceptors shall be constructed of impervious materials
capable of withstanding abrupt and extreme changes in temperature.
They shall be of substantial construction, watertight and equipped
with easily removable covers which, when bolted in place, shall be
gastight and watertight.
(3)
Where installed, all grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be maintained
by the owner, at his expense, in continuously efficient operation
at all times.
D.
Discharges subject to review; required pretreatment.
(1)
The admission into the public sewers of any waters or wastes a) having a five-day biochemical oxygen demand greater than 300 parts per million by weight, or b) containing more than 350 parts per million by weight of suspended solids, or c) containing any quantity of substance having the characteristics described in Subsection B, or d) having an average daily flow greater than 2% of the average daily sewage flow of the Town shall be subject to the review and approval of the Superintendent.
(2)
Where necessary, in the opinion of the Superintendent, the owner
shall provide, at his expense, such preliminary treatment as may be
necessary to:
(a)
Reduce the biochemical oxygen demand to 300 parts per million
and the suspended solids to 350 parts per million by weight; or
(b)
Reduce objectionable characteristics or constituents to within the maximum limits provided for in Subsection B; or
(c)
Control the quantities and rates of discharge of such waters
or wastes. Plans, specifications and any other pertinent information
relating to proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted
for the approval of the Superintendent and of the State Water Commission
and Department of Health of the State of Connecticut, and no construction
of such facilities shall be commenced until said approvals are obtained
in writing.
E.
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.
F.
When required by the Superintendent, the owner of any property served
by a building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable
control manhole 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 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.
G.
All measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of water and waste to which reference is made in Subsections B and D shall be determined in accordance with Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage, and shall be determined at the control manhole provided for in Subsection F, or upon suitable samples taken at said control manhole. 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.
H.
No statement contained in this section shall be construed as preventing
any special agreement or arrangement between the Town and any industrial
concern whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character
may be accepted by the Town for treatment, subject to payment therefor
by the industrial concern.
No unauthorized person shall maliciously, willfully or negligently
break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface or tamper with any structure,
appurtenance or equipment which is a part of the municipal sewage
works. Any person violating this provision shall be subject to immediate
arrest under charge of disorderly conduct, and subject to the maximum
fine permitted by state law for each violation.
The Superintendent and other duly authorized employees of the
Town bearing proper credentials and identification 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 chapter.
A.
Any person who shall violate any provisions of this chapter shall
be served with written notice setting forth the nature of the violation
and requiring that the same be satisfactorily corrected within a time
set forth in said notice, which time shall be reasonable considering
the nature and circumstances of the violation. Any person so served
shall, within the time stated in such notice, permanently cease all
violations of this chapter.
B.
Any person who shall continue any violation beyond the time set forth in any notice served upon him in accordance with the provisions of Subsection A of this section shall forfeit to the Town and pay to the Treasurer thereof the maximum fine permitted by state law for each such violation, and may be prosecuted criminally for such violation and fined the maximum fine allowed by state law for each offense; provided, however, that each day in which any such violation shall continue shall be deemed a separate offense; and provided further that no person shall be sued in a civil action and prosecuted criminally by the Town for the same offense.
C.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall
become liable to the Town for any expense, loss or damage occasioned
the Town by reason of such violation.
A.
Whenever any person shall be ordered to make any connection as set forth in § 323-3C of this chapter, and when any person shall have been ordered to discontinue any violation as set forth in § 323-9A and shall fail to do so within the time set forth in said notice, the Superintendent may cause the same to be done, and collect the expense thereof from such person; such expense shall become a lien against the property of such person until paid, and all provisions of the General Statutes relating to the recording, continuing and releasing of property tax liens shall apply.
The Sewer Commission shall have the authority to establish assessments,
charges, rentals and connection fees in accordance with the provisions
of the Connecticut General Statutes.
