Except as otherwise provided herein, city manager shall administer, implement and enforce the provisions of this division. Any powers granted to or duties imposed upon the city manager may be delegated to other city personnel.
(Ordinance 6459 adopted 2/21/22)
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the following terms and phrases, as used in this division, shall have the meanings hereinafter designated:
(1) 
Act.
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.
(2) 
Building sewer.
A sewer conveying wastewater from the premises of user to the POTW.
(3) 
City.
The city, or any authorized person acting in its behalf
(4) 
City manager.
The person designated by the city to supervise the POTW and be responsible for water pollution control for the city, and who is charged with certain duties and responsibilities by this division. This term also means a duly authorized representative of the city manager.
(5) 
Domestic or sanitary wastes (liquid).
Wastewater from normal residential activities including, but not limited to wastewater from kitchen, bath, and laundry facilities; or wastewater from the personal sanitary conveniences (toilets, showers, bathtubs, fountains, noncommercial sinks and similar structures) of commercial, industrial or institutional buildings, provided that the wastewater exhibits characteristics that are similar to those of wastewater from normal residential activities.
(6) 
Excessive.
Amounts of discharge in which the average concentration exceeds more than two hundred fifty (250) mg/l for BOD and TSS.
(7) 
Fats, oils and greases (FOG).
Organic polar compounds derived from animal and/or plant sources that contain multiple carbon chain triglyceride molecules. These substances are detectable and measurable using analytical test procedures established in 40 CFR 136, and amendments thereto. All are sometimes referred to herein as “grease.”
(8) 
Garbage.
Animal and vegetable wastes and residue from preparation, cooking and dispensing of food; and from the handling, processing, storage and sale of food products and produce.
(9) 
Holding tank waste.
Any waste from holding tanks such as vessels, chemical toilets, campers, trailers, septic tanks and vacuum-pump tank trucks.
(10) 
Infiltration.
The penetration of water through the ground surface into sub-surface soil or the penetration of water from the soil into sewer or other pipes through defective joints, connections, or manhole walls.
(11) 
Inflow.
Water other than wastewater that enters a sewer system (including sewer service connections) from sources such as roof leaders, cellars drains, yard drains, area drains, drains from springs and swampy areas, manhole covers, cross-connections between storm sewers and sanitary sewers, catch basins, stormwaters, surface runoff, street wash waters, or drainage. Inflow does not include, and is distinguished from infiltration.
(12) 
Municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4).
The system of conveyances (including sidewalks, roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, manmade channels, culverts, pipes, or storm drains) owned and operated by the city and designed or used for collecting or conveying stormwater, and which is not used for collecting or conveying sewage.
(13) 
Non-domestic user or industrial user.
A source of indirect discharge which does not constitute a discharge of pollutants under regulations issued pursuant to section 402 of the act; any person including those located outside the jurisdictional boundaries of the city, who contribute, cause or permits the contribution or discharge of non-domestic wastewater into the POTW, including persons who contribute such wastewater from mobile sources.
(14) 
Non-domestic wastewater.
Wastewater resulting from any industrial, commercial, manufacturing, food preparation or food processing operation or from development of any natural resource, or any mixture of these with water or domestic wastewater.
(15) 
Normal domestic wastewater.
Wastewater excluding industrial wastewater discharged by a person into sanitary sewers and in which the average concentration of TSS is not more than two hundred fifty (250) mg/l and BOD is not more than two hundred fifty (250) mg/l.
(16) 
Overload.
The addition of organic or hydraulic loading on a treatment facility in excess of its engineered design capacity.
(17) 
pH.
A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance, expressed in standard units.
(18) 
Person.
Any individual, partnership, copartnership, firm, company, corporation, association, joint stock company, trust, estate, governmental entity or any other legal entity, or their legal representatives, agents, successors, or assigns. This definition includes all federal, state or local governmental entities.
(19) 
Pollutant.
Any dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, medical wastes, chemical wastes, industrial wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, agricultural, industrial wastes and municipal wastes, and the characteristics of the wastewater (i.e., pH, temperature, TSS, turbidity, color, BOD, COD, toxicity, odor).
(20) 
Pollution.
The manmade or man-induced introduction of a harmful quantity of any pollutant into water or wastewater.
(21) 
Publicly owned treatment works or POTW.
A “treatment works” as defined by section 212 of the act (33 U.S.C 1292), which is owned by the state or municipality (as defined by section 502(4) of the act). This definition includes any devices or systems used in the collection, storage, treatment, recycling, and reclamation of municipal sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature and any conveyances which convey wastewater to a treatment plant. The term also means the municipal entity having jurisdiction over the industrial users and responsibility for the operations and maintenance of the treatment works.
(22) 
Sanitary sewer.
A pipe or conduit that carries liquid and water-carried wastes from residences, commercial buildings, industrial plants and institutions together with or quantities of ground, storm and surface waters.
(23) 
Sewer.
A pipe or conduit that carries wastewater or drainage water.
(24) 
Storm drain (sometimes termed “storm sewer”).
A drain or sewer for conveying water, groundwater, subsurface water, or unpolluted water from any source into which domestic wastewater or industrial wastewater is not intentionally passed.
(25) 
Stormwater.
Any flow occurring during or following any form of natural precipitation, and resulting therefrom, including snowmelt.
(26) 
Unpolluted water.
Water of quality equal to or better than the effluent criteria in effect or water that would not cause violation of receiving water quality standards and would not be benefited by discharge to the sanitary sewers and the POTW.
(27) 
Wastewater (sewage).
The liquid and water-carried industrial or domestic wastes from dwellings, commercial buildings, industrial facilities, and institutions, together with any groundwater, surface water, and stormwater that may be present, whether treated or untreated, which is contributed into or permitted to enter the POTW.
(28) 
Wastewater collection system.
The piping, conduits, pumping stations, force mains, and all other constructions, devices, and appurtenance appliances used to transport wastewater.
(Ordinance 5523, sec. 1, adopted 11/3/08; Ordinance 6459 adopted 2/21/22)
(a) 
Whenever the city manager finds that an emergency exists which requires immediate action, he may, without notice or hearing, issue an order reciting the existence of such an emergency and requiring that such action be taken as he may deem necessary to meet the emergency, including suspending a user's city provided water supply and/or wastewater discharge when such suspension is necessary in the opinion of the city manager to stop an actual or threatened discharge which:
(1) 
Presents or may present imminent and substantial danger to the environment or to the health or welfare of persons;
(2) 
Presents or may present imminent and substantial danger to the POTW; or
(3) 
Causes or will cause pass through or interference of the POTW.
(b) 
If time permits, the city manager should notify the user prior to the suspension.
(c) 
Any user notified of a suspension of its water supply and/or wastewater discharge shall immediately stop or eliminate its contribution. In the event of a user's failure to comply immediately and voluntarily with the suspension order, the director may take such steps as deemed necessary to prevent or minimize damage to the POTW, its receiving stream, or endangerment to any individuals. Such steps may include immediate severance of the user's water service and sewer connection.
(d) 
The user shall not recommence its water service/discharge until the city manager so authorizes and:
(1) 
The user presents proof satisfactory to the city manager that the noncompliant discharge has ceased;
(2) 
The user presents proof satisfactory to the city manager that the conditions creating the threat of imminent and substantial danger have been eliminated;
(3) 
The user pays the city for all costs incurred by the city in responding to the discharge or threatened discharge; and
(4) 
The user pays the city for all costs the city will incur in reinstating services.
(e) 
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this article, such order shall be effective immediately. Any person to whom such an order is directed shall comply therewith immediately, but upon petition to the city manager shall be afforded a hearing as soon as possible, as provided by section 13.07.877 of this article.
(f) 
The remedies provided by this section are in addition to any other remedies set out in this article. Exercise of this remedy shall not be a bar against nor a prerequisite for, taking other action against a violator.
(Ordinance 5523, sec. 1, adopted 11/3/08; Ordinance 6459 adopted 2/21/22)
(a) 
A user who violates the following conditions is subject to the termination of its city-provided water supply and/or its discharge:
(1) 
Failure to accurately report the wastewater constituents and characteristics of its discharge;
(2) 
Failure to provide reasonable access to the user's premises for the purpose of inspection, monitoring, or sampling; or
(3) 
Failure to pay surcharges or other applicable fees.
(b) 
The user will be notified of the proposed termination of its water supply and/or discharge, and may petition for a reconsideration and hearing as provided by section 13.07.877 of this article prior to the termination of services.
(c) 
The user shall not recommence its discharge until the city manager so authorizes and:
(1) 
The user presents proof satisfactory to the city manager that all noncompliance has been corrected; and
(2) 
The user pays the city for all costs the city will incur in reinstating services.
(d) 
Exercise of this option by the city manager shall not be a prerequisite for taking any other action against the user.
(Ordinance 5523, sec. 1, adopted 11/3/08; Ordinance 6459 adopted 2/21/22)
The city manager and other duly authorized employees of the city bearing proper credentials and identification are entitled to enter any public or private property at any reasonable time for the purpose of enforcing this division. The city shall inspect the facilities of any user to ascertain whether the purpose of this division is being met and all requirements are being complied with and shall enter all private properties through which the city holds a negotiated easement for the purpose of:
(1) 
Maintenance of any portion of the sewer system lying within the easement; and
(2) 
Conducting any other authorized activity. All activities shall be conducted in full accordance with terms of the negotiated easement pertaining to the private property involved.
(Ordinance 6459 adopted 2/21/22)
(a) 
Unless exception is granted by the control authority, the public sanitary sewer system shall be used by all persons discharging:
(1) 
Wastewater;
(2) 
Industrial wastes; and/or
(3) 
Polluted liquids.
(b) 
Unless authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, no person may deposit or discharge any waste included in subsection (a)(1), (2) or (3) above of this section on public or private property into or adjacent to any:
(1) 
Natural outlet;
(2) 
Watercourse;
(3) 
Storm sewer;
(4) 
Other area within the jurisdictional waters of the city.
(c) 
The control authority shall verify prior to discharge that wastes authorized to be discharged will receive suitable treatment within the provisions of law, regulations, ordinances, rules, and order of federal, state and local governments.
(Ordinance 5187 adopted 11/3/03; Ordinance 6459 adopted 2/21/22)
(a) 
Any owner, agent or occupant of any property located within two hundred (200) feet of any street or alley or upon any lot or tract of land abutting upon any street or alley along which extends any sewer or system of sewerage already constructed or which may be hereafter constructed by the city, who shall construct, keep, maintain, use or permit to be used upon such property or premises any water closet, privy, sink, drain or other receptacle of sewerage not duly connected with such sewers or sewerage system so that its contents are made to empty into such sewer or system of sewerage shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) 
In all cases where any sewer or toilet for receiving house sewage shall be within two hundred (200) feet of any tenement or house, the owner, occupant or tenant thereof shall forthwith connect all water closets and privies upon such premises with such sewer or toilet as required by and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the city relating thereto; and any person who shall be required hereby to make any such connection and shall fail, neglect or refuse to do so shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(c) 
It shall be a defense to prosecution under this section if the owner, agent or occupant has obtained a septic tank permit from the county and installed a functioning septic system to collect all sewage on the property.
(Ordinance 5968 adopted 8/1/16)
Developers will be permitted to install tees or wyes for house sewer-service line connections, in lieu of taps, as the sanitary sewer main is laid in the development. All sewer taps to the city sanitary sewer mains will be made by city personnel for the fee established by ordinance paid in advance.
(Ordinance 5187 adopted 11/3/03)
(a) 
The installation of the sewer-service line will be made by the developer or consumer and the maintenance of the sewer-service line from the sewer tap in the main to the structure will be the responsibility of the consumer.
(b) 
All sewer-service lines under the streets must be of the best grade vitrified-clay tile with compression joints, or of cast-iron pipe, or of schedule 40 PVC pipe.
(c) 
All sewer-service lines between sewer mains and the property line must be laid according to the specifications of the city and must be passed by the city inspector before the pipe can be backfilled and the ditch compacted.
(Ordinance 5187 adopted 11/3/03)
Storm discharge facilities, plans, specifications, and other pertinent information relating to proposed facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the city, and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until such approvals are obtained in writing.
(Ordinance 5187 adopted 11/3/03)