(a) 
Connection required.
The owner or occupant of every building used in such a manner as to create sewage located on any lot or parcel of land within the city limits, where a sanitary sewer line of the city, adequate both as to size and grade to serve the property, is available, shall cause to be constructed a suitable water closet upon such property, and cause the same to be connected with such sanitary sewer line of the city in accordance with all ordinances, rules and regulations in effect in the city, and those ordinances, rules and regulations hereafter adopted pertaining to such connections.
(b) 
Time limit.
Where the city sanitary sewer line is available to service property owned or occupied in the city, the owner or occupant of every building used in such a manner as to create sewage shall have 120 days thereafter to make connection with the city sanitary sewer system.
(c) 
Extensions of time limit.
At the end of the 120-day period, the owner or occupant, upon proper application being filed with the city manager, may appeal to the city council to request a 60-day extension of time in which to tie onto the city sanitary sewer system. The city council may grant such an extension solely at its discretion, provided that such extension would not be contrary to the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the city and where, owing to special conditions and through no fault of the owner or occupant, the literal enforcement of the 120-day tie-on period would result in unnecessary hardship. The owner or occupant shall have the right to request, and the city council may consider, an additional 60-day extension of time upon the same basis.
(1999 Code, sec. 90-76(a)–(c))
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to construct or install private sewage facilities, which shall include, but which shall not be limited to, septic tanks.
(b) 
Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, any private sewage facility (septic tank) in existence as of the date of Ordinance No. 91-588 (April 9, 1991) may be repaired or upgraded so that such facility is in compliance with the latest version of Construction Standards for On-Site Sewerage Facilities, as amended, as promulgated by the state commission on environmental quality.
(1999 Code, sec. 90-76(d))
(a) 
Permit; tie-on and inspection fee.
Prior to beginning construction of the sewer line from the house to the sewer, the homeowner or his contractor shall obtain a construction permit. At this time the city shall collect a reasonable tie-on and inspection fee, as established by the council. The permit received shall be available at the construction site at all times during construction.
(b) 
Damaging city lateral.
The existing clay tile lateral constructed or extended to the property line of the owner or occupant of the building located on such property or in a right-of-way or in an easement is the property of the city. The owner or occupant of such property shall be liable for any and all damage, injury, obstruction or breakage to the city-owned laterals and/or sewers resulting from such owner or occupant, or the agent of either, digging to such laterals and/or sewers to connect with the same.
(c) 
Materials; maximum depth.
Soil and waste piping for sanitary sewer house lateral lines shall be of either of the following and shall be at the following maximum depth:
Kind
Class
Fittings
Maximum Depth
Vitrified clay pipe
Extra strength
Clay pipe fitting premolded joints
25 feet
Cast iron soil pipe
Service weight
C.I. soil pipe fittings
30 feet
Polyvinyl chloride plastic
Schedule 40
Sch. 40 PVC drainage fitting
15 feet
 
SDR 33.5 or 35
SDR 33.5 or 35 PVC drainage fittings
10 feet
(1) 
If the depth requirement must be exceeded, the superintendent of utilities shall be contacted for applicable bedding requirements. Pipe encased in 2,000 pound concrete may be used at lower than maximum depth when the embedment design is first approved by the superintendent of utilities.
(2) 
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes or fittings shall be produced from one of the following grades: 12454-B, 12454-C, 13364-B, 1120, 2120 or 1220. This grade number shall be marked on the outside of each section of pipe in accordance with ASTM standards.
(3) 
Solvent welding of PVC pipe shall be permitted with schedule 40 PVC pipe. It is not permitted to use solvent welding with SDR 33.5 or 35 PVC pipe. The SDR PVC pipe shall be assembled with approved gasketed fittings.
(d) 
Depth and cover.
(1) 
Maximum depth.
As set forth in subsection (c) of this section.
(2) 
Minimum depth.
Building and house sewers shall not have less than 12 inches of cover. Whenever it is impossible to secure 12 inches of cover, pipes shall be of cast iron soil pipe.
(3) 
Pipes running under road, driveway or parking area.
Where the pipe runs under roads, driveways or parking spots which are dirt, gravel, oil or asphalt, the minimum depth at the springline of all pipe shall be three feet, and the pipe shall be embedded in a trench per city specifications. Whenever it is impractical to meet this three-foot minimum, reinforced concrete embedment may be used with prior approval of the design in writing by the superintendent of utilities.
(e) 
Bores and tunnels.
(1) 
Bores and tunnels more than three feet below the surface shall be a minimum of two inches radius oversized (four inches diameter oversized) unless a steel sleeve is utilized in a size and type approved by the superintendent of utilities. This two inches shall be tamped full of moist sand or grouted with mortar.
(2) 
Maximum depth requirements shall be met by the pipe in a bore.
(3) 
Pipe laid within three feet of depth in a bore underneath a solid, uncracked, reinforced concrete driveway, patio, sidewalk or other structure shall require no reinforcement other than tamped damp sand on all sides of the pipe.
(f) 
Minimum trench clearance.
All haunching shall be firmly compacted on each side and top of the pipe in a trench. All pipe shall have a minimum clearance to the vertical trench walls on each side of three inches with a 95 percent density compaction rating.
(g) 
General construction.
(1) 
Building (house) sewers shall be a minimum of four inches in diameter and laid in a trench with the pipe barrel embedded per this specification at a uniform grade in as direct a line as possible from the property line to the terminus of the building (house) drain near the building wall or foundation. The plumber shall determine the location and depth of the terminal end of the house lateral near the property line, or where it will be when constructed, and shall construct the building (house) sewer to the property line so that it will be in alignment and at grade with the house lateral. Abrupt bends to bring the lateral into alignment or to grade shall be avoided as bad practice. Ideal installation of the building (house) sewer is a straight lane with a uniform grade without bends from the terminal wall or foundation.
(2) 
If the sewer tap is five feet or more below the grade of the sewer line, the drop or offset shall be supported in a manner approved by the chief plumbing inspector. Every offset shall be supported throughout its length by either concrete, crushed stone or machine cut shale.
(1999 Code, sec. 90-8)
(a) 
Required; conditions of bond.
(1) 
All connections of house sewers, drains and plumbing work with the sewer system of the city shall be made in accordance with the ordinances, rules and regulations of the city. All persons carrying on plumbing business within the city on connections of house sewers, drains and plumbing work with the sewer system of the city, making any connections with the same, or any plumbing work connected or intended to be connected with any sewer system, shall secure a permit as provided in this section and shall execute and deliver to the city a bond in the sum of $1,000.00, payable to the city, and as otherwise provided in this section, with two or more good and sufficient sureties thereon, or a bond regularly issued by an approved surety company, which bond shall be conditioned as follows:
(A) 
All work done upon any sanitary sewer, or any connections thereof, shall be done in a good and workmanlike manner, and in accordance with the plumbing specifications now in existence in the city or that may hereafter be passed by the city.
(B) 
The city shall be fully indemnified and held whole and harmless from any and all cost, expense or damage, whether real or asserted, on account of any injury done to any person or property in the prosecution of work or consequence of doing such work, or that may arise out of or be occasioned by the performance of such work.
(C) 
It shall be the duty of such person carrying on such plumbing business to replace in a good and workmanlike manner and restore any portion of any street or alley which may be opened for the purpose of making connections with any sewer pipe; and all such openings or excavations shall be refilled and restored, and the street be placed in as good condition as existed before any such excavation was made. In case any opening or any excavation in any street or alley is not restored as provided in this section, to the satisfaction of the city council, it shall be the duty of any person doing the work to promptly restore the same upon notice from such council, and in case of a failure or default to restore the same after such notice from such council, and after the expiration of a reasonable time, the city council shall restore the street at the cost of any such person making such excavation. The statement of the cost, as furnished by the city council, shall be conclusive evidence against any such person making an excavation.
(D) 
All persons engaged in the plumbing of houses and on premises [shall install all plumbing work] so that such plumbing shall conform to the plumbing specifications of the city now in existence, or those that may hereafter be adopted by the city, and in case any person so engaged in the plumbing business shall refuse to install or contract any plumbing work in any house or premises in accordance with such plumbing specifications, the owner of any such house or premises, who may be aggrieved or injured thereby, may have recourse on such bond, even though such work has been passed by the city manager. Should the city manager refuse to issue the certified approval of the work on account of the failure of the plumber to comply with the plumbing specifications, the city manager shall notify the person doing the work to comply with such ordinances, rules and regulations, and in case the plumber doing the work shall, within a reasonable time after the receipt of such notice, fail or refuse to change or rectify the work so as to make the same comply with the plumbing regulations, it shall be the duty of such sureties on the bond required in this section to make any such change on any such plumbing work so as to comply with the plumbing specifications. In default of the plumber doing the work or the sureties of such bond performing as provided in this section, the owner of any such house or premises may have recourse against the principal and sureties on the bond provided in this section.
(2) 
For purposes of this section, three days shall be considered a reasonable time.
(b) 
Damage to city property or failure to complete work.
In case any person engaged in the plumbing business should in any way injure any sanitary sewer, meter, meter box or any waterworks pipe or any other equipment belonging to the city in making a connection or disconnection with the same or doing any work upon the same, or should fail to do any such work on any such pipes or equipment in accordance with the plumbing specifications where such plumbing is to be connected with either, the city shall have recourse against any such person doing such work and the surety bond provided for in this section, but such bond shall be deemed a continuous obligation against the principal and sureties thereon until the entire amount therein provided for shall have been exhausted.
(c) 
Additional bond.
In case the bond provided for in this section shall be decreased in amount on account of any conditions of the same, the city council shall require, upon notice to the principal by the city manager of such facts, an additional bond to be given by any such person doing the same plumbing in an amount sufficient, when added to the unexhausted amount of the original bond, to at all times equal the sum of $1,000.00; that [and] in no case shall any individual, firm or corporation engage in any plumbing work connected or intended to be connected with the city sewer system without having on file, accepted by the city, a bond in the amount fixed in this section.
(d) 
Term of bond.
All plumbers' bonds as required to be executed in this section by any person engaged in the plumbing business shall expire on January 1 in each year, and shall thereafter be re-executed by such person for the period of one year from such date; provided, however, that any person engaged in such plumbing business at any time after January 1 of any year shall execute a bond for the unexpired portion of such year, that is, until January 1 of the succeeding year. As near as practicable, all bonds shall be issued for a period of one year.
(e) 
Issuance of permit; term; transfer; renewal.
Upon the approval of the bond as specified in subsection (a) of this section, the person desiring to engage in plumbing work connected or intended to be connected with the city sewer system shall obtain from the city manager a permit, which shall run until January 1 next succeeding its issuance, unless sooner revoked. Such permit shall not be transferable and shall be renewed annually.
(1999 Code, sec. 90-9)
(a) 
Responsibility of owner and city.
The property owner shall be responsible for maintaining all lateral sewer service lines from the point of connection (sewer tap) to any structure. The city shall maintain city-owned sewer mains, manholes and cleanouts in its discretion and solely as a governmental function.
(b) 
Stoppages.
The city, in its legislative discretion and solely as a governmental function, shall provide a sanitary sewer system which is designed to be free from sanitary sewer overflows. If a sewer stoppage occurs and is reported to the utility division, a technician shall be dispatched to the location immediately. Upon arrival, the technician shall determine the nature of the stoppage. If the stoppage is located in the city-owned portion of the utility, the technician shall take necessary steps to resolve the stoppage, including but not limited to jetting the sewer main at or near the stoppage. If a technician determines the stoppage to be located in a position where its correction is the responsibility of the property owner, the technician, upon execution of a written authorization and release of liability from the owner, may attempt to unstop the lateral sewer service line from the cleanout to the city sewer main. If the technician is unable to clear the stoppage, he shall advise the resident to contact a third party contractor to correct the problem. Under no circumstance shall the utility technician attempt to clear a stoppage from inside a structure.
(c) 
Claims against city.
If a stoppage has occurred within a city-owned sewer main, manhole or cleanout which results in a sewer backup or overflow inside a structure, the property owner or his designee may submit a damage claim to the city secretary's office. Each claim submitted shall be reviewed on its own merit, and may be forwarded to the city's liability carrier. Filing a claim with the city does not establish liability for payment of the claim. The city does not accept any liability or waive any immunities in its action under this section.
(d) 
Administration.
Unless otherwise designated by the city manager, the utility division shall administer this section.
(1999 Code, sec. 90-77)
(a) 
Each recipient or class of recipients of sewer service must pay its proportionate share of the operation and maintenance costs of all wastewater collection and treatment service.
(b) 
The city will review the operation and maintenance costs annually and periodically adjust the user charges to pay all of the estimated costs for the coming year.
(c) 
The city will maintain records of all costs and receipts associated with the operation and maintenance of the system.
(d) 
Quantity discounts to large volume consumers will not be allowed.
(Ordinance 2017-1224, sec. 2 adopted 5/23/17)
The charge for tapping the sewer mains at the property line for standard size residential lines shall be $375.00. Each property owner is responsible and shall be liable for the construction of the necessary laterals from his structure to the property line and for making the tap onto the sewer line. All laterals must meet city codes and inspections.
(Ordinance 2017-1224, sec. 2 adopted 5/23/17)
The monthly charges for sanitary sewer service shall be based upon the following:
(1) 
UTRWD pass-through wholesale sewer charges.
A pass-through charge will be charged as a separate item in accordance with amounts billed to the city by the Upper Trinity River Water District (UTRWD) for the treatment of wastewater delivered to UTRWD through the city's wastewater collection system. In each fiscal year budget, a projected number of billings and projected total usage will be determined and used as the basis for distributing wholesale cost as a rate per 1,000 gallons. The pass-through charge shall consist of: (A) a minimum monthly billing charge related to wholesale costs other than volume charges charged by UTRWD to the city; and (B) a charge per gallon related to wholesale volume charges charged by UTRWD to city. Each year, effective with the November billing, the UTRWD pass-through rate will be updated to reflect increases or decreases in rates charged by UTRWD to the city for wholesale wastewater treatment, adjusted by a reconciliation of billed amounts compared to actual charges incurred by the city in the previous fiscal year.
(2) 
Rates for sanitary sewer service.
In addition to the UTRWD pass-through charge described in subsection (1) of this section and subject to section 22.03.046, sewer customer shall pay the city a fee for the receipt of sanitary sewer service. The rates for the provision of sanitary service for residential and commercial accounts are as follows:
(A) 
Residential.
Metered Usage
Sewer Charge
0-2,000 gallons
$17.00 regardless of amount used
2,001–15,000 gallons
$3.70 for each additional 1,000 gallons used
>15,000
$65.10 flat rate
(B) 
Commercial.
Metered Usage
(based on water meter)
Sewer Charge
0-2,000 gallons
$34.00 regardless of amount used
>2,001 gallons
$3.70 for each additional 1,000 gallons used
(Ordinance 2017-1224, sec. 2 adopted 5/23/17)
Unless otherwise stated in the ordinance amending the rates and charges set forth in section 22.03.043, an amendment to the rates and charges set forth in section 22.03.043 shall become effective on the first regular billing date after the effective date of the ordinance enacting such amendment.
(Ordinance 2017-1224, sec. 2 adopted 5/23/17)
Charges for sanitary sewer service will be billed concurrently with charges for water service as provided in section 22.02.048. If charges for sewer service are not paid in accordance with the provisions of section 22.02.048, a late charge of $5.00 or ten percent of the outstanding balance, whichever is greater, and not to exceed $20.00, shall be assessed.
(Ordinance 2017-1224, sec. 2 adopted 5/23/17)
(a) 
Winter averaging maximum charge calculation.
A maximum monthly sewer charge, based on the preceding four-month winter average, (i.e. December, January, February, and March) of water usage metered for said period shall be established. Each year, a new maximum monthly sewer charge will be established based on the average water usage of the three lowest months of the four winter months. Monthly sewer charges for the following year, beginning with the May billing, will be determined by comparing, each month, the winter average quantity with the actual metered water usage, with charges based on the lower usage.
(b) 
New customers.
New customers will be charged for actual metered water usage for determination of sewer charges up to a maximum usage of 8,000 gallons each month until the following May billing, by which time a winter average for the preceding winter period comprising at least three (3) complete months can be established. Thereafter, the customer will be charged based on their established winter average.
(Ordinance 2017-1224, sec. 2 adopted 5/23/17)