No sanitary connection of private property or public property with the public sewer system shall be made until the owner of the land, or his or her duly authorized agent, has submitted an application in writing to the city for permission to make the same, and has been granted such permission.
A. 
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 or her agent shall submit an application on a form furnished by the city. The permit application shall be supplemented by any plans, specifications or other information considered pertinent in the judgement of the city or its duly authorized representative. A permit and inspection fee shall be paid according to current fee schedules and cost estimate format established by the city.
B. 
Upon approval of the application by the city, the public works director shall authorize the building inspector to issue a permit for such installation to a duly licensed plumber or drain layer.
1. 
Each and every month the public works director shall submit a list of names and addresses or all approved connections within the city of Cranston. This list shall be for notification/informational purposes only (not to ratify or reject).
C. 
Permits (or separate contracts) issued to establishments producing industrial wastes will include, as a minimum:
1. 
Statement of duration not to exceed five years;
2. 
Statement of non-transferability without, at a minimum, prior notification to the POTW and provision of a copy of the existing control mechanism to the new owner or operator;
3. 
Effluent limits, including best management practices, based on applicable general pretreatment standards in 40 CFR Part 403, categorical pretreatment standards, local limits, and state and local law;
4. 
Self-monitoring, sampling, reporting, notification, and recordkeeping requirements;
5. 
Identification of the pollutants to be monitored (including the process for seeking a waiver for a pollutant neither present nor expected to be present in the discharge in accordance with 40 CFR 403.12(e)(2), or a specific waived pollutant in the case of an individual control mechanism), sampling location, sampling frequency, and sample type, based on the applicable general pretreatment standards in 40 CFR Part 403, Categorical pretreatment standards, local limits, and state and local law;
6. 
Statement of applicable civil and criminal penalties for violation of pretreatment standards and requirements, and any applicable compliance schedule. Such schedules may not extend the compliance date beyond applicable federal deadlines; and
7. 
Requirements to control slug discharges, if determined by the director to be necessary.
The permit conditions are specifically and independently enforceable regardless of whether they are expressly required or set out in this chapter.
D. 
All industrial users shall comply with any and all applicable pretreatment standards and requirements, including but not limited to EPA Categorical Pretreatment Standards (Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter I, Subchapter N, Parts 405—471), National Prohibited Discharges (general and specific) (Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 403.5(a) and (b)) and all requirements of the Federal EPA General Pretreatment Regulations for Existing and New Sources of Pollution (Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 403). A user may not introduce into the POTW any pollutant(s) which cause pass through or interference. These general prohibitions apply to each user introducing pollutants into the POTW whether or not the user is subject to other national pretreatment standards or any national, state, or local pretreatment requirements.
E. 
A sewer system connection fee shall be paid upon application for a building permit to erect structures which will connect directly or indirectly to the public sewer system.
For purpose of the sewer system connection fee, the city is divided into the westerly sewer system impact area and the easterly sewer system impact area. The westerly sewer system impact area is the portion of the city that is located west of Interstate Route 295. The easterly sewer system impact area is that portion of the city that is located east of Interstate Route 295.
Type
Fee
The westerly sewer system impact area sewer system connection fees are as follows:
Single-family dwelling
$3,000.00
Multi-family dwelling or apartment house or condominium complex
$750.00 per bedroom and/or den
Rest home or hospital
$750.00/bed
Hotels, motels, motor inns and dormitories
$750.00/room plus per square foot charge for other floor space
Commercial, industrial or restaurant facility
 
1 to 10,000 gross square feet
$0.75/square foot
10,001 to 20,000 gross square feet
$0.50/square foot
20,001 and over gross square feet
$0.25/square foot
Minimum fee
$3,000.00
The easterly sewer system impact area sewer system connection fees are as follows:
Single-family dwelling
$1,200.00
Multi-family dwelling or apartment house or condominium complex
$300.00 per bedroom and/or den
Rest home or hospital
$300.00/bed
Hotels, motels, motor inns and dormitories
$300.00/room plus per square foot charge for other floor space
Commercial, industrial or restaurant facility:
 
1 to 10,000 gross square feet
$0.30/square foot
10,001 to 20,000 gross square feet
$0.20/square foot
20,001 and over gross square feet
$0.10/square foot
Minimum fee
$1,200.00
An additional sewer connection fee shall be paid on any future additions or expansions to facilities in the above-mentioned categories. The additional fee shall be based on the above schedule in the appropriate category.
F. 
Areas exempt from this chapter are as follows:
1. 
Public buildings;
2. 
Areas zoned M-1 or M-2 prior to January 1, 1983, located west of Route I-295, south of Plainfield Pike and north of Scituate Avenue.
G. 
Any and all out of city connections (users located outside of Cranston) approved by the director of public works in accordance with state law, shall be reported to the full city council monthly prior to any connection to the system.
(Ord. 2013-24, § 1, 7/22/2013; Ord. 2013-31, § 1, 8/26/2013; Ord. 2018-3, § 1, 3/26/2018; Ord. 2023-24, § 1, 11/27/2023)
Sewer service connections from the public sewer to the building drain shall be laid at such depth and gradient and in such location as the city may determine. No sewer service connection shall serve more than one building, except by permission of the city. Submission requirements and design standards for sanitary sewers shall be in accordance with rules and requirements shown the "Specifications for Highways Covering Residential and Industrial Plat Developments" from the city department of public works, latest edition. Annex A—Sewers within these rules addresses specific design requirements for sewer connections and extensions.
(Ord. 2013-24, § 1, 7/22/2013)
If during inspection a building lateral clean out trap cannot be penetrated for lateral inspection or cleaning, the property owner shall replace it with a PVC wye at their expense. If a property owner cleans the building lateral, they shall also immediately clean the street lateral to prevent it from being plugged by debris removed from the building lateral.
(Ord. 2013-24, § 1, 7/22/2013)
A separate and independent building and street lateral 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 lateral from the front building may be extended to the rear building and the whole considered as one building lateral, but the city does not and will not assume any obligation or responsibility for damage caused by or resulting from any such single connection aforementioned. The rights appurtenant to such single connection or extension from a front building to a rear building shall be recorded with each of the respective deeds.
(Ord. 2013-24, § 1, 7/22/2013)
Private sewers or drains and sewer service connections within the street limits shall not be connected with the public sewerage system unless they are found after investigation by the city to be properly located, laid at suitable gradient, in good condition, with proper and suitable appurtenances, and in every way satisfactory to the city.
(Ord. 2013-24, § 1, 7/22/2013)
All costs and expense incident to the installation, inspection, and connections of the building drain, building lateral and street lateral, including private sewers or drains, shall be borne by the owner. The city or its authorized representative will provide the owner with a list of approved contractors with whom the owner shall contract for the installation of building laterals and street laterals. The owner shall indemnify the city from any loss or damage that may directly or indirectly be occasioned by the installation of the building lateral and street lateral and shall submit a certificate of insurance.
That a revolving loan fund be established to defer costs to connect homes located within the city directly with the public sewer be established in the amount of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00), effective January 1, 2007.
That the following are considered as qualifications for eligibility for receiving a loan:
A. 
Applicant must be the owner of the home seeking to connect with the city sewer system and must reside in said home located within the city of Cranston.
B. 
Applicants' total household income must be one hundred (100) percent of the poverty level as established by the Social Security Administrations for households of equal size.
C. 
Applicant must document number of dependents and monthly personal income. Acceptable proof includes:
1. 
Copies of most recent two pay stubs;
2. 
W-2 forms for most recent tax year; or
3. 
Proof of unemployment qualification.
D. 
Applications are subject to a credit history check administered by the department of finance.
E. 
That interest costs will not be applicable; however, all loans must be repaid within five calendar years in four quarterly installments each year.
F. 
That an administrative fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) will be applied to each loan.
G. 
That loans will be administered through the department of finance.
H. 
That the department of finance will submit to the city council by March 1, 2007, and annually thereafter, a report on the status of the revolving loan account, to include aggregate number of loans issued, amount in the account, and status of any loans in default. Loans that are in default will be handled as a collection issue in accordance with policy and procedures manual prepared by the administration set forth through the department of finance and approved by the city council.
(Ord. 2013-24, § 1, 7/22/2013)
Any person developing a plat of land in the city shall at his or her own expense install sewer lines and service stubs or wyes in such plat and shall connect the same with the existing sewer system according to city-approved plans where the system is within one thousand (1,000) feet (304.8 meters) of the subdivision. Where the existing sewer system is beyond one thousand (1,000) feet (304.8 meters), or where no city-approved plans are available, each lot shall be designed insofar as feasible to permit the location of an individual sewage disposal system between the building site and the street.
Connection to the public sewer system shall be in compliance with the terms and conditions set forth in the following subsections:
A. 
The entire cost of the design, review, installation, testing, and as-built documentation of all sewer mains, manholes and other components of the sewer system to serve any such plat or any part thereof shall be paid by the developer. The term "entire cost" as used herein shall be deemed to mean and include the cost of all engineering services, both preliminary to and during the actual installation of the sewer system, and the costs of all materials, services, labor and supplies for construction and laying out sewers and connecting the same with the sewer system, as-built documentation submission, and any review or inspection costs incurred by the city.
B. 
The developer, before proceeding with the installation of sewer lines in any such plat or any part thereof, shall submit plans and specifications, and all pertinent documentation to the city relative to the proposed construction. If the city approves such plans and specifications, the city shall forward a list of approved sewer contractors to the developer. The developer shall select and submit a qualified contractor with whom he or she proposes to do the work, together with a break-down of items, quantities and unit prices for the project.
C. 
The developer or its designee shall notify the city and its representatives at least five workdays prior to the commencement of any approved new plat related excavation, advising of the name, phone number and address of the developer and the contractor, along with the name and phone number of the contractor's foreman.
D. 
The construction and laying out of all sewer lines pursuant to this section shall be subject to the inspection of the city or its representative. If at any time the city or its representative shall determine that the construction and laying out of such sewer lines is not being performed in accordance with the plans and specifications as approved, he or she shall forthwith notify the developer to this effect in writing, who shall then order the suspension of all further work by and of payments to the contractor until such corrections are made as will produce complete compliance with the plans and specifications.
E. 
All sewer system components will be tested, cleaned and approved prior to issuance of a permit to connect to public sewer system, at the developer's cost. As-built information must be submitted and approved prior to final approval and issuance of a permit to connect.
(Ord. 2013-24, § 1, 7/22/2013)
Design standards for sanitary sewers shall be in accordance with rules and requirements shown in Annex A—Sewers of the "Specifications for Highways Covering Residential and Industrial Plat Developments," from the city department of public works, latest edition.
(Ord. 2013-24, § 1, 7/22/2013)
Whenever possible, the building drain shall be brought to the building at an elevation below the basement floor. No plumbing fixture shall be installed where the overflow rim is below the next upstream manhole in the public sewer, except where:
A. 
An approved sewage grinder pump is utilized to pump sewage to the building drain, upon approval of the director. However, the city shall have no responsibility for the installation, operation, and maintenance of said equipment.
B. 
The property owner installs an approved backwater valve on the building drain in accordance with Section 13.08.280 of this chapter.
C. 
Grinder pumps and all appurtenances required for the building drain or lateral shall be installed in accordance with the Annex A—Sewers of the "Specifications for Highways Covering Residential and Industrial Plat Developments," from the city department of public works latest edition, and the local plumbing code. The installation shall be inspected in accordance with local standards, including inspection by the local plumbing inspector.
(Ord. 2013-24, § 1, 7/22/2013)
Approved backwater valves shall be installed on all new building laterals and drains to mechanically prevent backflow of sewage during flood conditions, upon approval of the director. The property owner shall be responsible for the installation, operation, and maintenance of their backwater valve and any property damage which may consequently occur. Backwater valves shall be installed in accordance with the Annex A—Sewers of the "Specifications for Highways Covering Residential and Industrial Plat Developments," from the city department of public works, latest edition, and the local plumbing code. The quantity of backflow valves necessary for commercial and industrial establishments must be submitted and approved by the director prior to installation.
(Ord. 2013-24, § 1, 7/22/2013)
The applicant for the building sewer permit shall notify the building inspector when the building drain and building lateral are ready for inspection, and connection to the street lateral. The installation of the building drain and building lateral and the connection to the street lateral shall be made under the supervision of the building inspector. The contractor installing the building lateral and street lateral shall provide an as-built drawing, acceptable to the building inspector, of the installation with dimensions to locate the cleanout.
(Ord. 2013-24, § 1, 7/22/2013)
Whenever any user under this article shall cease operation, notice shall be given to the plumbing inspector and the waste lines employed by such user shall be sealed under the supervisor of the plumbing inspector.
(Ord. 2013-24, § 1, 7/22/2013)
A. 
Where an abutting city or town has installed sewer lines to serve their residents and possibly city residents, and where said sewer flows into the city sewer system, said residents served shall pay the annual sewer assessment fee to help defray the operation and maintenance cost of the water pollution control facilities.
B. 
Where an abutting city or town has residents that can be entirely served by the city sewer system, these owners shall be subject to the annual sewer assessment fee.
C. 
Where industries are located either in city or in abutting cities and towns and where these industries are to be served by reciprocal agreements, then under these cases agreements must be drawn and approved by the city council.
D. 
Where city residents are served by abutting city or town sewer systems, no sewer assessment fee will be levied.
E. 
Private sewers and sewers extending into adjacent communities which connect to the city sewer, shall be installed in conformance with the city sewer use ordinance unless otherwise approved by the director.
F. 
The city maintains the right to establish individual agreements with industries and other entities for sewer service that may not be in full conformance with the ordinance. Any such individual agreements must be approved by the city council.
(Ord. 2013-24, § 1, 7/22/2013)