(1) 
Any person owning property with structures containing facilities for the disposal of wastewater within the city's municipal boundaries shall connect to the public wastewater system subject to the provisions of this chapter.
(2) 
Connection to the public wastewater system shall be required when new development or redevelopment of a structure occurs, and public wastewater service is within a horizontal distance of 300 feet from the property line for the parcel where the development or redevelopment is occurring;
Except: Any house, building, or property which is connected to an existing and fully operational on-site sewage system. Owners and/or residents of property using any such on-site sewage system shall cooperate with all reasonable requests by the city to inspect said on-site sewage system. Such inspections shall not be more often than once in any 12-month period.
(a) 
When adequate public sewer services are available within 300 feet of the residence or facility, the director, upon the failure of an existing on-site sewage system, may:
(i) 
Require hookup to a public sewer system; or
(ii) 
Permit the repair or replacement of the on-site sewage system only if a conforming system can be designed and installed.
(b) 
The owner of an on-site sewage system that has failed shall abandon the on-site sewage system and connect the residence or other facility to a public sewer system when:
(i) 
The distance between the residence or other facility and an adequate public sewer is 300 feet or less as measured along the usual or most feasible route of access; and
(ii) 
The sewer utility allows the sewer connection.
(c) 
The owner of a residence or other facility served by a system meeting the requirements of WAC 246-272a-0280 Table IX shall abandon the on-site system, and connect the residence or other facility to a public sewer system when:
(i) 
Connection is deemed necessary to protect public health by the local health officer;
(ii) 
An adequate public sewer becomes available within 300 feet of the residence or other facility as measured along the usual or most economically feasible route of access; and
(iii) 
The sewer utility allows the sewer connection.
(3) 
Horizontal distance shall be measured along a straight line from the nearest available connection point to the closest property line.
(Ord. 3533 § 1, 2024)
(1) 
No person shall install, uncover, make connections with or openings into, use, alter or disturb any public sewer, building sewer or appurtenance thereof without first obtaining a written permit from the director. All connections to the public sewer shall be installed according to City of Longview Engineering Special Provisions and Standard Drawings in effect at the time of plan submittal.
(2) 
There shall be two classes of building sewer permits:
(a) 
For residential and commercial service; and
(b) 
For service to establishments producing industrial wastes as approved by the Washington State Department of Ecology.
For either class, the property owner shall make application on the form furnished by the department of public works. The permit application shall be supplemented by such plans, specifications, or other information considered necessary to ensure compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
(3) 
All costs and expenses incident to the installation and connection of the building sewer shall be borne by the property owner provided with sewage service. The property owner or their agent, whoever does the actual sewer installation, shall reimburse the city for any loss or damage that may be caused to city property by the installation of the building sewer.
(4) 
Where the property owner or their contractor is required to excavate within a street or other public right-of-way, a right-of-way bond, cash deposit, or certified check shall be required prior to the start of work. The bond, cash, or check shall be in an amount that represents 150 percent of the value of the work to be performed within the right-of-way. Cash and checks shall be deposited by the city in an amount established by the finance director. The bond, deposit, or check shall be returned to the owner or their contractor when the completed installation has received final written approval from the director of public works. Bonding requirements may be waived by the director.
(5) 
A separate and independent building sewer shall be provided for every building, except where one building stands at the rear of another building on the same lot and under the same ownership. No building sewer, however, may extend under another building.
(Ord. 3533 § 1, 2024)
Side sewer connections shall only be made to a sewer lateral. No side sewer connection may be made to a sewer main or to a sewer manhole.
Except:
(1) 
When the city engineer determines that it is impractical by reason of the topography of the land and/or the lack of depth of trunk sewers to install a lateral sanitary sewer to serve one or more residences, commercial or industrial properties, the director may authorize connections from such residence, commercial or industrial properties directly with any sanitary trunk sewer capable of serving such property or properties.
(2) 
Before any work shall be started on the installation of a connection, the applicant shall obtain a permit through the office of the director. Once the application is approved and all fees have been collected, the director shall issue the permit.
(3) 
The city shall be under no duty or obligation to permit sewer connections from the sanitary trunk sewers of the city to any property lines, it being the express intention of the city to reserve the right to determine whether any such sewer lines shall be constructed, or any connections made, solely within the judgment and discretion of the city.
(4) 
Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed as prohibiting the city from assessing the property of all such applicants for the cost of any local improvement which shall provide available lateral sanitary sewer service to a property or properties; provided, however:
(a) 
Any person connected with a trunk sewer in accordance with this chapter shall have the right to elect whether to connect to a lateral sanitary sewer when available;
(b) 
Provided further, that any election by any applicant not to connect with any available lateral sanitary sewer shall not prevent the property of the applicant from being included within any local improvement district created for the purpose of providing a lateral sanitary sewer capable of serving the applicant's property; or
(c) 
Prevent such property from being assessed for the proportionate share of any local improvement district created for the purpose of installing such a lateral sanitary sewer.
(Ord. 3533 § 1, 2024)
For the statutory provisions regarding outside sewer connections, see RCW 35.67.310.
(1) 
Terms and Conditions.
(a) 
Sanitary sewer service connections and facilities may be provided and furnished for property adjacent to but outside the city limits, at the discretion of the director.
(b) 
Subject to the formation of a local improvement district or utility local improvement district. As provided for in Chapter 15.16 LMC.
(c) 
Property owners shall be required to enter into an outside utility agreement (OUA) with the city which will limit their rights to oppose a future annexation.
(Ord. 3533 § 1, 2024)
(1) 
Any person desiring to have premises connected with the sewer collection system of the city shall present at the office of the director a permit for utility service. As part of the permit customers shall provide:
(a) 
Name of the owner.
(b) 
Billing address.
(c) 
Email address.
(d) 
Telephone number.
(e) 
Description of the project.
(f) 
Site address.
(g) 
Type of facility.
(h) 
The size of side sewer required.
(i) 
Sketch of the site.
(j) 
It shall be signed by the occupant of the premises to be served or their duly authorized agent.
(k) 
At the time of filing of the permit, the applicant shall pay to the city the fees for installation of sewer service as provided by this article or resolution of the city.
(2) 
The application provided for in subsection (1) of this section shall constitute a contract on the part of the person making the same with the city to pay for the sewer service applied for at the rate and in the manner specified by the ordinances or resolutions of the city governing the same and to comply with all other provisions of the ordinances or resolutions of the city pertaining thereto.
(3) 
All contracts shall take effect from the day they are signed, and rates shall be charged from the dates the premises are connected with the city sewer system.
(Ord. 3533 § 1, 2024)
Once the permit for utility service and the connection fees are paid, the customer may connect to the city's sewer lateral with a side sewer. City staff will inspect the sewer tap and connection. The side sewer shall extend at approximately right angles from the main to the property line. On all installations a cleanout of approved design shall be placed at the property line.
(Ord. 3533 § 1, 2024)
(1) 
Side sewers shall be six inches in size or greater.
(2) 
The fees for the installation of side sewer connections as hereinabove provided shall be in such amounts as shall be fixed by resolution of the city council from time to time upon recommendation of the director.
(3) 
Sewer capital recovery fees and sewer treatment system development charges are fees in perpetuity and will run with the property.
(Ord. 3533 § 1, 2024)
Capital recovery fees are charges imposed by the sewer utility upon new development to tie into the sewer collection system and use existing sewer capacity that has already been paid for by the existing customer base. Capital recovery fees easily and fairly distribute the burden of providing additional sewer collection capacity from the sewer utility and its existing customers to new customers as a result of new development. The fees are collected from new industries, new commercial businesses, new residential construction, and new sewer taps, and they allow the new customer to "buy-in" to the remaining sewer collection capacity of the sewer system. The capital recovery costs are established periodically by resolution of the city council.
(Ord. 3533 § 1, 2024)
System development charges are pass-through charges assessed by Three Rivers Regional Wastewater Authority (TRRWA). The TRRWA is a municipal corporation organized between Cowlitz County, the city of Longview, the city of Kelso, and Beacon Hill Water and Sewer District. The TRRWA provides all necessary treatment facilities, transmission facilities and wastewater services to receive and treat wastewater collected by its members within the service area. SDCs are fee-scheduled charges applied to new development to help offset the impact of development, redevelopment, or an intensification of use. The fee is intended to recover a fair share of the costs of existing and planned infrastructure that provide capacity to serve new growth. The system development charges are established periodically by resolution of the TRRWA board.
(Ord. 3533 § 1, 2024)
(1) 
Unless authorized by the director, grinder pumps and required appurtenances are not permitted.
(2) 
If authorized, grinder pumps shall:
(a) 
Only be used for sewage that may not physically be conveyed to the public side sewer service stub by gravity; and
(b) 
Be privately owned and maintained.
The city may agree to provide maintenance service if a grinder pump serves multiple residential structures. Provided, that such maintenance service shall be by contract and at the owner's sole cost and expense.
(Ord. 3533 § 1, 2024)
(1) 
Maintenance, Repair, and Replacement of Sewers.
(a) 
Unimproved Roadways, Alleyways, Easements, or Utility Corridors.
(i) 
Where the Sewer Main Exists in an Unimproved Roadway, Alleyway, Easement, or Utility Corridor.
(A) 
Routine Maintenance.
(1) 
Private side sewer service – property owner shall be responsible for the routine maintenance as they are the user of the sewer service to the sewer service connection.
(2) 
Sewer main – city shall be responsible for the routine maintenance limited to cleaning and TV inspection.
(B) 
Repair.
(1) 
Private side sewer service – property owner shall be responsible for repair.
(2) 
Sewer main – city shall be responsible for trenchless repairs including cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining of the city-owned main.
(C) 
Replacement.
(1) 
Private side sewer service – property owner shall be responsible for replacement.
(2) 
Sewer main – city shall be responsible for replacement.
(D) 
Owner Improvements.
(1) 
When property owner improvements have been made within the unimproved roadways, alleyways, easements, or utility corridor, and the improvements must be removed to facilitate city-led repair or replacement of the sewer main, the property owner shall be responsible for removal and replacement of the improvements.
(2) 
When possible, city staff shall notify the property owner(s) 30 days in advance of needing improvements relocated. When an emergency has been declared, owners may receive as little as 24 hours' notice. If after proper notice the city needs to remove owner improvements, the improvements shall become the property of the city.
(3) 
Once repair and/or replacement of the sewer main is complete, the property owner may restore their improvements outside of the unimproved roadway, alleyway, easement, or utility corridor.
(b) 
Improved Roadways, Alleyways, Easements, or Utility Corridors.
(i) 
Where the Sewer Main Exists in an Improved Roadway, Alleyway, Easement, or Utility Corridor.
(A) 
Routine Maintenance.
(1) 
Private side sewer service – property owner shall be responsible for the routine maintenance.
(2) 
Sewer main – city shall be responsible for the routine maintenance.
(B) 
Repair.
(1) 
Private side sewer service – property owner shall be responsible for repair.
(2) 
Side sewer service stub – city shall be responsible for repairs.
(3) 
Sewer main – city shall be responsible for repairs.
(C) 
Replacement.
(1) 
Private side sewer service – property owner shall be responsible for replacement.
(2) 
Side sewer service stub – city shall be responsible for replacement.
(3) 
Sewer main – city shall be responsible for replacement.
(2) 
All costs for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of the building sewer shall be as detailed above. Except when, as determined by the city, the "building sewer" damage is directly or indirectly caused by the property owner of the premises served by the building sewer or caused by an act or omission of said owner, the cost to repair this damage shall be the responsibility of the property owner. The city may file a lien against the property served by the building sewer if city-borne costs are charged and not paid within 30 days of the date of billing.
(Ord. 3533 § 1, 2024)