[Adopted 2-13-1975(Ch. III, Sec. 1, of Title Five of the 1965 Code)]
In order to ensure proper removal and disposal of sewage wastes and wastewaters within the Town of Barrington; the ensure the proper operation and maintenance of public sewers, drains and other drainage or sewerage works within said Town; and to provide for keeping adequate records of sewers, drains and the related sewage treatment plant and facilities of the City of East Providence and appurtenances and connections thereto, this article regulating the construction, use, repair, alteration and discontinuance or abandonment of sewers, drains and appurtenances and connections thereto, including drains and pipes discharging directly or indirectly into said sewers or drains, and the substances to be discharged directly or indirectly into and through sewers, drains and appurtenances of the public sewer system and storm drainage system of the Town, is enacted by the Town Council as provided by the Charter of the Town including special acts approved by the state legislature and by the laws of the State of Rhode Island.
A. 
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meanings of terms used in this article shall be as follows:
BOD (denoting biochemical oxygen demand)
The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five days at 20º expressed in parts per million by weight.
BUILDING DRAIN
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 sewer service line outside of the building wall.
CHLORINE DEMAND
The amount of chlorine expressed in parts per million by weight that is required to produce a residual of oil parts per million of chlorine after 15 minutes contact of chlorine and sewage.
COOLING WATER
The clean wastewater from air-conditioning, industrial cooking, condensing and similar apparatus and from hydraulically powered equipment. "Cooling water" shall include only water which is sufficiently clean and unpolluted to admit of being discharged, without treatment or purification, into any natural open stream or watercourse without offense.
CONTRACTOR
An individual, partnership or corporation and the proper agents and representatives thereof.
DIRECTOR
The Director of Public Works of the Town, or their authorized deputy, agent or representative.
DRAINAGE FIELD
A system of open joint drains laid in trenches backfilled with broken stone or screened gravel, into which the discharge from a septic tank or tanks flow.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF ASSESSMENT
The date on which the Town Council shall designate an area as a sewer assessment area.
[Added 10-9-1979]
FLOATING SOLIDS
Only those solids that float on top of the liquids, such as oil, grease, fats, etc.
GARBAGE
Solid wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food and from handling, storage and sale of produce.
GARBAGE DISPOSAL UNIT
A mechanical device used for the grinding, shredding or macerating of any kind of material or waste preparatory to disposal thereof into the Town's sanitary sewer system and intended for installation and service for such purpose in any kind of a building or structure other than that served by a private sewage disposal system.
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
The liquid or wastewater carrying any quantity of oils, grease, fats, abrasives, chemicals, residues of manufacturing processes, waste from commercial food preserving or canning, from slaughterhouses or meat processing plants and similar substances, whether dissolved, in suspension or mechanically carried by water, as distinct from and not clearly included within other sewage definitions.
INSPECT or INSPECTION
Observe, measure, sample test or similar activities necessary to make a determination of compliance with this article.
LEACHING CESSPOOL
A porous tank or vault made of loose laid stone, brick or concrete block, with open bottom and with at least 12 inches of broken stone or screened gravel backfilled around the outside of the wall, into which flows the discharge from a dwelling or other building.
LOT
Any lot or parcel of land defined by metes, bounds or boundary lines in a recorded deed or shown on a recorded plan or plat and located in a sewer assessment area as that term is defined in Article II, Sewer Assessment, of this chapter.
[Added 10-9-1979]
NATURAL OUTLET
Any outlet into a watercourse, pond, ditch or other body of surface or ground water.
PERSON
Any individual, firm, company, association, society, corporation, group or institution.
pH
The logarithm of the reciprocal of hydrogenation concentration in gram equivalents per liter of solution.
PROPERLY SHREDDED GARBAGE
The wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food that have been shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers, with no particle greater than 1/2 inch in any dimension.
PROPERTY LATERALS
A pipe laid incidental to the original construction of a sewer from that sewer to some point at the side of the street, highway or similar location, and there capped, having been provided and intended for extension and for use at some time thereafter as part of a sewer service line. When a "property lateral" has been connected with and extended for the purpose of installing a sewer service line, the lateral shall become and thereafter be a part of such sewer service line.
PROPERTY OWNER or OWNER OF PROPERTY or OWNER
Includes both the owners of fee in any real estate and also all tenants, lessees or others in control or possession and use of the property in question, or any interest therein, and its or their agents or representatives as the interest, duties, powers or liabilities of each may be.
PUBLIC SEWER
Used only with respect to the main line of pipe or conduit owned, controlled and maintained by the Town for the conveyance of waste or sewage from several properties and shall not be understood to include building sewers or connections between the main sewer and individual properties.
RELIEF SEWERS or AUXILIARY DRAIN
A sewer or storm drain constructed to supplement the capacity of an existing sewer or drain, by conveying part of the wastes which would otherwise be discharged into and conveyed by said existing sewer or drain.
RESIDENCE UNIT
The meaning set forth in Article II, Sewer Assessment, of this chapter.
[Added 10-9-1979]
SANITARY SEWAGE
The common wastewater and water-carried wastes from human dwellings and from toilet and lavatory fixtures, kitchens, laundries and similar facilities of business, institutional or industrial buildings.
SANITARY SEWER
A sewer intended to convey only sanitary sewage or, if so stipulated with respect to the particular sewer, sanitary sewage plus industrial or other wastes, but excluding storm- , surface and ground waters.
SEEPAGE or SUBSOIL DRAINAGE
Water from soil percolating into subsoil drains through foundation walls, basement floors or underground pipes or from similar sources.
SEPTIC TANK
An approved type of watertight compartment made of concrete or approved equal, into which the outflowing sewage from dwellings or other buildings is discharged.
SEWAGE
Wastewater, water-carried wastes, or a combination of them, from residences, business buildings, institutions and industrial establishments.
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT
Any arrangement of devices and structures used for treating sewage.
SEWAGE WORKS
All public facilities for collecting, pumping, treating and disposing of sewage.
SEWER
The main pipe or conduit, maintenance holes and other structures and equipment appurtenant thereto provided to carry sewage, industrial wastes, stormwater, cooling water or similar wastes, subject, in each particular case, to the purposes and limitations imposed upon the particular pipe or conduit.
SEWER ASSESSMENT
The sewer assessment made with respect to any area in accordance with Article II, Sewer Assessment, of this chapter.
[Added 10-9-1979]
SEWER ASSESSMENT STRUCTURE
A residence structure, multifamily residence structure, commercial structure, industrial structure and school and church structure located on a sewer assessment lot, the use or designed use of which generates or may result in the generation of sanitary sewage.
[Added 10-9-1979]
SEWER SERVICE LINE
A pipe connecting a main sewer or a property lateral with a building for the purpose of conveying sewage of any kind from said building to the main sewer.
SLUG
Any discharge of water, sewage or industrial waste which in concentration of given constituent or in quantity of flow exceeds for any period of duration longer than 15 minutes more than five times the average twenty-four-hour concentration or flows during normal operation.
SQUARE FEET
The meaning set forth in Article II, Sewer Assessment, of this chapter.
[Added 10-9-1979]
STORM SEWER or STORM DRAIN or DRAIN
A sewer provided and intended for the conveyance of stormwater with or without other clean waste waters as may be stipulated for any particular drain or sewer, but excluding sewage or polluted industrial wastes, or both.
STORMWATER
Includes the runoff or discharge of rain and melted snow or other clean water from roofs, surfaces of public or private lands or elsewhere, and only such water which is sufficiently clean and unpolluted to admit of being discharged, without treatment or purification, into any natural open stream or natural brook, rivulet or stream even if the source of such water is storm runoff once that runoff has entered the channel of such brook or natural watercourse.
SUSPENDED SOLIDS
The solids that either float on the surface of or are in suspension in water or other liquids and which are removable by laboratory filtering.
TOWN
The Town of Barrington, Rhode Island.
TOWN MANAGER
The Town Manager of the Town or their authorized deputy, agent or representative.
WATERCOURSE
A channel into which a flow of water occurs, either continuously or intermittently.
B. 
Shall is mandatory; may is permissive.
A. 
No person shall uncover, make any connection with or opening into, use, alter or disturb any public sewer or appurtenances thereof unless a proper permit therefor shall have been duly issued by the Director as hereinafter provided. No person shall maliciously, willfully or negligently break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface or tamper with any structure, appurtenance or equipment which is part of the public sewer system of the Town.
B. 
There shall be two classes of sewer service line permits: Class A permits which shall authorize the connection of residential or commercial buildings to the public sewer and Class B permits which shall authorize the connection of establishments introducing industrial wastes to the public sewer.
C. 
Application for a sewer service line permit shall be made by a licensed plumber or drain layer, their agent or representative and shall be made on an application form provided by the Director. Each application shall be supplemented with the plans and specifications for the sewer connection and such other information relating to the building and the wastes to be discharged as may be considered pertinent by the Director. A permit and inspection fee shall be paid to the Town at the time the application is filed.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. A225, Fee and Fine Schedule, for connection permit fees.
D. 
All costs and expenses incident to the installation and connection of a sewer service line, defined as the line which begins at the connection with the main trunk line in the public street and extends to the connection at the owner's premises, and its repairs, operation and maintenance shall be borne by the owner, and the issuance of a sewer service line permit shall be contingent upon the plumber or drain layer indemnifying the Town against any loss or damage that may be caused, directly or indirectly, by the installation of the sewer service line and its proper function.
[Amended 8-2-1999 by Ord. No. 99-4]
E. 
A separate and independent sewer service line shall be provided for every building, except that when two or more buildings are so situated that a separate and independent sewer service line for each building would involve practical difficulties and impose unnecessary hardships, the Director may authorize the connection of such buildings to the public sewer through a single sewer service line subject to such terms and conditions as to easement, design and construction as the Director may require.
F. 
All excavations required for the installation of a sewer service line shall be open trench work unless otherwise approved by the Director. Pipe laying and backfill shall be performed in accordance with American Society for Testing Materials Specifications C12-19, except that no backfill shall be placed until work has been inspected by a competent Town authority.
G. 
All excavations for sewer service line installation shall be adequately guarded with barricades and lights so as to protect the public from hazard. Streets, sidewalks, parkways and other public property disturbed in the course of the work shall be restored in a manner satisfactory to the Town and in accordance with any other ordinance, rule or regulation pertaining thereto.
H. 
The size and slope of the sewer service line shall be subject to the approval of the Director, but in no event shall the diameter be less than four inches, and the slope of the four-inch pipe shall be not less than 1/4 inch per foot. Pipe larger than the minimum size specified herein shall be used when and as the size of the structure, numbers and kinds of fixtures to be drained and other conditions make it necessary to provide proper drainage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Director may permit the use of preexisting pipe of less than four inches if, in their opinion, such use will not conflict with the intent of this article.
[Amended 10-9-1979]
I. 
Whenever practicable, the sewer service line shall be brought to the building at an elevation below the basement floor. No sewer service line shall be laid parallel to or within three feet of any bearing wall, which might thereby be weakened. The depth shall be sufficient to afford protection from frost. The sewer service line shall be laid to a uniform grade and in straight alignment insofar as possible. Changes in direction shall be made only with properly covered pipe and fittings.
J. 
In all buildings in which any building drain is too low to permit gravity flow to the public sewer, sanitary sewage carried by such sewer shall be lifted by approved means and discharged to the sewer service line at the owner's expense, except that the Town may install the lift equipment at its own expense if it deems it in the best interest of the Town. The operation and maintenance of the lift equipment shall be the responsibility of the owner.
K. 
The sewer service line shall be constructed of extra-strength vitrified clay, high-impact asbestos cement, cast-iron soil pipe or polyvinyl chloride pipe. Joints shall be gasketed or leaded. Cement joints shall not be permitted.
[Amended 10-9-1979]
L. 
The connection of the sewer service line into the public sewer shall be made at the curb fitting, if provided, or the Y-branch, if such branch is available at a suitable location. Where no Y-branch is available, a cut-in or tap shall be made by the contractor, unless the Director deems it in the best interest of the Town to have the work done by agents of the Town, in which case the contractor will be billed for the work at reasonable rates. Such connection shall be made at the location specified by the Director and in accordance with Town's specifications.
M. 
The applicant for the sewer service line permit shall notify the Director when the sewer service line is ready for inspection and connection to the public sewer. The Director shall be notified not less than 48 hours in advance of the time any connection is to be made to any public sewer or drain of said Town, or to any existing drain, pipe or similar structure connected thereto and discharging therein, or intended to be so connected and to so discharge, and such connection shall be made only in the presence of said Director and according to their instructions. The Director shall be afforded all reasonable opportunity to oversee the construction of all parts of any sewer connected directly or indirectly, or intended to be so connected, to any public sewer or drain of the Town, and to obtain and record the location and other pertinent facts with respect to such drain or sewer. This same requirement shall apply to repairs or alterations to sewers, drains or pipes discharging thereto.
N. 
No sewer service line or connection to a public sewer shall be covered until it has been inspected by the Director and found to conform to the requirements of established standards in all respects and to be satisfactory as to the quality of the workmanship and materials.
O. 
The Director shall keep a record of all connections made to public sewers under this article and all repairs and alterations made to sewers, sewer service lines connected to and discharging into public sewers of the Town or intended to so discharge. All persons concerned shall assist the Director in securing data needed for such records.
P. 
When any building or other structure previously served by a connection to any public sewer or drain is demolished, destroyed, abandoned or altered so that any drain or portion of an abandoned plumbing system which is directly or indirectly connected to any public sewer or drain is no longer used and is no longer connected to the drainage system of the building or structure, the open end of such drain which discharges, directly or indirectly, into a public sewer or drain shall be promptly closed and sealed off so that no water or waste not otherwise permitted to enter the public sewer or drain shall be so discharged thereinto. The Director shall be notified of such abandonment or discontinuance, and all sealing of sewer service lines shall be done by the owner's contractor to the satisfaction of the Director.
Q. 
The requirements of local building and plumbing codes[2] shall be observed with respect to fixtures inside or immediately adjacent to buildings and within areas of jurisdiction of said several codes, subject only to the general requirements of this article. Pipe more than six feet outside the outer walls of any building or similar structure shall conform to the requirements of this article as to permits, materials and workmanship.
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 73, Building Construction, and Ch. 140, Plumbing Standards.
A. 
To ensure compliance with the foregoing sections of this article and to facilitate the supervision of the construction, operation and repair of sewers and drains and the keeping of records thereof, no person other than those described in this section shall construct, repair, alter or remove any sewer, sewer service line or drain connected to or discharging directly or indirectly to or into any public sewer or drain of said Town or intended to discharge thus at some future time, regardless of whether said work is located in a public street or in public or private land.
B. 
No person, other than those working for and under the direction of the Department of Public Works, shall make any excavation for or construct, install, lay, repair, alter or remove any sewer, drain, sewer connection or appurtenance thereof within the Town, which sewer, drain, etc., is in any way connected to or discharges directly or indirectly to or into any public sewer or drain of said Town or is intended at some future time to be so connected or so discharged, until said person shall have applied for and secured from the Director a permit for doing such work.
C. 
Permits will only be issued to plumbers licensed to do business in the State of Rhode Island and to drain layers licensed to lay drains in the Town, except that a permit may be issued to a homeowner for work on their own home if the Director determines such person is capable of performing the work in compliance with this article. No permit shall be issued, except in cases of emergency, to dig up or make any excavation in a public way until the applicant files with the Department of Public Works proof of notification to all existing public utilities. The issuance of a sewer service line permit shall be contingent upon the plumber or drain layer indemnifying the Town against any loss or damage that may be caused, directly or indirectly, by the installation of the sewer service line and its proper functioning. No permit shall issue to any plumber or drain layer for work hereunder unless such plumber or drain layer has filed with the Department of Public works and the Town Treasurer a certificate of insurance in the minimum amount as follows: public liability, $100,000/$300,000; property damage, $50,000/$100,000. Such insurance shall be maintained during those times that work is being performed pursuant to this article to guarantee satisfactory completion of the work. The Town assumes no liability on the issuance of permits.
[Amended 10-9-1979]
D. 
The following may, as indicated, construct, repair, alter or remove sewers and drains, subject to supervision and approval by the Director:
(1) 
Regular forces of or a contractor employed by the Town, operating under orders of the Director and in the performance of work for said Town.
(2) 
Regular forces of any public utility corporation authorized by state law to construct, maintain and operate pipes or ducts within public highways within said Town while engaged in work incidental to the regular structures of said utility company on condition that the utility company notifies the Director of any changes or repairs to be made.
(3) 
Any person who shall have been duly licensed by the Department of Public Works of the Town to perform work of the type in question during the period provided in such license and when operating under and subject to the conditions of a permit for the particular job and issued therefor by the Director.
E. 
The limitations as to persons who may construct, alter or repair sewers, drains and sewer service lines shall not restrict the usual work of plumbers or others when operating in accordance with the Plumbing and Building Codes of the Town or state,[1] provided that no plumber or other person shall make any connection to a public sewer or drain of said Town without a permit therefor, even if said sewer or drain is located under or immediately adjacent to any building or similar structure; and provided that all drains and fixtures within said building or structure and all use made of them shall conform to the requirements of this article as to what may and may not be permitted to be discharged into public sewers and drains.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 73, Building Construction, and Ch. 140, Plumbing Standards.
F. 
Each contractor shall be responsible for the faithful performance of all work performed under the license or permits issued to it or them and for the conduct of all work and all materials furnished on such work by their or its employees or agents. No work shall be sublet by a contractor under any permit issued under such license in any manner to divest said contractor of full control and responsibility for all parts of said work. Only competent persons shall be employed on work performed under such license, and only suitable material conforming to the standards established by the Director shall be furnished or used on such work.
G. 
Should the Director find that any contractor has failed to conform to the requirements of this article or the conditions of any permit issued thereunder or that such contractor has not been faithful in the performance of work or furnishing of materials under their license or that the work being performed constitutes a safety hazard to the public, the Director may revoke or suspend such contractor's license or permit, or both.
[Amended 10-9-1979]
H. 
Every application for a permit shall be made in writing on forms to be provided by the Director for that purpose and shall be signed by the licensed contractor or other qualified person or party, or an authorized agent thereof. The application shall state the location and ownership of the property to be served by the sewer or drain in question, the post office address of said property owner, a brief description of the work to be done and shall contain an agreement that the permittee will do the work in accordance with the local laws, ordinances, regulations and permits of the Town as those local laws etc., may apply to the particular location or work and will save the Town and others harmless from damages, loss, damage claims etc., all in such form and detail as may be directed by the Director in the form provided. The Director, in their discretion, may require as a prerequisite to the issuance of any permit that they be furnished:
(1) 
Evidence that any and all necessary permits, etc., to open public streets, public or private grounds or property have been or will be issued.
(2) 
Evidence that the agent of the applicant is properly authorized to sign the application in question.
(3) 
Evidence that devices are being installed or provisions made to prevent the entry into public sewers or drains of any substances forbidden entry by this article.
(4) 
Plans or a description, or both, of the system and devices to be installed in such detail that the Director can determine that said system and devices satisfy the requirements of this article, said plans and description to be considered part of the application, and installation in accordance therewith shall be a condition of the permit.
(5) 
Any other information or proof pertinent to the particular job in question.
I. 
Each permit to construct, alter or repair any sewer, sewer service line or drain under this section shall be issued only after an application as hereinbefore provided has been made. The applicant may be required by the Director to state the limit of time within which the work must be performed and at the expiration of which the privileges for construction under the permit shall terminate unless extended by the Director. Permits shall not be transferable or assignable by the permittee.
J. 
All completed applications for permits and a record of work performed under every permit issued thereupon shall be kept as permanent records of the Department of Public Works.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, deposit or permit to be deposited in any unsanitary manner upon public or private property within the Town, or in any area under the jurisdiction of the Town, any human or animal excrement, garbage or other objectionable waste.
B. 
It shall be unlawful, upon the availability of public sanitary sewers, to discharge to any natural outlet within the Town, or in any area under the jurisdiction of the Town, any sanitary sewage, industrial waste or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with subsequent provisions of this article, except that the Town Manager may waive this provision if they deem it in the best interest of the Town for persons possessing a permit from the Corps of United States Army Engineers, Federal Environmental Protection Agency or State Health Department.
C. 
Connection of sewer assessment structures.
[Amended 10-9-1979]
(1) 
The owner of each lot shall, at such owner's expense, connect each sewer assessment structure thereon directly to the public sanitary sewer in accordance with the applicable provisions of this article, and it shall be unlawful for any person to occupy, use, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any lot without having made such connection in accordance with and at the following time or times:
(a) 
With respect to any lot on which there is located one or more sewer assessment structures or on which any one or more sewer assessment structures shall be constructed pursuant to a building permit issued prior to the effective date of assessment for such lot, the owner thereof shall, at such owner's expense, cause such sewer assessment structure to be connected to the public sanitary sewer within the period of five years after the effective date of assessment.
(b) 
With respect to any lot on which there shall be constructed any sewer assessment structure pursuant to a building permit issued after the effective date of the assessment, the owner, at such owner's expense, shall cause such structure to be connected to the public sanitary sewer prior to the completion of such construction and any occupancy or use of such structure unless the Director shall determine that the lot on which such structure is located does not have reasonable access to public sanitary sewers or that such connection would constitute an unreasonable hardship to the owner.
(2) 
Unless the connection required to be made pursuant to Subsection C(1)(b) above is to be made to a portion of the public sanitary sewer which was or is to be installed at the expense of a party other than the Town, any owner who, under said Subsection C(1)(b), is required to make a connection to the public sanitary sewer shall, at the time of their application for a sewer service line permit, pay to the Town a sewer betterment charge derived from the table in Chapter A225, Fee and Fine Schedule, with respect to each sewer assessment structure to be connected to the public sanitary sewer. [1]
[Amended 4-5-1993 by Ord. No. 93-18; 2-7-1994 by Ord. No. 94-2]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I.
(3) 
Notwithstanding any provision of this Subsection C, if the Director determines at any time that the public health, safety or welfare require connection to the public sanitary sewer, the owner shall, at the owner's expense, accomplish such connection in accordance with the applicable provisions of this article within 30 days after written notice to the owner of such determination by the Director.
D. 
No person shall discharge into or put into any public sewer or drain of the Town, or into any sewer, drain or fixtures which thereafter discharges into any public sewer, drain or appurtenance thereof, any wastes or substance other than such kinds or types of water or water-carried wastes for the conveyance of which the particular sewer, drain or appurtenance is intended, designed or provided.
E. 
Except as specifically provided with reference to some particular sewer, sanitary sewers shall be used only for the conveyance and disposal of sanitary sewage and for diluted, water-carried industrial wastes which are not objectionable as hereinafter provided. No sanitary sewer shall be used to receive and convey or dispose of any storm- or surface water, subsoil drainage, any large continuous flow of water seeping into buildings or excavations from soils or other underground sources, flows of natural springs or ground waters, surplus from flowing wells or the discharges from roofs, roof conductors, yard drains, street or highway drains. Cooling water or contaminated process water shall also be excluded, except that the Director, upon a finding of special circumstances, may permit their discharge into a sanitary sewer.
F. 
Stormwater and all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged into storm sewers or to a natural outlet approved by the Director. Industrial cooling water or unpolluted process waters may be discharged, upon approval by the Town Manager, to a storm sewer or natural outlet. However, no material, the discharge of which into natural streams, ponds, lakes or other natural bodies of water is prohibited by state or federal law or regulations, shall be discharged into any storm sewer.
G. 
If the proceedings for the layout and construction of any particular sewer or for its acquisition by the Town did not indicate what kind of sewer or drain it was to be or what wastes could or could not be discharged therein, the Director shall consider the pertinent facts and shall determine what kind of sewer or drain said sewer is to be considered for the application of the provisions of this article and what waste or wastewater shall be permitted to be discharged thereinto or be excluded therefrom.
H. 
The fact that wastes have been discharged into a particular sewer which was not intended or designated for that purpose shall not create a right to continue to so discharge unless permitted by this article.
I. 
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 150º.
(2) 
Any water or waste which may contain more than 100 parts per million by weight in suspension of fat, oil or grease.
(3) 
Any gasoline, benzine, naphtha, fuel oil or other flammable or explosive liquid, gas or solid, or any substance which may generate or form any flammable, explosive or combustible substance, fluid, gas, vapor or mixture when combined with air, water or other substances commonly found in sewers.
(4) 
Any garbage that has not been properly shredded by an approved garbage disposal unit.
(5) 
Any ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plaster, plastics, wood, paunch manure or any other solid or viscous substance capable of obstructing the flow of sewers or otherwise interfere with the proper operation of the sewage works.
(6) 
Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 6.0, higher than 10.0 or having any 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, poisonous or radioactive 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. Such toxic or poisonous substances shall include cyanides, copper, zinc, nickel, iron, chromium, lead, tin, silver, mercury or salts thereof, and these substances shall not be present in any considerable quantities of industrial or commercial process discharges in excess of the following limits in parts per million by weight:
Substance
Parts Per Million
Cyanides
  0.0
Phenols (not to exceed)
  1.0
Floating oil
  0.0
Oil in suspension (not to exceed)
100.0
Metals (not to exceed)
  2.0
Except tin
  0.0
Solvents
None
pH
7.0 to 10.0
Any substance, not mentioned, that could be found detrimental to the sewage system or the plant shall be eliminated.
(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.
(10) 
Any unusual volume or flow or concentration of wastes constituting slugs as defined herein.
J. 
The admission into the public sewers of any waters or wastes having five-day biochemical oxygen demand greater than 300 parts per million by weight, or containing more than 350 parts per million by weight of suspended solids, or containing any quantity of substances having undesirable characteristics, or a chlorine demand greater than 15 parts per million by weight, or having an average daily flow greater than 2% of the average daily flow of the Town shall be subject to review and approval by the Director. Where necessary in the opinion of the Director and with concurrence by the Town Manager, the owner shall, at their expense, provide such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to reduce objectionable characteristics or constituents to within the maximum limits provided for in this article or to 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 to the Director, and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until said approval is obtained in writing.
K. 
In determining whether any waste discharged or proposed to be discharged into any public sewer or drain is or is not to be excluded under this article or under any appropriate ordinance or regulation of the City of East Providence, consideration shall be given to the quantity, time or times, rate and manner of discharge, dilution and character of the waste in question, the size of the sewer or drain into which it is to be discharged, the probable quantity of other sewage in said sewer or drain at the time of discharge, the quantities of other objectionable wastes likely in said sewer or drain and other pertinent facts. Minute quantities of a waste which would be objectionable in larger quantity may be permitted, upon specific permission from the Director, if sufficiently diluted when and as discharged, or if the quantity discharged is very small in comparison to the receiving sewer or drain and the flow therein at the time of discharge, but any permission to discharge minute quantities of an otherwise excluded waste shall be revocable at any time by the Director.
L. 
At all premises where wastes or substances specified to be excluded from sewers or drains by this article are customarily present and liable to be discharged directly or indirectly into any public sewer or drain, suitable and sufficient piping layouts, oil or grease traps or separators, screens, sedimentation chambers, diluting devices, storage and regulating treatment, cooling or condensing equipment and similar devices or equipment shall be provided, maintained and operated to ensure that no waste, substance or water required to be excluded from said sewer or drain shall be discharged thereinto in violation of the requirements of this article.
M. 
At premises where any of the substances or wastes prescribed as being or to be excluded from any sewer or drain are present and liable to be discharged contrary to the limitations of this article, the Director may require that the owner of said premises provide, operate and maintain a sampling well or wells, a flow measuring device, maintenance holes, catch basins or other suitable devices or treatment facilities on any or all sewer service lines or drains from said premises near the point or points where said drains connect to any public sewer or drain. By means of said sampling well or wells or other devices, the owner, owners and occupants of said premises and the Director, or any public officer charged with any duty involving the supervision of the disposal of wastewaters, may secure samples of or examine the wastes and waters discharged into said public sewer or drain and measure the quantities thereof for the purpose of ascertaining the compliance or noncompliance with the requirements of this article.
N. 
Where preliminary treatment facilities are provided for any water or wastes, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner at no expense to the Town. A private water supply that discharges, directly or indirectly, into the public sewer shall be metered at the owner's expense, and said owner shall be responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the meter or metering equipment.
O. 
The Director, after notice, shall have the right to inspect any sewer service line, connected plumbing or related equipment and facilities for the purpose of determining compliance with this article. Notice, unless waived by the owner or occupant, shall be at least 24 hours prior to the inspection, and the Director shall make reasonable efforts to make any inspection at a time convenient to the owner or occupant, consistent with the best interests of the Town.
P. 
All measurements, costs and analyses of the characteristics of water and wastes shall be determined in accordance with Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage.
Q. 
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.
The Director shall determine the acceptable design criteria for garbage disposal units assuring that their operation shall not be detrimental to the efficiency of the sewer system.
A. 
Any person found to be violating any provision of this article shall be served by the Town with written notice stating the nature of the violation and providing a reasonable time limit for the satisfactory correction thereof. A reasonable time limit shall be understood to be 30 days from date of notice to correct unless the Director determines that a good faith effort to correct the violation is being made and further time is necessary. The offender shall within the period of time stated in such notice permanently cease all violations and take such action as is recommended or necessary to ensure there will be no recurrence of such violation. All of such work in connection therewith shall be performed by said person without delay and without expense to the Town.
B. 
Any person who shall continue any violation beyond the time limit shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined in an amount not exceeding $50. Each day in which such violation shall continue shall be deemed a separate offense for the purpose of applying the above penalty. In addition, the Director may disconnect or otherwise act to prevent the sewer service line from the premises in which said violation of the requirements of this article shall have occurred from discharging to the public sewer system.
C. 
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall become liable to the Town for any expense, loss or damage occasioned the Town by reason of such violation, so that if the Director shall have caused the disconnection of a sewer service line or drain from the public sewer system, the Town may collect the cost of making such disconnection from any person responsible for or willfully concerned in or who profited by such violation of the requirements of this article, and may thereafter refuse to permit the restoration of the former connection or of any new connection to the property concerned in the violation of this article until the claim of the Town for the cost of making such disconnection shall have been paid in full, plus interest and the reasonable overhead of any legal expenses incurred by the Town in connection therewith.
A permit for discharging the water from a swimming pool to the public sewer shall be obtained from the Director before such discharge shall be made. The permit will designate the time and rate of flow permitted. The Director shall have the right to enter upon the premises designated on the permit to inspect the project prior to and during the operation. If an owner fails to obtain such a permit or disregards instruction, whether accidental or intentional, the owner will be held responsible for any damage that may be caused from such discharge subject to the penalties contained in this article, and the Town shall not be held liable for said violation.
A. 
Cesspool and septic tank cleaning contractors shall have a current license from the Town.
B. 
If and when the Town constructs a transfer station, it shall be utilized as hereinafter provided:
(1) 
Only Town-licensed contractors shall be allowed to dump at the transfer station. Cesspool and septic tank cleanings shall be only from the Town. No industrial waste or wastes considered detrimental to the treatment process shall be permitted.
(2) 
Cesspool and septic tank cleanings shall be made at the time and on the days prescribed by the Department of Public Works. No dumping shall be made on Sundays and legal holidays.
(3) 
Unloading shall be made according to the arrangements and methods designated by the Director, and the area shall be cleaned after each unloading.
(4) 
An unloading slip shall be turned into the Department of Public Works office for each unloading. The slips provided by the Town shall show:
(a) 
The date and time.
(b) 
The hauler's name.
(c) 
The origin of the load.
(d) 
The capacity of the truck.
(e) 
The approximate number of gallons being unloaded.
(f) 
The names and addresses where collected.
(g) 
The signature of the driver.
(5) 
The capacity of the contractor's truck may be calculated by the Director, and any part of a load will be billed as a full load.
(6) 
The rates to be charged for dumping at the transfer station shall be established from time to time by Town Council resolution.
(7) 
Wastes from chemical tanks shall not be permitted to discharge contents at the Town transfer station.
A. 
The cost of operation and maintenance of the complete sewer system shall be financed solely from sewer customer charges.
[Amended 1-15-1979]
B. 
A sewage service charge shall be levied to each customer upon connection to the public sewage system. The service charge shall be based upon the quantity of water used at the premises of the customer as measured by the water meter in use thereat, except as otherwise hereinafter provided.
C. 
The rates and charges for each billing period shall be determined by each user's quarterly water consumption, the billing of which includes the first quarter of the calendar year. If this figure is not at least 10 hcf's (hundred cubic feet), then the previous quarterly reading will be used. If neither reading meets the minimum, then the total actual water consumption shall be used. When determining the sewer use charge, the Town will not use any calculation that exceeds the total water consumption reading. The rates shall be established from time to time by Town Council resolution. The Council may establish a minimum amount per billing period which all customers must pay for which a maximum contribution of wastewater is allowed.
[Amended 5-12-1980; 5-13-1996 by Ord. No. 96-7]
D. 
In the event that a lot, parcel of land, building or premises discharging sanitary, commercial and/or industrial sewage or other liquids into the Town sewage system, either directly or indirectly, is not a user of water in whole supplied by the public or private water utility and does not have a meter to measure either water consumption or sewer usage, then that lot, parcel of land, building or premises shall be billed the average annual sewer use charge of similar uses and/or structures.
[Amended 5-13-1996 by Ord. No. 96-7]
E. 
In the event that two or more lots, parcels of real estate, residences, dwelling units or buildings discharging sanitary sewage water or other liquids into the sanitary sewage system of the Town are users of water and the quantity of water is measured by a single water meter, then, in each case for billing purposes, the minimum charge for the sewer rates and charges shall be multiplied by the number of lots, parcels of real estate, residences, dwelling units or buildings served through the single water meter.
F. 
Charges for sewage disposal service shall be billed and collected by the Town as determined by the Town Council.
G. 
In the event that water is used for purposes which does not enter the Town sewage system, the owner of such premises may, at their own expense, install such meter as shall be approved by the Director for the measurement of water so used in order that a proper allowance may be made and the sewage service charge reduced accordingly.
H. 
The rates and charges may be billed to the tenant or tenants occupying the property serviced, but such billing shall in no wise relieve the owner or owners from liability in the event that payment is not made as herein required. The owners of property served which are occupied by tenants shall have the right to examine the collection records of the Town for the purpose of determining whether such rates and charges have been paid by such tenants, provided that such examination shall be made at the office in which the records are kept and during the regular business hours of such office.
I. 
Each charge or service fee levied pursuant to this article is hereby made a lien upon the corresponding lot, land or premises served by the connection to the sanitary sewage system of the Town. Failure to pay said charge or service fee within the prescribed period of time, shall result in such charge or fee then being collected as other Town taxes are collected. The official record of the Town shall constitute notice of penalty and of said lien as herein provided.
J. 
All money collected under the provisions of this article shall be deposited in a Sanitary Sewage Fund, expenditures from which are to be made only for maintenance, operation, administration, treatment, debt service and other related sewage system expenses.
K. 
The Town, in addition to the other remedies provided by this article, may institute legal proceedings to collect overdue sewer service charges. Penalties may be added to the original sewer bill for late payment, which penalties shall be set by the Town Council by resolution.
L. 
Businesses defined as "industries" by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency shall be subject to special cost recovery payments pursuant to applicable federal legislative acts and the rules and regulations related thereto.
A. 
In order that the provisions of this article may be reasonably applied and substantial justice done in instances where unnecessary hardship would result from carrying out the strict letter of this article, the Town Council, or a properly constituted Sewer Commission established by the Town Council, shall serve as a Sewer Board of Appeals. The duty of such Board shall be to consider appeals from the decisions of officials charged with the enforcement of this article and to determine in particular cases where any deviation from the strict enforcement of this article will violate the intent of this article and public health and safety be jeopardized.
B. 
Appeals from the rulings of any official charged with the enforcement of this article may be made to the Board of Appeals within a period of 30 days after the date of the order. The final disposition of the appeal shall be in the form of a resolution, either reversing, modifying or affirming, wholly or partly, the decision or the determination appealed from.
The provisions of this article with respect to the meaning of technical terms and phrases, the classifications of different kinds or types of sewers, the restrictions as to what wastes may be discharged into sewers, the regulations with respect to making connections to sewers and other technical matters shall be interpreted and administered by the Director or Town Manager, or both, acting in and for the Town.