The Superintendent and other duly authorized employees of the Village bearing proper credentials and identification shall be permitted to enter all properties for the purposes of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling and testing in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The Superintendent or his representatives shall have no authority to inquire into any processes, including metallurgical, chemical, oil, refining, ceramic, paper or other industries beyond that point having a direct bearing on the kind and source of discharge to the sewers or waterways or facilities for waste treatment.
While performing the necessary work on private properties referred to in § 163-38 hereof, the Superintendent or duly authorized employees of the Village shall observe all safety rules applicable to the premises established by the company and the company shall be held harmless for injury or death to the Village employees and the Village shall indemnify the company against loss or damage to its property by Village employees and against liability claims and demands for personal injury or property damage asserted against the company and growing out of the gauging and sampling operation, except as such may be caused by the negligence or failure of the company to maintain safe conditions as required in §§ 163-33C and 163-34 hereof.
A. 
Legislative considerations.
(1) 
The Board of Trustees acknowledges that the sanitary sewage effluent and stormwater from a large number of private properties in the Village are discharged into sewer lines that were, in the course of years past, laid through neighboring private properties before connecting to the sanitary sewer mains and stormwater drainage system of the Village, and that there has heretofore been no clear delineation of the responsibility of the respective affected property owners or the Village for the maintenance and repair of those mains serving several properties located within the bounds of private lands.
(2) 
The Board of Trustees is mindful that § 163-5 of the Municipal Code of the Village of New Paltz requires the owners of all properties abutting a street in which there is located a public sanitary sewer main within 100 feet of the property line to connect the sewer laterals of such properties to the municipal sewerage system.
(3) 
The Board of Trustees is mindful that employees of the Village Department of Public Works have no legal right to enter upon private property to perform routine inspections, maintenance and repair of lines serving multiple properties except to rectify an emergency condition, unless the Village obtains a right-of-access by easement, condemnation or otherwise.
(4) 
The Board of Trustees further recognizes that it is illegal for the Village to perform repair services for private persons on private property as an unconstitutional gift of public funds in violation of Article VIII § 1 of the Constitution of the State of New York, even if the Village were to recoup the commensurate cost thereof by charging for such services because such undertaking is not a Village purpose.
(5) 
In adherence to these considerations, the Board of Trustees prescribes those sewer lines which are deemed to have a public character and the cost of performing work thereon.
B. 
Circumstances authorizing entry. The Superintendent and other duly authorized employees of the Department of Public Works shall be permitted to enter upon private properties through which the Village has been granted a duly executed easement for the repair or replacement of a sanitary or stormwater sewer line which has been so damaged or obstructed as to create an imminent threat to the public health or welfare and which requires corrective action; provided, however:
(1) 
That the property affected by a damaged or obstructed sanitary sewer line does not abut a street in which a municipal sanitary sewer main is located within 100 feet of the property line;
(2) 
That the repair or replacement by the Village may be performed only on that portion of a sewer line between the point of connection of two or more lines serving private properties and the public right-of-way; and
(3) 
That no such work shall be performed by employees of the Village on any portion of a sewer line serving only one parcel of land or adjoining parcels of land under common ownership.
C. 
Cost of corrective action. The performance of work under the circumstances described in Subsection B of this section shall be undertaken at the expense of the Village unless the Superintendent determines that the obstruction or damage to the sewer line was caused by the negligence or misconduct of the owner or occupant of a particular parcel of property connected to such sewer line in which event he shall furnish to the Village Treasurer an itemization of the cost of such repair. The Village Treasurer shall send a statement to the owner or occupant to recover the cost thereof. If the charge is not paid, it shall be collected by the Village Treasurer as an assessment upon the premises on the real property tax statements issued by the Village Treasurer on the tax collection date next following as provided by law. The collection of this charge shall not preclude the Village from pursuing any other civil or criminal remedies which may be available to redress the damage caused to the sewer system.
D. 
Easement required. No premises shall hereafter be connected to a sewer line underlying and serving two or more private properties unless the owner thereof grants a duly executed easement to the Village, in form and manner suitable for recording, for access to the sewer line for the purpose of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling, repair, replacement, improvement and maintenance of any portion of the sewer line lying within said easement.
E. 
Waiver or modification. Upon request of the Superintendent of Public Works or the owner of a parcel of property affected by the discharge of effluent into a shared use sewer line on private property, the Board of Trustees may waive or modify the provisions of this section following a public hearing, upon at least 10 days' prior written notice given to the Superintendent and to the owners of all other parcels of land believed to be affected by the same shared use private sewer line, upon proof that there are special circumstances or conditions:
(1) 
Which caused or resulted in the damage or obstruction to the shared use sewer line located on private property; or
(2) 
The inability or failure of the private property owner or owners to repair the damaged or obstructed sewer line without the need of assistance of the Department of Public Works; or
(3) 
Which reasonably preclude the direct connection of a sanitary sewer lateral on the property to the municipal sewerage system.