Arcata Municipal Code Art. 3 Building Sewers, Lateral Sewers and Connection Requirements

A. General. Design and construction of building sewers and lateral sewers shall be in accordance with all applicable rules, regulations and ordinances of the City.

B. Minimum Size and Slope. The size and slope of the building sewer shall be approved by the City, and in no event may the diameter of a gravity commercial building sewer be less than four (4) inches. The slope of such four (4) inch pipe shall not be less than one-fourth (1/4) inch per foot, except where the grade may require a slope of one-eighth (1/8) inch per foot, which may be installed with City approval.

C. Building Sewer. Whenever possible, the building sewer shall be brought to the building at an elevation below the basement floor. No building sewer may be laid parallel to or within three (3) feet of any bearing wall which might thereby be weakened. The building sewer shall be laid at uniform grade and in straight alignment as best as possible. Changes in direction shall be made only with properly curved pipe fittings, with clean-outs at each ninety (90) degree bend. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

A. No two (2) adjacent buildings fronting on the same street shall be permitted to join in the use of the same building sewer. Multiple buildings located on the same property must be separately connected to a lateral sewer if a lateral sewer exists in the street on which the property abuts or in an easement which benefits the property. In the event the property cannot be subdivided into smaller individual lots, two (2) or more buildings located on the same property may be serviced by the same lateral sewer connection.

B. Prior to recording a final subdivision map for any property containing more than one (1) building serviced by a single lateral sewer, the owner of the building not previously connected directly to the POTW shall, upon subdivision, connect the building to a lateral sewer in accordance with the requirements of this Chapter.

C. The provisions of the preceding subsection shall not apply to any condominium project where a homeowners association assumes responsibility for maintaining the building sewer through recorded covenants, conditions and restrictions. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

Existing building sewers may be used in connection with new construction requiring a sewer connection permit only if they meet all requirements of the City after inspection and testing approved by the City. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

A. General Requirements. All Sewer Clean-Outs shall be installed by the property owner at the junction between the building and the Public Sewer. The property owner shall maintain the Upper Lateral between the Building and the Sewer Clean-Out whenever the Upper Lateral connects to the Public Sewer at the property line. If a Sewer Clean-Out does not exist at the property line, the property owner shall be responsible for maintaining the Upper Lateral to the point of connection into the Public Sewer, and shall be liable to pay all costs incurred by the City for damages caused by obstruction or other incident occurring between the Building and the Public Sewer. A Sewer Clean-Out shall be installed on all properties at the property line as directed by the City at the time of major Building remodel in accordance with Section 7452.

B. Standard Location of Sewer Clean-Outs. All Sewer Clean-Outs shall be installed in the sidewalk, undeveloped public right-of-way if there is no sidewalk, or at the property line closest to the Public Sewer main line.

C. Exceptions. The City Manager, or designee, may approve of the following alternative locations for existing Sewer Clean-Outs:

1. Within an existing utility easement owned by the City that grants the City access to the Sewer Clean-Out for maintenance purposes.

2. Within ten (10) feet of the sidewalk, undeveloped public right-of-way if there is no sidewalk, or property line closest to the Public Sewer main line, if: (a) the property owner adequately demonstrates that the Clean-Out was installed, approved, or accepted by the City; and (b) the Sewer line from the Clean-Out to the Building passes testing as specified in Section 7453. In such situations the owner must do all of the following:

a. Provide a site map of the property locating the Sewer Clean-Out.

b. Bring the Sewer Clean-Out to grade level, and install a Cristy G-5 meter box, or equivalent box with a cast iron lid, covering the Clean-Out.

c. Convey a utility easement to the City granting access for maintenance purposes and authorizing the City to relocate the Clean-Out to a standard location specified in subsection (B) of this Section. At such time when the City relocates the Clean-Out to a standard location, maintenance of the Upper Lateral will revert to the property owner and the easement will be extinguished.

3. If a Sewer line fails the testing required in subsection (C)(2) of this Section, the property owner shall repair or replace the Sewer line and relocate the Sewer Clean-Out to the sidewalk, undeveloped public right-of-way if there is no sidewalk, or property line closest to the Public Sewer main. The property owner will not be required to repair or replace the Lower Lateral between the new Sewer Clean-Out and the Public Sewer main. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015; Ord. 1512, eff. 2/15/2019)

All buildings in which the building sewer elevation is too low to allow for gravity flow of wastewater into the public sewer shall incorporate mechanical means as approved by the City to lift the wastewater for discharge into the public sewer. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

All excavations required for the installation of any sewer or sewer connection shall be open trench work unless otherwise approved by the City. Pipe laying and backfill shall be performed in accordance with the rules, regulations and ordinances of the City except that no backfill shall be placed until the work has been inspected and approved by the City. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

The connection of the building sewer into the lateral sewer shall be made in strict accordance with City specifications and at the applicant’s expense. The invert of the building sewer at the point of connection shall occur at a higher elevation than the invert of the lateral sewer. A smooth neat joint shall be made and the connection shall be secure and watertight. The connection to the lateral sewer shall be made in the presence of the City and under the City’s supervision and direction in accordance with the rules, regulations and ordinances of the City. Any work on the public sewer shall be performed by an appropriately licensed plumber or contractor and under the supervision and inspection of the City. Any damage to the public sewer shall be repaired to the satisfaction of the City at the permit holder’s expense. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

Building sewers shall be maintained by the owner of the property served thereby and shall be used solely for conveyance of wastewater from the building into the public sewer or private sewer. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

All building sewers and lateral sewers shall be tested in strict accordance with applicable rules, regulations and ordinances of the City. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)