Azusa Municipal Code Div. 1 Generally

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Alteration includes any change or addition.

House connection sewer includes that part of the horizontal piping beginning 12 inches from the exterior of any building and extending to and including its connection with the public sewer.

Lot includes any piece or parcel of land bounded, defined or shown as such upon a plat or deed recorded in the office of the county recorder and in accordance with the boundaries of such lots as bounded, defined or shown upon such recorded map, plat, or deed; provided, however, if any building or structure covers more area than a lot, the term "lot" means and includes all such pieces or parcels of land upon which the buildings are wholly or partly located.

Public sewer includes any sewer other than a house connection sewer.

Repairs includes the reconstruction or renewal of any existing part of a structure or of its fixtures or appurtenances.

Standard Specifications means the Standard Specifications for Public Works Construction, adopted by reference in section 78-123.

(Code 1971, § 16.04.010)

Cross reference— Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-2.

All work done under this article shall be subject to inspection. Notice must be given to the city engineer by the person doing the work immediately after the work is ready for inspection. Up to the time of inspection, all work must be and remain uncovered and convenient for the inspector's examination, and every facility must be given the inspector to make a thorough examination. If any pipes are enclosed or covered in any way whatsoever so as to tend to obstruct a thorough inspection of the drainage system, the obstruction must be removed upon notice to do so from the city engineer before an inspector shall be required to inspect the work. When, upon examination by the inspector, it appears that any such work is defective either in its construction or material, the work shall be made to conform to this chapter, in default whereof the permit therefor shall be revoked by the city engineer.

(Code 1971, § 16.04.090)

Pursuant to this article, the materials used shall be equal in quality to and the manner of construction shall meet all the requirements prescribed by the specifications for public sewers in the city as set forth in the Standard Specifications on file in the office of the city clerk or as prescribed by any other lawful requirement designated by the council. These specifications are adopted as the standard for construction, installation and alteration of both public and house connection sewers in the city, and all work must be constructed or installed in accordance therewith before final inspection will be granted by the city engineer.

(Code 1971, § 16.04.100)

(a) No person shall make or maintain any connection with any public sewer of the city until a permit therefor shall have first been obtained, in accordance with division 2 of this article, from the city engineer, or make any such connections pursuant to any such permit at any place other than that designated therein.

(b) Every connection made with any public sewer of the city shall be made in the manner and with such materials as are set forth in subsections (c)—(k) of this section.

(c) All pipe shall be vitrified clay pipe or standard cast iron pipe not less than six inches in internal diameter for that portion extending from the street sewer to the property line. That portion extending from the property line to the house or building shall not be less than four inches in internal diameter and not less than six inches in internal diameter for all portions of house connection sewers serving more than 20 persons.

(d) A cleanout shall be placed in every house connection sewer at the junction with the soil pipe at the building and also at all changes in alignment and grade and at the property line of the street or alley, as well as at additional points if required by the city engineer. The cleanout shall be made in accordance with the standard plan on file in the office of the city engineer.

(e) All vitrified clay pipe shall be constructed in accordance with the Standard Specifications.

(f) All joints of a standard cast iron pipe shall be made according to the Standard Specifications.

(g) The grade shall be straight from the property line to the public sewer and shall have a fall of not less than one foot in 50 feet toward the public sewer, except where otherwise permitted by special permit in writing from the city engineer.

(h) Vitrified clay piping shall not be placed closer than 12 inches to the exterior wall of any building or closer than 12 inches to the surface of the ground at any point of its course.

(i) Where laid within the limits of a public highway, no connection shall be laid less than three feet below the established grade of the highway or below the surface where no grade is established, except by special permit in writing from the city engineer.

(j) No person shall connect any sewer constructed in any street, alley, highway, thoroughfare, right-of-way or other public place prior to the dedication and acceptance of such street, alley, highway, thoroughfare, right-of-way or other public place by the council on behalf of the public with any city public sewer, unless such sewer first mentioned shall have been laid under the supervision and to the satisfaction of the city engineer in accordance with the Standard Specifications and in accordance with plans and profiles approved by the city engineer.

(k) All the piping of a house connection sewer between the building or structure and the tee at or near the property line shall be tested with water, in its entirety or in sections. All openings in the piping shall be tightly closed, except the highest point, and the piping filled with water, but no part thereof for its entire length shall be tested with less than a three-foot head of water. All dead ends shall be relieved of air during the process of filling. Under the test, the water pressure shall remain constant for not less than 15 minutes without any further addition of water or showing any leaks.

(Code 1971, § 16.04.110)

Whenever it becomes necessary to connect a house connection sewer to a public sewer at a point where no special Y or T branch has been installed in the public sewer, the connection shall be made under the supervision of the city engineer. The permittee shall pay to the city engineer a fee of $10.00 in addition to any other fees prescribed in this article, or required by other law, the fee to apply on or to cover the cost of labor required to inspect the special connection in the public sewer. In every instance wherein street paving is torn up or disturbed in the doing of sewer work, a fee in a sum as determined by resolution of the city council shall be paid to the city engineer, the fee to be in addition to all other fees.

(Code 1971, § 16.04.120)

(a) All plumbing affecting the sanitary condition of any building or structure within the boundaries of any lot shall be connected with a public sewer. However, if such building or structure had been connected already to a cesspool or septic tank prior to the construction of a public sewer abutting the property on which such building or structure is located, it may be continued, but when such cesspool or septic tank is discontinued for use or is in an unsanitary condition, such building or structure shall be connected immediately with and drained into a public sewer. Provided, however, that if there is no public sewer in any street, alley or right-of-way abutting the lot upon which the structure is located and there is no public sewer to which it can be connected within 300 feet of the structure if the structure is:

(1) A single-family dwelling or a multiple-family dwelling containing not more than three dwelling units, it may be connected to a cesspool or septic tank.

(2) Any other type of structure and the city engineer finds in writing that the expected effluent and soil conditions are such that adequate drainage would be accomplished and no pollution or harm would result, the structure may be connected to a cesspool or septic tank for such length of time and subject to such conditions as the city engineer may impose for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare.

(b) No connection from any building or structure shall be made to any public sewer, which connection or any portion thereof shall be in, under or upon any lot served by such house connection sewer other than the lot on which such building or structure is located, nor shall any house connection sewer serve or be connected with, during its entire length to the public sewer, any buildings or structures which are not owned by the same person.

(c) For the purpose of this section, the term "structure" includes the group of buildings of a house-court. The term "house-court" means a parcel or area of land upon which are grouped three or more habitations used or designed to be used for occupancy by families and upon which parcel or area the vacant or unoccupied portion thereof surrounding or abutting upon the habitation is used or intended to be used in common by the inhabitants thereof. The term "habitation" means a room or combination of rooms used or designed to be used for the occupancy of human beings.

(d) All buildings constituting a house-court may be connected to the public sewer by means of one private sewer located upon the lot or parcel of land upon which the house-court is situated.

(Code 1971, § 16.04.130)

(a) No garbage, offal, fruit or vegetable or animal parings, corrosive substances, chemicals, oil, tar, grease, acid, ashes, cinders, sand, gravel, solids, rags, industrial waste, inflammable or poisonous or explosive liquids or gasses or substances, nor any drainage system or course carrying rain or drainage or surface water or any other thing whatsoever whether specifically mentioned in this subsection or not, which would or could because of carrying matter in solution or because of precipitation or chemical action or clogging or obstructing for filling or otherwise cause damage to the sewer system or which might necessitate or require repair or cleaning out or flushing of the sewer system shall be discharged into the city sewer system.

(b) No person shall connect any swimming pool or tank to any city public sewer or house connection sewer leading thereto, except by written permit from the city engineer.

(c) No person operating an establishment serving meals shall suffer, allow or permit the wastes from the kitchen sinks to be connected to any city public sewer or house connection sewer leading thereto without providing an adequate grease trap.

(d) No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the exhaust from any engine or the blowoff from any boiler to be connected directly to any city public sewer or house connection sewer leading thereto, but such exhaust or blowoff first connected with a watertight sump may in turn be connected to the public sewer.

(Code 1971, § 16.04.140)

No person owning, maintaining or operating any hotel, apartment house, drugstore, restaurant, lunchcounter, soda fountain stand, public garage, oil station, manufacturing plant or other business shall deposit or discharge from the establishment into any cesspool, public sewer, drain or catchbasin any water, sewage or liquid waste containing chemicals, grease, oil, tar or other materials in solution which shall, because of precipitation, hardening or congealing, clog, obstruct or fill the cesspool, sewer, drain or catchbasin or interfere with or prevent the effective and unobstructed use thereof or which shall require frequent repair, cleaning out or flushing of such cesspool, sewer, drain or catchbasin or which shall hinder or prevent the proper functioning of any septic tank or cesspool into which the sewer or sewage discharges.

(Code 1971, § 16.04.150)

Every person owning, maintaining or operating any hotel, apartment house, drugstore, restaurant, lunchcounter, soda fountain stand, public garage, oil station, manufacturing establishment or other business from which chemicals, grease, transmission grease, crank case or other oil, tar and other substance of like nature discharged to or into any cesspool, public sewer, drain or catchbasin shall install a grease trap or other similar appliance which shall effectively trap and hold the chemicals, grease, oil, tar and other such substance and prevent it from entering or being discharged into the cesspools, sewers, drains or catchbasins. Such grease trap or similar appliance shall be effectively cleaned not less than once in each month and as often as necessary for the effective operation of the appliance, and all such chemicals, grease, oil, tar or other substance shall be removed therefrom and disposed of in some manner other than through or into the cesspools, sewers, drains and catchbasins.

(Code 1971, § 16.04.160)

Upon the renewal or alteration of any public or house connection sewer or upon the making of any repairs or additions thereto, if any new material is placed in such sewer, either in the original or in the altered, repaired or added part thereof, every such new part must be properly connected with and attached to the original part of such sewer. If any materials are to be reset either in the old or new part of such public or house connection sewer, both such original and such new additional parts and any altered part whatsoever must be made to conform in all respects to this article.

(Code 1971, § 16.04.170)

Neither this article nor any amendments thereof shall be construed as imposing upon the city any liability or responsibility whatsoever for damage resulting from defective drainage systems or from the installation thereof nor shall the city or any officer or employee thereof be held to have assumed any such liability or responsibility because of any acts or any inspection made or to be made pursuant to this article or any amendments thereof or any other applicable law.

(Code 1971, § 16.04.190)