Calexico Municipal Code Ch. 13.34 Private Sewer Laterals

A. The purpose of this chapter is to protect the public health, safety, and welfare by establishing regulations for the maintenance and replacement of private sewer laterals by property owners within the city.

B. Findings. When not properly maintained or replaced by property owners, private sewer laterals may become damaged or blocked and result in overflows of sewage from the private sewer laterals. Such sewage overflows negatively impact the public health, safety and welfare of both the property owner and the public by exposing them to untreated sewage. Such sewage overflows could also result in illicit discharges of sewage from private property to the public storm drains or waters of the United States or the state. Further, private sewer laterals that are not properly maintained or replaced by property owners can interfere with the operation of the public sewer system. Interference with the operation of the public sewer system may, in turn, cause sewage overflows from the public sewer system. Moreover, private sewer laterals that are not properly maintained or replaced by property owners may contain defects that result in the leakage of sewage from the private lateral to the ground water and ultimately to groundwater or surface waters. Therefore, the establishment of regulations for private sewer laterals is necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare by both preventing overflows from the private laterals, interference with the operation of the public sewer system and leakage of sewage from private sewer laterals to groundwater and surface waters.

(Ord. No. 1197, § 3, 3-6-19)

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

"Private sewer lateral" means the privately owned sanitary sewer piping or line extending from the property line to a building or other structure.

(Ord. No. 1197, § 3, 3-6-19)

A. Property Owner's Obligation. Each property owner must, at the property owner's expense, maintain in good working order, repair, rehabilitate and replace, as necessary, the private sewer lateral so that it does not cause or contribute to any sewage leakage or overflow from either the private sewer lateral or the public sewer. The private sewer lateral must be free of displaced joints, open joints, root intrusion, substantial deterioration of the line, cracks, leaks, inflow, infiltration of extraneous water, fats, oils and grease, sediment deposits or any other similar conditions, defects or obstructions likely to cause or contribute to blockage of the private sewer lateral or the public sewer.

B. Private Sewer Laterals Not Part of Public Sewer System. The private sewer laterals are the property of the property owner and are not part of the public sewer.

Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted as changing the private nature of the private sewer laterals or incorporating them into the public sewer.

(Ord. No. 1197, § 3, 3-6-19)

A. Violation. No person shall violate any provision or fail to comply with any of the requirements of this chapter. Any violation or failure to comply with the requirements of this chapter is a violation of this code.

B. Public Nuisance. Any violation or failure to comply with the requirements of this chapter constitutes a public nuisance. The city attorney is authorized to commence necessary proceedings provided by local or state law to abate, remove and enjoin such public nuisance.

C. Enforcement. The city may enforce any violation of the requirements of this chapter by any means authorized at law or equity.

(Ord. No. 1197, § 3, 3-6-19)