Chapter 15 — SEWERS AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL

As to Plumbing Code, see § 6-12 of this Code. As to water, see ch. 20.

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

Premises. A lot, parcel of land, building or establishment.

Sewage. A combination of liquid and water carried human waste conducted away from premises, which is known as domestic sewage, together with the liquid or water-carried waste resulting from a manufacturing process employed in industrial establishments; including the washing, cleaning or drain water from such process, which is known as industrial waste.

(Ord. No. 133, § 1.)

(a)

The property owner, as determined by the real property tax roll of the Colusa County assessor, is liable for payment of sewer use and connection charges, where connections currently exist or where new connections are made, for services by connection with the city system of sewerage whereby sewerage,

industrial waste, or both are disposed of by the city, either through the city sewerage treatment and disposal works, or otherwise. The charges shall be in such amount and manner as shall be established and fixed from time to time by resolution of the city council and shall be for services furnished to the property by the city.

(b)

The liability of the property owner for these charges exists even if the user of the sewer service is not the owner of the property. An occupant other than the owner may pay the charges on the behalf of the owner. All new service accounts shall be in the property owner's name.

(c)

It is the responsibility of the owner of the real property to provide the city finance director with the current billing address and to notify the city finance director of any changes of address.

(d)

The fees for the sewer and connection charges established by this article shall be payable to the city.

(e)

It shall be the duty of the finance department to the city to collect all charges provided for in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 133, §§ 3, 4; Ord. No. 239, § 2; Ord. No. 436, § 5.)

(Ord. No. 494, § 1, 11-5-2013)

In the event that any person shall fail to pay any charge provided under this chapter when the same becomes due, the city may, in addition to any other remedies it has by law or ordinance, cut off any of such sewer services and facilities and shall not resume the same until all delinquent charges together with any charges necessitated by resumption of such services have been fully paid.

(Ord. No. 133, § 5.)

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the sanitary sewer system of the city any of the following materials, wastes or waters:

(a)

Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than one hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit.

(b)

Any waters or waste which contain grease, oil, or other hydrocarbon substances which will become discernibly viscous or objectionable at temperatures between thirty-two degrees and one hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit.

(c)

Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil, mineral oil or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas.

(d)

Any household garbage that has not been properly comminuted or triturated. All ground garbage shall be capable of passing through a one-half inch mesh screen before being introduced in the sewer system.

(e)

All ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tars, plastics, wood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails, lime slurry, lime residues, chemical residues, paint residues, unscreened cannery waste, bulk solids, or any other solid or viscous substance capable of causing an obstruction to flow in sewers, or other interference with the proper operation of the sewer system.

(f)

Any waters or waste, acid or alkaline in reaction, having corrosive properties capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, or personnel. Free acids and alkalies shall be neutralized at all times to within a permissible pH range of 5.5 to 9.0.

(g)

Any waters of nonsewage or nonindustrial waste origin, such as waters from water well developments and storm water, except by special permit issued by the city sewer superintendent.

(h)

Chemicals or enzymes of any kind designed to break down greases and scums in grease traps.

(i)

Any other substances deemed harmful to the collection system or sewage treatment system.

(Ord. No. 251, § 1; Ord. No. 354, §§ 1, 2.)

All cooling water discharged into the city sanitary sewer system shall meet the specifications contained in section 15-7.

(Ord. No. 251, § 2.)

(a)

No cooling nor condensate waste water from any type of cooling unit, air conditioning unit such as a refrigeration unit, evaporative cooler or other type wherefrom waste water totals ten gallons or more of water per hour shall be connected to the sewer system of the city. No such unit using less than ten gallons

of water per hour shall be connected to the sewer system of the city without first obtaining a permit therefor from the superintendent of the water department. Application for such permit shall be made in writing to the superintendent of the water department and shall contain such information pertaining to such unit as he shall require. No fee shall be charged for such a permit.

(b)

The water charges for use of water by any air conditioning unit using unmetered water are fixed and established as follows:

.025 cents per ton of rated cooling unit capacity per day, plus thirty-three and one-third percent of the total water charge for connection to and discharge of waste water through the sewerage system of the city.

Such charges are payable monthly throughout the year and do not depend on whether the unit is in operation or not and shall be in addition to any other water charges provided by this Code or any other ordinances of the city.

(c)

All revenue derived from the water service set forth in subsection (b) of this section shall be used only for the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, maintenance and operation of the sewer system and sanitation and sewerage facilities of the city, as provided in section 5471 of the Health and Safety Code of the state.

(Ord. No. 182, §§ 1, 2, 3.)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 493, § 1, adopted Nov. 5, 2013, repealed § 15-9 which pertained to grease, oil and sand interceptors and derived from § 4 of Ord. No. 251.

When required by the sewer superintendent, the owner of any property served by a building sewer carrying industrial waste shall install a suitable control manhole in the building sewer to facilitate observation, sampling, and measurement of the waste. Such manhole shall be easily accessible and safely located, and shall be constructed in accordance with plans and specifications approved by the sewer superintendent. The manhole shall be installed and maintained at the owner's expense, and shall be safe and accessible at all times.

(Ord. No. 251, § 5.)

The sewer superintendent and other duly authorized representatives of the city, bearing proper credentials and identification, shall be permitted to enter upon all properties for the purpose of inspection, observation,

measurement, sampling and testing, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. All connections made to a city sewer main shall be subject to approval by the sewer superintendent, who shall be given at least twenty-four hours notice to inspect such connection. The excavation where such connection is made shall not be filled in until inspected by the sewer superintendent.

(Ord. No. 251, § 6.)