Chapter 21.20 — SEWER LATERALS AND CONNECTIONS

All new residential, apartments, industrial and commercial buildings shall have installed a new private sewer lateral. A minimum four-inch lateral shall serve single or duplex residential dwelling units. A minimum six- inch lateral shall be installed to serve buildings with three or more residential units, and industrial and commercial buildings. Construction shall conform to District standards.

(Ord. No. 45, § 3, 6-4-2018)

(a)

Private sewer laterals shall be owned, maintained and repaired by the owner of the property which the lateral serves. The entire private sewer lateral, from the building connection to and including the "wye" connection or other-tie-in to the sewer main, shall fall within the owner's responsibility for installation, maintenance and repair.

(b)

Owners must clean, maintain and repair sewer laterals serving their property sufficient to keep the sewer lateral in operable condition at all times. The owner shall perform such duties as may be required in response to observed overflows or seepage attributable to the lateral, or as discovered by smoke testing, televising, pressure testing or other surveys of the lateral. Where such maintenance requires excavation and/or replacement of existing facilities, the owner shall apply for and receive a connection permit (21.28.005) from the district.

(Ord. No. 45, § 3, 6-4-2018)

(a)

It shall be the policy of the district to require one private sewer lateral serving one single family home. However, the district is cognizant that portions of the sewer service system within the district are very old with multiple hillside single-family homes being historically serviced by one private sewer lateral (e.g., one private sewer lateral for two or more homes). Where no apparent deficiency exists with a shared sewer lateral, the district shall allow the shared sewer lateral. Where repairs are necessary, the owners of the residences served by the shared lateral shall jointly be responsible for the repairs. Where repairs and/or replacement of such a shared lateral is necessary, the district may require the construction of a new private sewer lateral for each residential single-family home or the construction of a new larger private sewer lateral to accommodate the residences that share the sewer lateral.

(b)

The District encourages owners of shared sewer laterals to enter into a maintenance agreement between all of the owners sharing the private lateral to ensure that there is a mechanism in place to pay for required repairs and/or replacement of the private sewer lateral. In general terms, a common method is to proportion the costs of the maintenance, repair or replacement among the owners sharing the lateral. For example, owners upstream of the shared lateral section requiring rehabilitation would proportion their costs relative to the length of the shared lateral which serves their home divided by the length of the entire shared lateral from the sewer main upstream to the point of the repair. The relative percentage may vary along the pipe depending on the number of connections upstream of the repair. Owners that are part of a shared lateral connection not otherwise in violation of this title are not subject to the transfer of property title requirement (21.22.020 (b)).

(Ord. No. 45, § 3, 6-4-2018)

No two adjacent buildings fronting on the same street shall be permitted to join in the use of the same lateral sewer. Every building or commercial facility must be separately connected to a main sewer if such main sewer exists in the street upon which the property abuts or in an easement which will serve said property. However, one or more buildings located on property belonging to the same owner may be served with the same lateral sewer during the period of said ownership. Upon the subsequent subdivision and sale of a portion of said lot the portion not directly connected with such main sewer shall be separately connected with a main sewer, and it is unlawful for the owner thereof to continue to use or maintain such indirect connection.

(San. Dist. No. 2 Ord. 34 § 2 (part), 2002)

The connection of any sewer into the district sewer system shall be made in strict accordance with "Standard Specifications and Drawings, Sanitary District No. 2 of Marin County" or similar guidelines that may be established by or for the district and at the applicant's expense. The connection to the district sewer system shall be made in the presence of district staff and under its supervision and direction. Any damage to the district sewer shall be repaired at the cost of the applicant to the satisfaction of district staff.

(San. Dist. No. 2 Ord. 34 § 2 (part), 2002)

Cleanouts shall be required on all existing and new sewer laterals. The type and installation requirements shall be as set forth in the district's standard specifications and drawings.

(San. Dist. No. 2 Ord. 34 § 2 (part), 2002)

Backflow prevention devices shall be required on all existing and new laterals. The type and installation requirements shall be as set forth in the district's standard specifications and drawings.

(San. Dist. No. 2 Ord. 34 § 2 (part), 2002)

In all buildings in which any sewer is too low to permit gravity flow to the main sewer, as defined by the minimum slopes established in the district's standard specifications and drawings, sanitary sewage carried by such sewer shall be lifted by artificial means, approved by district staff, and discharged to the main sewer at the expense of the owner.

(San. Dist. No. 2 Ord. 34 § 2 (part), 2002)

The owner of the property served by any lateral or other type of sewer which is connected either directly or indirectly to a district main sewer shall have sole ownership and maintenance responsibilities for that sewer

and its connection to the main, and shall abide by all of the rules and regulations of the district in maintaining, improving, repairing or replacing the sewer serving the owner's property. The lateral and appurtenances shall be kept pressure tight and in good working order at all times. All laterals, regardless of their age, are required to meet the general and technical requirements detailed in the latest edition of the district's standard specifications and drawings.

(San. Dist. No. 2 Ord. 34 § 2 (part), 2002)

District staff or their representatives shall be permitted to enter the property for the purpose of testing and inspecting the private sewer laterals and appurtenances at any time. Testing shall be in accordance with the district's standard specifications and drawings. If found to be defective, the owner shall, within ninety days of a notice of said defects, apply for a permit for the repair or replacement of the lateral and/or appurtenances.

Should the lateral and appurtenances pass the test, the cost of such testing will be paid for by the district. Should the system fail the test, the cost of such testing will be added to the permitting costs for the repairs or replacement of the lateral.

(San. Dist. No. 2 Ord. 34 § 2 (part), 2002)

The District Manager (or any designated representative thereof) is hereby authorized to inspect private sewer laterals with advance notice to the owner for the following purposes:

(a)

To determine the size, depth, and location of any sewer connection.

(b)

To determine the end outlet of any sewer connection by depositing harmless testing materials in any plumbing fixture attached thereto and flushing the same, if necessary.

(c)

To determine, by measurements and samples, the quantity and nature of the sewage or wastewater being discharged.

(d)

To determine the location of the roof, swimming pool, floor and surface drains, and whether or not they physically connect to a sewer.

(e)

To assess the condition of the lateral where he/she suspects that the lateral may be allowing inflow or infiltration.

Nothing herein shall be deemed to provide the District Manager with any right or authority to enter a building or other apparently private or interior area of a real property, except to the extent such entry is expressly authorized by state law, a public emergency or by consent or permission of the resident.

(Ord. No. 45, § 3, 6-4-2018)

Mandatory testing of sewer laterals and appurtenances shall be required as follows:

(a)

For existing lateral sewers serving a new building, the existing lateral may only be used when it is found, upon examination and testing by district staff, to meet all requirements of the district.

(b)

For existing lateral sewers serving a newly remodeled building, when the remodeling increases the number of plumbing fixture units by ten percent or more, the existing lateral may only be used when it is found, upon examination and testing by district staff, to meet all requirements of the district.

Whenever testing shall be conducted in accordance with this section, the cost of the testing shall be paid for by the owner and performed in the presence of district staff. Testing shall be in accordance with the district's standard specifications and drawings. If found to be defective, the owner shall, within ninety days of a notice of said defects, apply for a permit for the repair or replacement of the lateral and/or appurtenances.

(San. Dist. No. 2 Ord. 34 § 2 (part), 2002)

In accordance with Chapter 21.28 of this title, no person shall construct a sewer lateral or make a connection to the sewer main without first obtaining a written permit from the district and paying all fees and connection charges as required therein.

(San. Dist. No. 2 Ord. 34 § 2 (part), 2002)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 45, § 1, adopted June 4, 2018, repealed § 21.20.100, which pertained to Inspection and correction of inflow and infiltration in lateral sewers and derived from San. Dist. No. 2 Ord. 34 § 2 (part), 2002.