Corte Madera Municipal Code Ch. 21.16 Sewer Use Regulations

It shall be improper and illegal for a contractor or owner to connect the following to a private sewer lateral: storm drains, roof drains, non-permitted or non-authorized pool drains and/or non-sewage pipes or drains, or cracks or open fittings or caps in lateral pipes letting in ground or surface water. Violation of this section is punishable under Section 21.36.017.

(Ord. No. 45, § 3, 6-4-2018)

No leaders from roofs and no surface drains for rainwater shall be connected to any sanitary sewer. No surface or stormwater, seepage, cooling water or unpolluted commercial process waters shall be permitted to enter any sanitary sewer by any device or method whatsoever.

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

Except as hereinafter provided, no person shall discharge or deposit, or cause or allow to be discharged or deposited into the district sewer system any wastewater which contains any of the following:

(1) Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than one hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit;

(2) Any water or waste which may contain more than one hundred milligrams per liter of fat, oil or grease;

(3) Any gasoline, benzinc, naptha, fuel oil, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas;

(4) Any garbage that has not been shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers, with no particle greater than one-half inch in any dimension;

(5) Any ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, paunch manure, or any other solid or viscous substance capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers or other interference with the proper operation of the sewage works;

(6) Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.5 or higher than 9.0 or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment and personnel of the sewage works;

(7) Any waters or wastes containing a toxic or poisonous substance in sufficient quantity to injure or interfere with any sewage treatment process, constitute a hazard to human or animals, or create any hazard in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant;

(8) Any waters or wastes containing suspended solids of such character and quantity that unusual attention or expense is required to handle such materials at the sewage treatment plant;

(9) Any noxious or malodorous gas or substance capable of creating a public nuisance;

(10) Any septic tank sludge;

(11) Cooking grease whether emulsified or not;

(12) Waste automotive radiator coolant or any other automotive fluid;

(13) Explosive mixtures;

(14) Radioactive wastes;

(15) Solid or viscous wastes which may cause obstruction to the flow in a sewer pipeline, including cleansing wipes or "flushable" wipes;

(16) Any toxic substances in excess of the United States Environmental Protection District standards pursuant the Clean Water Act, or any other substances which may interfere with the biological processes of the wastewater system;

(17) Petroleum products of any kind.

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

(Ord. No. 45, § 2, 6-4-2018)

Grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be provided when in the opinion of district staff they are necessary for: (1) the proper handling of wastes containing grease in excessive amounts, flammable wastes, sand or other harmful ingredients; or (2) the protection of pumping stations, pneumatic ejectors or other facilities operated by the district from wastes containing grease in excessive amounts, flammable wastes, sand or other harmful ingredients. Interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by district staff, and shall be located in such a manner as to be readily and easily accessible for inspection by the district.

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

All grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be maintained by the owner, at the owner's expense, in continuously efficient operation at all times.

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

(a) The admission into the district sewers of any waters or wastes having (1) a five-day biochemical oxygen demand greater than three hundred milligrams per liter, or (2) containing more than three hundred fifty milligrams per liter of suspended solids, or (3) containing any quantity of substance having the characteristics described in Section 21.16.020, or (4) having an average daily flow greater than two percent of the average daily sewage flow of the district, shall be subject to the review and approval of district staff. Where necessary in the opinion of district staff, the owner shall provide, at the owner's expense, such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to: (A) reduce the biochemical oxygen demand to three hundred milligrams per liter and the suspended solids to three hundred fifty milligrams per liter, or (B) reduce objectionable characteristics or constituents to within the maximum limits provided for in Section 21.16.020, or (C) control the quantities and rates of discharge of such waters or wastes.

(b) Plans, specifications, and any other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of district staff and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until said approvals are obtained in writing.

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

Where preliminary treatment facilities are provided for any waters or wastes, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner at the owner's expense and to the satisfaction of district staff.

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

When required by district staff the owner of any property served by a lateral sewer carrying commercial wastes shall install a suitable control manhole in the lateral sewer to facilitate observation, sampling and measurement of wastes. Such manhole, when required, shall be accessible and safely located, and shall be constructed in accordance with plans approved by district staff. The manhole shall be installed by the owner at his the owner's expense, and shall be maintained by the owner so as to be safe and accessible at all times.

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

All measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes to which reference is made in Sections 21.16.020 and 21.16.050 shall be determined in accordance with standard methods and shall be determined at the control manhole provided for in Section 21.16.070, or upon suitable samples taken at said control manhole. In the event that no special manhole has been required, the control manhole shall be considered to be the nearest downstream manhole in the main sewer to the point at which the lateral sewer is connected.

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

No statement contained in this chapter shall be construed as preventing any special agreement or arrangement between the district and any commercial concern whereby commercial waste of unusual strength or character may be accepted by the district for treatment, subject to payment therefor by the commercial concern and subject to such terms and conditions as might be required by the district.

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

It is unlawful for any person to discharge the contents of a swimming pool into a sanitary sewer without first obtaining permission from the district.

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