Mariposa County Municipal Code § 13.08 Water And Sewers

For the purpose of this chapter certain words and phrases are defined and certain provisions shall be construed as herein set forth unless it shall be apparent from their context that they have a different meaning:

1. "Approved" means any plan of facilities which indicates that the existing facility or construction thereof is or will be equal to the generally accepted standards for such installations.

2. "Board" means the board of supervisors of the county, or their delegated governing bodies.

3. "Drainage system" means all the piping within public or private premises which conveys sewage or other liquid wastes to a point of disposal, but shall not include any portion of a public sewage system.

4. "Dwelling" means any housing unit constructed for the purpose of housing one or more families and includes mobile homes, trailers, etc.

5. "Effluent" means any liquid waste or sewage of which a portion of the solids have been removed by a primary treatment method.

6. "Health department" means the health department of the county.

7. "Health officer" means the health officer of the county, or his duly authorized representative.

8. "Person" means any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business, corporation or company.

9. "Septic tank" means a watertight receptacle which receives the discharge of a drainage system or part thereof, designed and constructed so as to retain solids, digest organic matter during a period of detention, and allow the effluent to drain into a subsurface absorption system.

10. "Sewage" means any and all waste substances, liquid or solid, associated with human habitation, or which contain or may be contaminated with human or animal excreta or excrement, offal or any feculent matter and includes all liquid waste from toilets, bidets, and kitchen sinks.

11. "Sewage disposal system" means any sewer system, sewage disposal plant, septic tank, drainage system, seepage pit, chemical toilet, privy or any other facility constructed for the purpose of receiving sewage or its effluent.

12. "Sewer well" means any hole used for disposal of sewage that has been dug or drilled into the ground and extends to or into the subterranean water-bearing stratum which is used or may be used as a domestic water source.

13. "Violator" means any person, persons, or other legal entity which is in violation of any of the terms and conditions of this chapter or of any other resolution, ordinance, rule or regulation of the health department as described in section 13.08.090.

14. "Well" means any hole, whether drilled, dug, blasted, or otherwise produced, which is designed to provide water that may be used for domestic purposes.

15. "Occupy" means to reside for any period of time greater than 14 nights in any 90 day period.

16. "Greywater" means that wastewater from a dwelling which does not contain human or animal excreta, offal, or food matter and includes waste from sinks, washing machines, and other plumbing fixtures but not toilets, bidets, and kitchen sinks.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 319 Sec. 1 on 12/30/1969 Amended by Ord. 612 Sec. 1, 2 & 3 on 2/7/1984 Amended by Ord. 809 Sec. II & III on 9/3/1991 Amended by Ord. 1039 Sec. I on 9/11/2007

All sewage shall be disposed of by connection to a public sewage system or a private sewage disposal system approved by the health department.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 319 Sec. 2 on 12/30/1969 13.08.030 Privies Or Chemical Toilets--Permission Required

It is unlawful for any person to maintain, or use, any dwelling, place of business, or other building or place (or trailer) where persons reside, congregate, or are employed which is not provided with means for the disposal of human excreta, either by connection to an approved sewage disposal system or to a public sewerage system. Where it is impractical or impossible to do otherwise, the health officer may allow privies or chemical toilets; provided, that approved methods of construction and maintenance are adhered to in the installations. Such privies or chemical toilets may be installed and used only with written permission of the health officer.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 319 Sec. 3 on 12/30/1969 13.08.040 Public Sewer Connections

Every dwelling, place of business, or other building or place where persons reside, congregate, or are employed, that is within two hundred feet of, and may connect to, a public sewage system, shall be connected thereto. Connection to a public sewer by other than a full gravity flow system shall be made only with the approval of the health officer.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 319 Sec. 4 on 12/30/1969

It is unlawful for any person to construct or maintain any sewage disposal system which discharges any sewage, effluent, impure waters or any matter or substance offensive, injurious or dangerous to health, whereby they shall do any of the following:

1. Overflow on the surface of the ground;

2. Empty, flow, seep or drain into any springs, streams, rivers, lakes or domestic water supplies of the county;

3. Create a health or safety hazard to any person legally on the property or to minors under the age of twelve years.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 319 Sec. 5 on 12/30/1969

1. Septic tanks and drainage systems shall be so constructed as to comply with the minimum standards as set forth in the rules and regulations of the health officer and approved by the board.

2. Cesspools and sewage wells shall be unlawful and are a nuisance.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 319 Sec. 6 on 12/30/1969 13.08.070 Private Sewage System--Permit Required

It is unlawful for any person to construct, build, or rebuild any private sewage disposal system without first securing the necessary written permits from the building department or health department. The health department is granted authority to establish reasonable standards of construction as a condition to the granting of a permit.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 319 Sec. 7 on 12/30/1969 Amended by Ord. 612 Sec. 4 on 2/7/1984 Amended by Ord. 1106 Sec. VII on 6/24/2014 13.08.080 Private Sewage System--Application For Installation

Applications for installation of a sewage disposal system shall be valid for one (1) year, and subsequent extensions may be granted for one (1) year increments at the request of the applicant at no cost to the applicant.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 319 Sec. 7 (a) on 12/30/1969 Amended by Ord. 474 on 2/7/1978 13.08.090 Private Sewage System--Rules And Regulations

1. The health officer shall, from time to time as circumstances require, adopt, revise, or otherwise provide rules and regulations establishing application processing procedures, minimum data needs and controlling the installation, operation, and maintenance of private sewage disposal systems in the

county. Such rules and regulations shall be subject to the approval of the board and shall be considered a part of this chapter.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 741 Sec. 1 on 2/7/1989 13.08.100 (Reserved)

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 809 Sec. IV on 9/3/1991 13.08.110 Unlawful Occupation

It shall be unlawful for any person to occupy any structure, including a building, dwelling, or industrial facility which does not have a sewage disposal system which has been approved by the county.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 319 Sec. 10 on 12/30/1969 Amended by Ord. 431 Sec. 2 (part) on 9/14/1976 Amended by Ord. 469 Sec. B(9)(part) on 11/15/1977 Amended by Ord. 612 Sec. 5 on 2/7/1984 13.08.115 Definition Of Occupy

1. It shall be unlawful to occupy or reside upon any private property or any public place for a period of more than 14 nights in any 90 day period unless it is served by a sewage disposal system which has been approved by the county health department.

2. Travel trailers/recreational vehicles may not be used as a residence unless a permit has been obtained from the building department to do so in combination with a dwelling construction permit.

3. This section does not apply to a licensed or authorized campground or recreational park or facility.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 1039 Sec. I on 9/11/2007

Any person found to be violating any provision of this chapter or any other resolution, ordinance, rule or regulation of the health department as described in section 13.08.090, shall be served by the health officer or other authorized person with written notice stating the nature of the violation and providing a reasonable time limit for the satisfactory correction thereof. The notice shall further state the name of the individual at the health department who is authorized to inspect, and determine whether the violation has been cured. The time limit shall be not fewer than two (2) or more than fifteen (15) working days. The violator shall, within the period of time stated in such notice, permanently cease all violations. All persons shall be held strictly responsible for any and all acts of agents or employees done under the provisions of this chapter. Upon being notified by the health officer of any defect arising in any sewage disposal system or of any violation of this chapter, the person or persons having charge of said work shall immediately correct said work pursuant to the terms and conditions of this section.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 745 Sec. 1 on 4/4/1989

Continued habitation of any building or dwelling, or continued operation of any industrial facility in violation of the provisions of this chapter or any other resolution, ordinance, rule or regulation of the health department as described in section 13.08.090, creates a public health hazard, and is a public nuisance. The health department may cause proceedings to be brought for the abatement of the occupancy of the building, dwelling, or industrial facility during the period of such violation.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 612 Sec. 7 on 2/7/1984 13.08.140 Enforcement Measures Only

Mariposa county declares that the procedures provided for in section 13.08.120 through 13.08.160 are established as a means of enforcement of the terms and conditions of this chapter, its resolutions, ordinances, rules and regulations, and not as a penalty.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 612 Sec. 8 on 2/7/1984 13.08.150 Violation--Penalty

Violation of any provision of this chapter shall constitute an infraction and shall be punishable under Chapter 1.20, the general penalty provisions of this code. The provisions of this chapter may also be enforced by injunction issued by the superior court upon suit of the county or the owner or person in possession of any real property affected by such violation; civil enforcement shall be cumulative and in no way affect the penal provisions hereof.

HISTORY

Adopted by Ord. 612 Sec. 9 on 2/7/1984 13.10 Grey Water Use 13.10.010 Definitions 13.10.020 Greywater Use Permitted 13.10.030 Standards Of Greywater Use