Parlier Municipal Code Ch. 13.60 Use of Public Sewers

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter and Chapters 13.60.040 and 13.60.050, shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this Section 13.60.010, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

"Applicant" means any person or group of persons who applies for sewer service.

"Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)" means the quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five days at twenty degrees Centigrade, expressed in milligrams per liter (mg/l).

"Building drain" means that part of the lowest horizontal piping of a drainage system which receives the discharge from soil, waste, and other drainage pipes inside the walls of the building and conveys it to the building sewer, beginning three feet outside the inner face of the building wall.

"Building sewer or lateral" means the extension from the building drain to the public sewer main or other place of disposal.

"Business" means all commercial uses, including, but not limited to, offices, merchandising and industrial uses, and residential uses on premises where there are five or more living units or where unrelated persons are housed in the same structure, such as boarding or fraternity houses.

"City" means the city of Parlier, authorized representative acting within the scope of his/her assigned duties.

"City council" means the city council of the city of Parlier.

"City sewerage system" means all facilities for collecting, treating and transporting domestic or industrial wastes of any nature, including all such facilities both inside and outside the city limits owned, operated and controlled by the city.

"Commercial garbage grinder" means a mechanical unit for pulverizing large quantities of waste by a commercial user.

"Completion" means acceptance, in writing, by the city manager for maintenance of an addition to the city sewerage system.

"Connected" means the physical joinder of any plumbing or drainage system or fixture contained in structure to a public sewer line.

"Customer" means any person, firm, association, corporation or governmental agency served by the city.

"Director" means the director of public works of the city, or his/her authorized deputy, agent or representative.

"Dwelling" or "dwelling unit" means a room or suite of rooms which is occupied by one family for living and sleeping purposes, including a single-family residence, mobile home unit, apartment, townhouse, flat or condominium.

"Fee schedule" means the fee schedule as adopted from time to time by the city council by resolution whether separately or as part of a master fee schedule in a master fee resolution.

"Flow" means the hydraulic loading in million gallons per day (MGD).

"Garbage" means solid wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food, and from the handling, storage and sale of produce.

"Grease," "oil," or "fats" means any material or like material, that is soluble in petroleum ether.

"Industrial waste supervisor" means the director of public works or his/her deputy responsible for maintaining constant control over liquid industrial wastes of the city.

"Industrial wastes" means the wastes from industrial processes, including but not limited to, water softening regeneration plants.

"Infiltration" means the water entering a sewer system, including sewer service connections, from the ground through such means as, but not limited to, defective pipes, pipe joints, connections or manhole walls. Infiltration does not include and is distinguished from inflow.

"Infiltration/inflow" means the total quantity of water from both infiltration and inflow without distinguishing the source.

"Inflow" means the water discharged into a sewer system, including service connections, from such sources as, but not limited to, roof leaders, cellar, yard and area drains, foundation drains, cooling water discharges, drains from springs and swampy areas, manhole covers, cross-connections from storm sewers and combined sewers, catch basins, storm waters, surface runoff, street wash waters, or drainage. Inflow does not include and is distinguished from infiltration.

"Lot" means any premises, piece or parcel of land or property, as bounded, defined or shown upon the latest map, plat or deed recorded in the office of the recorder of the county; provided, however, that in the event any building or improvements appurtenant to said building covers more area than a "lot," as herein defined, the term "lot" shall be deemed to be and include all such pieces or parcels of land upon which said buildings or improvements are wholly or partly located.

"Natural outlet" means any outlet into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake or other body of surface water or groundwater.

"Person" means any individual, firm, company, association, society, municipality, private corporation, institution, enterprise, governmental agency, or other entity.

"pH" means the logarithm of the reciprocal of the weight of hydrogen ions in grams per liter of solution.

"Properly shredded garbage" means the wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food that have been shredded to such degree that all particles will be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers, with no particle greater than one-quarter inch in any dimension.

"Sanitary sewer" means a sewer which carries sewage and into which storm waters, surface waters, and ground waters are not intentionally admitted.

"Sewage" means a combination of the water carried wastes from residences, businesses, institutions, and industrial establishments, together with such ground waters, surface waters and storm waters as may be present.

"Sewage treatment plant" means any arrangement of devices and structures used for treating sewage.

"Sewage works" means all facilities for collecting, pumping, treating, and disposing of sewage.

"Sewer" means a pipe or conduit for carrying sewage.

"Slugs" means any discharge of water, sewage or industrial waste which, in concentration of any given constituent or in quantity of flow, exceeds for any period of longer duration than fifteen minutes more than five times its average hourly concentration or flow.

"Storm sewer" or "storm drain" means facilities that carry storm waters and surface waters and drainage, but excludes sewage.

"Surcharge" means the assessment in addition to the service charge which is levied on those persons whose wastes are greater in strength or prohibited in this chapter.

"Suspended solids" means the solids in the wastewater which are removable by filtering as prescribed in the latest edition of the book, "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage," published by the American Public Health Association.

"Unit" means a living unit as defined herein; or one thousand five hundred square feet or fraction thereof of gross floor area of a building, or one-quarter acre or fraction thereof of net land area of a development, whichever is greater, for office, commercial, industrial, institutional, or similar uses, as determined by the city manager.

1. Where an industrial lot or portion of such lot is used for a warehouse, loft building, storage area or similar facility, the city manager may fix a lower number of units for such lot or portion thereof based upon the estimated burden such use will impose on the city sewer system. In which event, actual discharge exceeds the estimated basis for determining the number of units assigned and on which charges are based, will be billed for the additional capacity at the then current unit costs. This shall also apply where a discharger increases use of the system as part of the business activity. Payment of applicable charges at the time of connection only secures a right as to the capacity represented thereby.

2. Where a development is for open recreation and sport use, the city manager may fix a lower number of units for such development, in the same fashion or to the same purpose as set forth in subparagraph 1 of this subdivision.

"Unpolluted water or liquids" means any water or liquid containing none of the following: free or emulsified grease or oil; acids or alkalis; substances that may impart taste and odor or color characteristics; toxic or poisonous substances in suspension, colloidal state or solution. It shall contain not more than five hundred parts per million of dissolved solids, and not more than twenty-five parts per million each of suspended solids or biochemical oxygen demand, or meet the most recent requirement for secondary treatment defined by State Water Resources. Analytical determinations shall be made in accordance with procedures set forth in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage. Any water having contact with potential pathogen sources is considered to be polluted.

"Watercourse" means a channel in which a flow of water occurs, either continuously or intermittently.

(Ord. 04-01 §2, 2004: Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

No unauthorized person shall break, damage, uncover, deface or tamper with any structure, appurtenance, or equipment which is a part of the municipal sewage works.

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

The director of public works and other duly authorized employees of the city bearing proper credentials and identification shall be permitted to enter upon all properties receiving city sewer service for the purpose of inspecting, observing, measuring, sampling and testing, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

A. Violations of the provisions of this chapter shall constitute an infraction, punishable pursuant to Chapter 1.16 of this code.

B. Any person violating any provision of this chapter shall be served by the director of public works with written notice stating the nature of the violation and providing a reasonable time to correct the violation. The person responsible for the violation shall, within the period of time stated in such notice, permanently cause the violation to cease. If the person continues the violation after the expiration of the time stated, the director of public works may prohibit the further use of the sewage system by the offender and may remove or close the offender's sewage and/or water connections.

C. Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be liable to the city for any expense, loss or damage occasioned by reason of such violation, including but not limited to administrative costs directly and indirectly occasioned by such violation.

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage or unpolluted industrial process waters into any sanitary sewer.

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

Stormwater and all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged into such sewers as are specifically designated as storm sewers, or to a natural outlet. Unpolluted process waters may be discharged, upon written approval of the director of public works, into a storm sewer or natural outlet, or into the sanitary sewer system.

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

A. In cases where the character of the sewage from any manufacturing or industrial plant, building or other premises is such that it will damage the system or cannot reasonably be treated in the system, the director may require such user to dispose of or pretreat such wastes.

B. Except as hereinafter provided, no person shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the sewer or drainage system of the city, directly or indirectly, any of the following described matters, waters or wastes:

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

2. Any water or waste which contains more than one hundred parts per million, by weight, of fat, oil or grease;

3. Any gasoline, benzine, naphtha, fuel oil or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas;

4. Any garbage that has not been properly shredded;

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

6. Any wastes or waters containing suspended or dissolved solids of such character and quantity that unusual attention or expense is required to treat such materials at the sewage treatment plant or in the public sewage works;

7. Any noxious or malodorous gas or substance capable of creating a public nuisance;

8. Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 6.5 or higher than 8.5, or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, and personnel at the sewage works;

9. Any water or wastes containing a toxic or poisonous substance such as plating or heat treating wastes in sufficient quantity to be capable of injuring or interfering with any sewage treatment process, such as to constitute a hazard to humans or animals, or to create a hazard in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant;

10. Any cyanide greater than 1.0 part per million, as CN;

11. Any hexavalent chromium greater than 1.0 part per million;

12. Any trivalent chromium greater than ten parts per million;

13. Any copper greater than 1.0 part per million;

14. Any nickel greater than 1.0 part per million;

15. Any cadmium greater than 1.0 part per million;

16. Any zinc greater than 1.0 part per million;

17. Any phenols greater than twelve parts per million;

18. Any iron greater than five parts per million;

19. Any tin greater than 1.0 part per million;

20. Any radioactive wastes greater than allowable releases as specified by current United States Bureau of Standards Handbooks dealing with the handling and release of radioactivity.

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

A. Where the operation of an industrial or commercial facility includes the discharge of water or wastes containing toxic or poisonous substances, a written statement fully describing the nature of the operation shall be filed with the department of public works. The statement shall describe the amount of water to be used and its source, the proposed point of discharge of such wastes into the city sewage system, the estimated amount to be discharged, and the expected bacterial, physical, chemical, and other known characteristics of such wastes. The statement shall be signed under penalty of perjury.

B. Within thirty days of receipt of such statement, director shall impose restrictions on the discharge from such facility as are reasonably necessary to protect the city's sewer system from damage or operating beyond its capacity.

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

A. Grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be provided for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing grease in excessive amounts or any flammable wastes, sand, and other harmful ingredients. Such interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the director and shall be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection.

B. Grease and oil interceptors shall be constructed of impervious materials capable of withstanding abrupt and extreme changes in temperature. They shall be of substantial construction, watertight, and equipped with easily removable covers, which when bolted in place, shall be gastight and watertight.

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

All grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be maintained by the owner at his/her expense, and shall be in continuously efficient operation.

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

A. The admission into the public sewers of any waters or wastes having:

1. A five-day BOD greater than three hundred parts per million by weight;

2. Containing more than four hundred parts per million by weight of suspended solids;

3. Containing any quantity of substances having the characteristics described in Section 13.60.070 of this chapter; or

4. Having an average daily flow greater than five percent of the average daily sewage flow of the city; shall be subject to review and approval of the director.

B. Where necessary, in the opinion of the director, the owner shall provide, at his/her expense, such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to:

1. Reduce the BOD to three hundred parts per million and the suspended solids to four hundred parts per million by weight;

2. Reduce objectionable characteristics or constituents to within the maximum limits provided for in Section 13.60.070 of this chapter; or

3. Control the quantities and rates of discharge of such waters or wastes.

C. Plans, specifications and any other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the director and of the State Department of Health, and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until such approvals are obtained in writing.

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

Where facilities are required to preliminarily treat any waters or wastes, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner at his/her expense.

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

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

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

All measurements, tests, and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes to which reference is made in Sections 13.60.060 and 13.60.070 of this chapter, shall be determined in accordance with Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage, and shall be determined at the control manhole provided for in Section 13.60.130 of this chapter or upon suitable samples taken at the control manhole. If no special manhole has been required, the control manhole shall be considered to be the nearest downstream manhole in the public sewer to the point at which the building sewer is connected.

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).

No person shall discharge industrial wastes into the city sewer system except in compliance with a permit issued by the city for such discharge. All existing industrial connections in the city as of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, shall apply for such permits within thirty days after the effective date of the ordinance.

(Ord. 98-07 §7(part), 1998).