Portola Municipal Code Ch. 13.16 Sewers

All trenches to all side sewers and connections to the main or lateral sewers shall be left open for inspection, until inspected and approved in writing by the inspector. Upon written approval after such inspection, trenches shall immediately be back-filled, and restored to their original condition.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

It is unlawful for any person to install or construct sewers, or make connections to a lateral sewer, other than by a licensed contractor, registered as provided in this chapter. However, a permit may be issued as a special owners permit, authorizing the actual owner of the premises to install his sewer and make connection to an existing lateral sewer. Such permit shall be suspended should the holder thereof violate this chapter.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

Lateral sewers shall be connected to the main sewer or collecting sewer at a standard tee branch, where such tee branch is installed in place in such main sewer within the street frontage of the property served by the main sewer and facing the property. Where no such tee branch is available, connection to the main or lateral sewer shall be made by tapping the main sewer and making the connection therewith. All work shall be done under the supervision and direction of employees of the city.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

Lateral sewers must be constructed in accordance with city standards by a licensed contractor, and be inspected by a city employee; or they may be constructed by city employees.

(Ord. 291 § 1, 2002: Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

It is unlawful for any person to construct any new sewer, or addition to any old sewer, without first reporting such proposed construction or addition to the city. Completion and readiness for inspection shall also be reported to the inspector. In no case shall the sewer be covered at any point, within or without the building lines, until the same has been inspected and accepted by the city.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

Neither leaders from roofs nor surface drains for rainwater shall be connected to any sewer. No surface nor subsurface drainage, rainwater, storm water, seepage, nor evaporative-type air cooler discharge water shall be permitted to enter any sewer, by any device or method whatsoever. Septic tanks, cesspools, or drains there from shall not be connected to any sewer.

(Ord. 291 § 2, 2002: Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

No person shall discharge any industrial waste, garbage, any solid or semisolid or liquid substance, or any toxic material from any industrial manufacturing, commercial process, auto service garage or station, or car wash into any sewer main, collector, or lateral sewer where, in the opinion of the city administrator, such wastes may have an adverse or harmful effect on sewers, maintenance personnel, wastewater treatment personnel or equipment, treatment plant effluent quality, public or private property, or may otherwise endanger the public or the local environment or create a public nuisance without having obtained a permit to do from the city.

(Ord. 291 § 3, 2002: Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

The city administrator, in determining the acceptability of specific wastes, shall consider the nature of the waste and the adequacy and nature of the collection, treatment and disposal system available to accept the waste. A permit to discharge substances may be granted in accordance with special conditions, and shall be subject to reasonable rules, regulations and requirements, in order to prevent excessive alkalinity, acidity, excessive discharge of organic or inorganic substances in solution or in suspension, whether liquid or semisolid or solid.

(Ord. 291 § 4, 2002: Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

In granting a wastewater permit, the city administrator may require pretreatment of wastes before discharge into any lateral sewer main. Such pretreatment shall, by appropriate process remove all solid materials from the waste, and shall neutralize or otherwise adequately treat such wastes on the discharge's premises, so that the discharged wasted shall not have excessive: quantity of suspended or dissolved solids; biochemical oxygen demand (BOD); alkalinity; acidity; corrosiveness; no other toxic materials.

(Ord. 291 § 5, 2002: Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

"Septic tank system" means the reservoirs or tanks which receive crude sewage and by bacterial action affect liquidation thereof, thus preparing it for clarification and purification which takes place by further bacterial action in the nitrification ducts composed of drain tile extending from the tank into the subsoil. The field tile drain shall be laid not less than eighteen inches below the surface of the ground, the tile to be laid on at least three inches of rock and covered with the same amount of rock, the size of rock or gravel to be not more than one-inch mesh. The length of the tile drain shall not be less than one hundred feet and shall have a fall of not more than one-eighth inch to one foot. This system design must be approved by an authorized representative of the city and shall not be allowed unless city sewer services are not available, and in those cases use may be allowed by special use permit and only until such time that services are available.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

Outside privies, cesspools or vaults shall not be maintained, used or operated.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

Whenever the council of the city determines that it is necessary for the public health that any lot, piece, or parcel of land therein, or any building or structure thereupon, should be connected with the sanitary sewer system of the city, it shall, by resolution, require the owner thereof to cause such lot, piece or parcel of land to be connected with the sewer system; provided, that no such connection shall be ordered unless a main or lateral sewer has been laid in a street, alley or right-of-way immediately contiguous to the premises in question. Such resolution shall describe the real property with which such connection is to be made with reasonable certainty and shall prescribe the time within which such connection shall be made, which shall not be less than ten nor more than thirty days after service of such resolution on the owner of such property as provided in this chapter.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

The city clerk shall, as soon as practicable after the passage of such resolution, serve a certified copy thereof on the owner of the building, structure or premises therein described, by delivering the same to him personally if he can be found in the city or, in the event he cannot be found, such service shall be made by delivering a certified copy of such resolution to his agent in charge of such premises, if there be any, or by posting such certified copy in a conspicuous place on said premises and, in addition thereto, by depositing a similar copy enclosed in a sealed envelope, with postage prepaid, in the post office at the city addressed to such owner at his last known place of residence.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

A. For each connection made between the municipal sewer system and any lot or premises within the city there shall be a charge in an amount to be determined by the city administrator according to guidelines furnished by the city council. Such guidelines shall be of uniform application within classes, available for public inspection and reviewed from time to time by the city council.

B. Any individual affected by these charges shall have the right to appeal such cost determination to the city council by written notice to the city clerk within ten days after the imposition of the charges.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

A. When an application is made for any sewer connection to the municipal sewer system which requires a main line extension, the work will be done by the city or a licensed contractor of the city's choice.

B. The applicant may be required to provide any necessary easements.

C. The entire cost of the extension from the existing main line to the applicant's property shall be borne by the applicant.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

The city reserves the right to limit the number of residences and/or other buildings which may be served by one sewer connection; where not more than one residence or other building can be adequately served by a single sewer lateral, not more than one building shall be connected therewith.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

A person desiring to provide a sewer system within a tract of land which he proposes to subdivide shall make written application therefor by filing same with the city clerk. The application shall state the number or other positive identification of the tract, the name of the subdivision, and its location, and shall be accompanied by a copy of the final map, and of the plans, profiles and specifications, to include location of street(s), water lines and other utility services.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

Upon receiving the application from the city clerk, the superintendent of public works shall make an investigation of the proposed subdivision and shall report his findings to the city council, which report shall include a recommendation as to the facilities required and the estimated cost of the proposed sewer system therefor.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

In the event owners of lots, dwellings or commercial structures, located outside the city limits, wish to hook up to the city sewer service, the owners shall apply for a permit in writing prior to connecting the sewer system. The city shall charge additional charges for hookup fees and user fees, which shall from time to time be set by resolution. In addition, all costs of sewer extensions shall be borne by the applicant and all lines and pipes installed shall become the property of the city. When more than one such connection is made simultaneously to the same extension the costs shall be apportioned.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

Any permit or application granted to an applicant for service under the provisions of this chapter shall be nontransferable, and such permit will only be valid for a period of ninety days from issuance. In the event such permit becomes void by expiration of the ninety-day period, any moneys paid the city for such permit will be refunded.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

When physical and cost factors make the cost or feasibility of extending sewer mains to a particular parcel of land unduly onerous or impractical, the property owner may request the city superintendent of public works to investigate and prepare a report to be made to the council. Upon consideration of the report, the council may instruct the proper city employees to issue a permit for construction and operation of a private septic system. All costs of such proceedings are to constitute a charge for said application for septic permit, in addition to the normal permit fees.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)

Washrack drains in public garages shall be constructed with an inverted sanitary "tee" or "wye," with a cleanout caulked in the end, and carried through the wall of a catchbasin or sump. The sump shall be not less than eighteen inches wide by eighteen inches long by eighteen inches deep, at a point twelve inches above the bottom of the sump, and covered with an approved cast iron grating. All piping to same shall be four-inch cast iron pipe and fittings.

(Ord. 225 (part), 1988)