Solvang Municipal Code Art. C Use of Public Sewers

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

(Ord. 16-318, 2016; Ord. 19-0341, 2019)

Except as hereinafter provided, no person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to any public sewer:

A. Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than one hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit (150°F).

B. Any water or waste which may contain more than 100 parts per million or 100 milligrams per liter of fat, oil or grease.

C. Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas.

D. Any garbage that has not been properly shredded. "Properly shredded garbage" shall mean the wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food, or other sources, that has 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 1/2 inch in any dimension.

E. Any ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, diapers, wet wipes, baby wipes, moist towelettes, feminine hygiene products such as tampons and sanitary pads, dental floss, condoms, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, 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.

F. 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 operator of the sewage works.

G. Any waters or wastes containing drugs, prescription drugs, pharmaceuticals, cannabis, cannabis products, agricultural chemicals or industrial chemicals.

H. Any waters or wastes containing toxic or poisonous substance in sufficient quantity to injure or interfere with any sewage treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals or create any hazard in the receiving waters of the wastewater treatment plant.

I. Any waters or wastes containing suspended solids or dissolved matter of such character and quantity that unusual attention or expense is required to handle such materials at the wastewater treatment plant.

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

K. Any salt or salt brine from water softening devices in commercial or industrial use utilizing salt in the regeneration process.

(Ord. 16-318, 2016; Ord. 19-0341, 2019)

A. Required. Grease, oil and sand interceptors (grease traps) shall be provided by all restaurants, commercial establishments where food may be prepared, industrial or auto repair establishments, and when in the opinion of the city inspector, they are necessary for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing grease in excessive amounts, or any flammable wastes, sand or other harmful constituents; except that such interceptors shall not be required for buildings used exclusively for residential purposes. All interceptors shall be designed, constructed, and installed in accordance with appendix H of the California Plumbing Code, most recent edition, as defined in the California Code of Regulations, title 24, part 5. All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the city inspector and shall be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection. In no case shall the interceptor size be less than 400 gallon capacity. Interceptor installation shall be subject to inspection by the city inspector, and a cleaning schedule shall be submitted by a licensed sanitary disposal company for review and approval by the city inspector. Upon inspection of the installation and approval of the cleaning schedule, a certificate of completion will be issued by the city inspector.

B. Maintenance. All grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be maintained by the owner, at his or her expense, in continuously efficient operation at all times. Interceptors shall be maintained in accordance with a cleaning schedule. All owners of any building equipped with an interceptor shall submit to the city inspector a cleaning schedule by January 31st of each year. The city will review each schedule to verify that the scheduled cleaning times will be sufficient to keep the interceptor or grease trap properly functioning at an allowable limit. The owner shall allow a city inspector to be present for all pumping of interceptors (grease traps) larger than 100 gallons and shall notify the city not less than four hours prior to the pumping times. A manifest of all pumping of interceptors shall be kept by the owner and shall be available for inspection by the city inspector. A manifest form will be provided by the city of Solvang if needed. Failure to produce a manifest of pumping will result in a penalty and/or extra pumping requirements.

C. All restaurants and commercial establishments where food may be prepared shall be required to have and use tallow cans to dispose of all cooking oils and grease. The owner shall allow the city inspector access to verify that tallow cans are being properly used. If an owner is not in compliance with this chapter, the following shall apply:

1. First Infraction. The business owner will receive a written warning, with seven days to comply. If non-compliance continues after the seven days, the city of Solvang may assess a fine in an amount established pursuant to section 1-3-2 of this code.

2. Second Infraction. If not in compliance after an additional seven days, the city of Solvang may assess an additional weekly fine in an amount established pursuant to section 1-3-2 of this code each week until the owner is in compliance.

(Ord. 16-318, 2016; Ord. 19-0341, 2019; Ord. 23-0373, § 34)

A. Required. The admission into the public sewers of any waters or wastes having: (1) a five day biochemical oxygen demand greater than 300 parts per million or milligrams per liter; or (2) containing more than 350 parts per million or milligrams per liter of suspended solids; or (3) containing any quantity of substance having the characteristics described in section 9-2C-2 of this article; or (4) having an average daily flow greater than 10,000 gallons per day, shall be subject to the review and approval of the public works director and/or city inspector. Where necessary in the opinion of the city inspector, the owner shall provide, at his or her expense, such pretreatment as may be necessary to: (1) reduce the biochemical oxygen demand to 300 parts per million (mg/L) and the suspended solids to 350 parts per million (mg/L); or (2) reduce objectionable characteristics or constituents or within the maximum limits provided for in section 9-2C-2 of this article; or (3) control the quantities and rates or discharge of such wastes or waters. Plans, specifications and any other pertinent information relating to proposed pretreatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the city inspector; and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until said approval is obtained in writing.

B. Maintenance. Where pretreatment facilities are provided for any waters or wastes, they shall be continuously maintained in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner at his or her expense. Pretreatment facilities shall be maintained by licensed operators if required by the state of California for that type of treatment process. Pretreatment facilities shall be maintained in accordance with an appropriate schedule. All owners of any building equipped with a pretreatment facility shall submit to the city inspector a maintenance schedule by January 31st of each year. The city will review each maintenance schedule to verify that maintenance will be sufficient to keep the pretreatment facility properly functioning. A log of all maintenance shall be kept by the owner and shall be available for inspection by the city inspector. The owner shall allow the city inspector access to verify that the pretreatment facility is functioning properly and being adequately maintained. If an owner is not in compliance with this chapter, the following shall apply:

1. First Infraction. The business owner will receive a written warning, with seven days to comply. If non-compliance continues after the seven days, the city of Solvang may assess a fine in an amount established pursuant to section 1-3-2 of this code.

2. Second Infraction. If not in compliance after an additional seven days, the city of Solvang may assess an additional weekly fine in an amount established pursuant to section 1-3-2 of this code each week until the owner is in compliance.

(Ord. 16-318, 2016; Ord. 19-0341, 2019; Ord. 23-0373, § 35)

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

(Ord. 16-318, 2016; Ord. 19-0341, 2019)

All measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes to which reference is made in sections 9-2C-2 and 9-2C-4(A) of this article shall be determined in accordance with the standard methods and shall be determined at the control manhole provided for in section 9-2C-5 of this article, 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 public sewer to the point at which the side sewer is connected.

(Ord. 16-318, 2016; Ord. 19-0341, 2019)

No provision of this chapter shall be construed as preventing any special agreement or arrangement between the city and any industrial concern whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character may be accepted by the city for treatment, subject to payment therefor by the industrial concern, and subject to pretreatment, and such additional terms and conditions as might be required by the city.

(Ord. 16-318, 2016; Ord. 19-0341, 2019)

It is unlawful for any person to discharge the contents of a swimming pool into a sanitary sewer, without first making written request to do so to the city inspector, and receiving written permission from the city inspector.

(Ord. 16-318, 2016; Ord. 19-0341, 2019)

A. Disposal of Wastes from Nonresidential Uses. No person shall allow, permit or cause any water conditioning or softening equipment of any type to discharge its wastes into the city sewage system, nor shall any such person deposit or cause to be deposited into the city sewage system the waste product of any water softening or conditioning equipment of any type. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to the wastes or waste product of any water softening or conditioning equipment that is used exclusively for residential uses in accordance with the Health and Safety Code, article 1 of chapter 5 of part 12 of division 104, section 116775 et seq.

B. Inspection of Equipment. Any person using, operating or maintaining water conditioning or softening equipment of any type within the boundaries of the city shall make such equipment accessible to the city inspector for inspection at such reasonable times as the city inspector may specify, and shall furnish such information concerning the operation and use of said equipment as the city inspector may reasonably request.

C. Effective January 1, 2022:

1. Disposal of Wastes from Nonresidential Uses. No person shall allow, permit or cause any water conditioning or softening equipment of any type to discharge its wastes into the city sewage system, nor shall any such person deposit or cause to be deposited into the city sewage system the waste product of any water softening or conditioning equipment of any type.

2. Disposal of Wastes from Residential Uses—Requirement for High Efficiency Automatic Water Softeners. Effective January 1, 2022, no person shall allow, permit or cause to be deposited into the city sewage system the waste product of any water softening or conditioning equipment, unless said water softening or conditioning equipment is a high efficiency system, with diagnostic functions, operating at an efficiency rating of not less than 4,000 grains of hardness removed per pound of salt used in regeneration. Effective January 1, 2022, no person shall replace or install, or in any manner assist in the replacement of or installation of, any water softening or conditioning equipment that discharges its waste into the city sewage system, unless said water softening or conditioning equipment is a high efficiency system, with diagnostic functions, operating at an efficiency rating of not less than 4,000 grains of hardness removed per pound of salt used in regeneration.

3. Portable Exchange Tanks. Residential and nonresidential portable exchange tank water softening or conditioning systems that do not discharge waste are not prohibited.

4. Inspection of Equipment. Any person using, operating or maintaining water conditioning or softening equipment of any type within the boundaries of the city shall make such equipment accessible to the city inspector for inspection at such reasonable times as the city inspector may specify, and shall furnish such information concerning the operation and use of said equipment as the city inspector may reasonably request.

5. Violation Penalty. All violations of this subsection C shall be infractions. It is unlawful for any person to violate any mandatory provisions of or fail to comply with provisions of this subsection C. Any persons violating such subsections shall be prosecuted as an infraction. Any infraction may be prosecuted by the city authorities in the name of the people of the state or redressed by civil action. Every violation determined to be an infraction is punishable by a fine in an amount established pursuant to section 1-3-2 of this code.

(Ord. 16-318, 2016; Ord. 16-323, 2016; Ord. 19-0341, 2019; Ord. 23-0373, § 36)