Vacaville Municipal Code Art. II Requirements

A. Connection to the POTW shall be required for all lots, structures, developments, additions, or remodels that propose to generate wastewater, and for existing structures requiring repairs to septic systems, if sewer is available. Sewer service is considered available if:

1. The property is within city limits;

2. A public sewer line is within 200 feet of the property line as measured through public streets, alleys, rights-of-way, and easements; and

3. The structure to be served is within 1,000 feet of the property line closest to the sewer line or of another structure on the same property that is connected to the sewer.

B. No connection shall be made to the POTW without first obtaining approval from the Director. Any connection to the POTW shall be made in conformance with this chapter, and connection to the POTW shall only be approved once the proper application is submitted and the required fees have been paid.

C. Every structure which generates wastewater and for which sewer service is available shall be required to begin the process of connecting to the POTW within 30 days from the date the property owner receives written notice from Utilities staff that a public sewer line within the distance specified in subsection A of this section is available for connection. The structure shall be required to be connected to the POTW within one year from the date of notification. Failure to comply may result in enforcement actions as outlined in Article VIII of this chapter.

(Ord. 2016, 3/24/2026)

Anything in this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, the extension and expansion of sewer service outside of the city limits may be made only upon the approval of the city council. Applications for new or revised service connections to supply sewer service to premises which are located wholly or partly outside the corporate limits of the city shall not be accepted or approved, nor shall the service connection be made until the owner of the premises has received authorization from the city council to do so.

(Ord. 2016, 3/24/2026)

The city declares that installation of septic systems for any lot or structure for which sewer service is available is prohibited.

In the event sewer service is not available, a septic system may be constructed only with approval from the Director.

(Ord. 2016, 3/24/2026)

Sewer disconnection can be authorized by the city for violation of any of the laws of the state, the ordinances of the city, or the rules and regulations so established referring to the discharge of wastewater as detailed in § 13.08.880. Notification of violation and disconnection process in enforcement §§ 13.08.810 and 13.08.870.

If such noncompliance affects matters of public health or safety, or affects the operation, maintenance, or other costs of the POTW, sewer service may be discontinued immediately and without notice. The sewer user whose service is thus discontinued shall forfeit all deposits made. The sewer service shall not be restored until the user has complied with all rules and regulations, has paid all unpaid fees and charges, and the city has been reimbursed for the full amount of any services rendered and for the actual costs incurred by the city by reason of such noncompliance.

(Ord. 2016, 3/24/2026)

Each of the following acts is hereby prohibited and may be abated in accordance with this chapter:

A. Access or discharge into manholes, cleanouts, or other openings in the city's POTW unless specifically authorized by the city.

B. Damaging, breaking, destroying, defacing, or tampering with the POTW.

C. Obstructing flow in the POTW. This provision includes but is not limited to obstruction originating from the cleaning of a private sewer that results in an obstruction in the city's POTW.

D. Creating a condition that pressurizes the sewer lateral.

E. Creating a condition in the POTW that endangers the health and safety of any person.

F. Interfering or impairing the operation or maintenance of the POTW.

G. Failure to maintain a private sewer lift station.

H. Unauthorized use of the sewer service.

1. It shall be illegal for any person to discharge or permit the discharge of any storm water, surface water, ground water, roof runoff, yard drainage, or subsurface drainage into any sewer lateral, private sewer lift station, private sewer force main, or POTW by either direct or indirect means.

2. Notification when a connection permitting illegal discharge as defined in this subsection H has been detected and confirmed, the Director of Utilities or designee shall notify the owner of the property from which the discharge occurs to remove the connection within the specified amount of days of said notification. Notification and compliance shall proceed in accordance with the provisions of §§ 13.08.810 and 13.08.840.

3. Discharging any of the pollutants, substances, or wastewater listed in §§ 13.08.410 and 13.08.420.

(Ord. 2016, 3/24/2026)

No permanent structure (including without limitation garages, patios, concrete slabs, tool shed and similar structures) shall be constructed on top of sewer pipe, or anywhere within the associated utility easements, unless approved by the Director upon execution of a hold harmless agreement approved by the city attorney and fulfillment of such other conditions as the Director may deem necessary in their discretion. Fiber optic and electrical utilities shall maintain a minimum horizontal clearance of five feet and one foot vertical clearance from outside of fiber optic or electrical conduit to outside of sewer pipe.

(Ord. 2016, 3/24/2026)

The Director shall have the right to refuse sewer service to any premises for the following reasons:

A. To protect the city and/or POTW from fraud and abuse;

B. The requested sewer service demand or wastewater quality may be detrimental or injurious to the sewer service of other users;

C. The POTW facilities are inadequate to supply the requested sewer service demand.

(Ord. 2016, 3/24/2026)

A. Purpose. Inflow and infiltration (I/I) is a serious problem for the city in that during wet weather events, a significant amount of water is introduced into the city's wastewater collection system from breaches in the public and private sewer pipeline system. Studies have shown that private sewer laterals are a significant source of I/I for the city. The city has determined that it is in the interest of the public's health, safety, and welfare to address I/I contributed by private sewer laterals and, as such, it is a city priority to require the inspection of private sewer laterals.

B. Ownership, Maintenance, and Repair.

1. The entire lateral, from the building connection up to and including the "wye" connection or other tie-in to the city-owned sewer main, shall fall within the owner's responsibility for installation, maintenance, repair, and replacement. Any work within the public right-of-way shall require a city encroachment permit. Any plumbing work beyond the public right-of-way shall require a building permit.

2. Each property owner shall be responsible for maintenance and repair of their private sewer lateral in compliance with this section in a safe and sanitary condition, including:

a. Private sewer laterals shall be free of displaced joints, breaks, offsets, structural defects, damage, open joints, missing portions of pipe, root intrusion, cracks, leaks, sediment deposits, bellies in the pipe or any other similar conditions, defects or obstructions likely to cause or contribute to blockage of the private sewer lateral or the public sewer.

b. Private sewer laterals shall be equipped with cleanouts.

c. Private sewer laterals shall not be constructed, either in whole or in part, of "Orangeburg pipe."

d. As described in § 13.08.080, it is unlawful for any individual to connect the following to a private sewer lateral: storm drains, roof drains, yard drains, surface or subsurface drainage, groundwater, or other non-sewage pipes or drains.

3. If a property owner fails to maintain the above-mentioned wastewater facilities in a safe and sanitary condition, the Director may order and require termination of water service to the parcel and all structures connected to the sewer outlet subject to these conditions and applicable legal requirements. The water service shall not be reinstated until the maintenance or installation of appropriate wastewater disposal facilities has been approved by the Director.

4. Before granting any permit authorizing construction of a private sewer lateral or private sewer main serving multiple properties, the city shall require a private easement setting forth responsibilities for each parcel served (including responsibility for maintenance, inspection, and improvement of the shared sewer lateral).

C. Inspection of Existing Private Sewer Laterals.

1. Except as set forth in subsection (C)(2) of this section, after January 1, 2026, all private sewer laterals connected to the city's sewer system shall be inspected per subsection F of this section at the property owner's sole expense, when any of the following events occur:

a. Whenever the city has issued a notice of violation following a sanitary sewer spill or overflow event from a property's private sewer lateral.

b. Upon submittal of a building permit for the construction of an ADU when authorized by state law, or an addition of a bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen in a residential structure or the addition of non-residential space in a commercial building.

2. Exceptions. An inspection required pursuant to subsection (C)(1) of this section shall not be required in the following circumstances:

a. New Construction or Prior Replacement of Lateral. If the owner(s) (or the owner's predecessor-in-interest) has originally installed or has replaced the private sewer lateral within the 20 years prior to the date the inspection would otherwise be required.

b. Prior Inspection of a Lateral. If the owner(s) (or the owner's predecessor-in-interest) has completed an inspection of the sewer lateral in accordance with the inspection requirements of subsection F of this section within the past five years.

c. The private sewer lateral is located within a common interest development system that is not owned and operated by the city, which is regulated under subsection D of this section and serves more than two separate units or properties within the common interest development.

The owner shall bear the burden of proving that the inspection requirements of subsection (C)(1) of this section do not apply. The owner shall provide proof of any prior replacement, inspection or repair of a private sewer lateral in the form of a validly issued permit or other documentation that ensures such prior replacement, repair or inspection of a private sewer lateral occurred pursuant to the exceptions above. The form and content of the document or proof must be deemed sufficient by the city's Director of Utilities.

D. Private Sewer Laterals Within Common Interest Developments.

1. For purposes of this section, the term "common interest development" shall include any community apartment project, condominium project, planned development, or stock cooperative.

2. Private sewer laterals located within a common interest development shall be inspected pursuant to the requirements of subsection F of this section as follows:

a. Whenever the city has issued a notice of violation following a sanitary sewer spill or overflow event from a common interest development's private sewer lateral.

b. Increase in size of the water meter serving the common interest development.

3. Exceptions. An inspection required pursuant to subsection (D)(1) of this section shall not be required in the following circumstances:

a. Prior Replacement of Lateral. If the private sewer lateral serving the common interest development in its entirety was installed or replaced within the 20 years prior to the date the inspection would otherwise be required.

b. Prior Inspection or Repair of a Lateral. If the private sewer lateral serving the common interest development in its entirety was inspected in accordance with the inspection requirements of subsection F of this section within the five years prior to the date the inspection would otherwise be required.

E. Inspection of Shared Private Sewer Laterals. Each property owner served by a shared private sewer lateral shall be responsible for compliance with subsection B of this section and shall be subject to the inspection requirements identified in subsection C of this section. For purposes of this subsection, a "shared private sewer lateral" shall mean laterals serving more than one property that are not part of a common interest development.

F. Inspection Requirements.

1. Property owners must submit documentation of the sewer lateral inspection to the city as required by subsections C and D of this section. Testing may be accomplished by either a water exfiltration test, an air test, or closed-circuit video recording observation. Installation of cleanouts and removal of existing P-traps may be necessary to accomplish the video inspection. If a closed-circuit video recording observation is selected as the method of inspection, then the video shall meet the following requirements:

a. Shall be in digital format.

b. Shall be in color (black and white or otherwise unclear video will not be accepted).

c. Shall show the address of the lateral.

d. Shall show the date the video was taken.

e. Shall inspect the entire lateral from the house connection to the city-owned sewer main.

f. Shall have a running foot or time marker clearly visible on the screen.

g. Where joints are present, shall briefly stop the camera at each to clearly indicate their integrity.

h. Shall have the telephone number for the point of contact for the company providing the inspection.

i. A map shall be provided with the video inspection to clearly show the lateral location including the cleanout or access point at the house connection used to insert the camera into the lateral and the wye connection to the city-owned sewer main.

2. The lateral inspection and lateral inspection report shall be prepared and signed by a contractor, plumber, or a person experienced in lateral inspections who shall declare that the report is true and correct. At a minimum, the inspection report shall include the information in Exhibit A:

EXHIBIT A: PRIVATE SEWER LATERAL INSPECTION REPORT Property Address (or Addresses):

3. A contractor, plumber, or a person experienced in lateral inspections who prepares a false lateral inspection report shall be subject to punishment under this chapter in addition to any other legal remedies or punishment provided by law.

4. Verification. The city reserves the right to verify the sewer lateral inspection results prior to being accepted.

G. Sewer Lateral Repair or Replacement Requirements. Upon receipt of the private sewer lateral inspection report pursuant to this chapter, the city shall review the private sewer lateral inspection and lateral inspection report to verify the plumber/contractor findings and provide the owner with a determination on whether the lateral meets the criteria described in subsection B of this section. If the private sewer lateral is not in compliance with subsection B of this section, then it shall be repaired or replaced to conform to such standards within 180 days. If an inspection of a noncompliant lateral was conditioned due to a sanitary sewer spill or overflow or from findings of infiltration and intrusion, or a lateral with defects having not met the required pipe material requirements, it must be completely replaced rather than repaired. No person shall repair or replace a sewer lateral without first obtaining a building permit and an encroachment permit from the city.

H. Punishment for Violation of this Chapter. Violations of this article shall be punishable pursuant to the remedies identified in this chapter. It is considered a violation for any property owner to have a sewer lateral system that does not comply with subsection B of this section, unless the repair or replacement of such system is being pursued in good faith. The city may withhold building permits or other discretionary approvals for a property with a private sewer lateral that is determined to be not in compliance with subsection B of this section until the private sewer lateral is brought into compliance with city standards. Final building approval will be conditioned upon repair or replacement of any non-compliant sewer lateral systems to the satisfaction of the Director.

I. Rebate Programs. The city may establish by resolution one or more programs to assist owners with the replacement of private sewer laterals.

J. Fees. The city council may from time to time establish, by resolution, fees for issuing permits, reviewing inspection reports and other activities of the city performed pursuant to this chapter.

K. Maintenance and Repair — Indemnity. The property owner shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless city and its officers, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, actions, costs (including attorney fees), damages, or other liability arising from the condition, operation, maintenance, or repair of any sewer line, pipe, or appurtenance that the property owner is required to maintain and repair under this chapter, except for liabilities resulting solely from the city's negligent repair of the property owner's private sewer line.

1. Mitigation of Imminent Threat of Sanitary Sewer Spill.

a. Where the Director or Building Official has determined that an existing private sewer lateral requires cleaning to avoid an imminent threat of a SSS, the Director or Building Official is authorized to issue an order to the property owner or user to clean the subject sewer lateral immediately. If action is not taken in the time frame stipulated by the Director or Building Official by either tenant or the property owner, the property shall be deemed a nuisance and the building shall be considered a substandard building. As such, the building shall be subject to abatement and enforcement, including but not limited to emergency abatement if necessary. Property owner will be responsible for any and all costs associated to the abatement at the direction of city staff and all fines and penalties set forth in this chapter and/or Chapter 8.10.

b. The Director or Building Official shall issue his/her order in writing to the applicable party and shall designate a reasonable period of time for corrective action.

2. Private Sewer Lift Stations. In cases where any parcels or structures are served by a private lift station, the property owner has the sole responsibility for ownership, operation, and maintenance of the private lift station. The owner's responsibilities include clearing stoppages, inspecting, maintaining, and repairing the private lift station so as to maintain the private lift station in a condition that avoids negative impacts to the operation and maintenance of the wastewater or sewer collection system and the POTW. Any person operating a private lift station, or a property owner of a parcel containing a private lift station, shall:

a. Submit maintenance and cleaning records to the Utilities Department as they occur, but no less than annually. Preventative maintenance and cleaning of private lift stations must occur at least annually and in all cases, at a cadence that complies with any applicable manufacturer recommendations.

b. Maintain records of operations, maintenance, and repair activities of the lift station for a minimum of the past three years.

c. Retain an on-call maintenance service that is reachable 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and maintain the ability to respond to the site within one hour after notification of lift station malfunction, spill, or overflow at the lift station or along the private force main.

d. Post the following information on or adjacent to the lift station site (preferably on or near the control panel). The letters must be of a size legible from a minimum distance of 30 feet. The sign shall, at a minimum, state that the site is a private sewer lift station, and provide that in case of an emergency, the following persons shall be contacted:

i. Owner or business name, with 24-hour contact phone number provided;

ii. Solano County Environmental Health Services: (707) 784-6765;

iii. City of Vacaville Utilities Department: (707) 469-6400.

(Ord. 2016, 3/24/2026)

A. Easement access. If access to an easement area is required at any time, city personnel will at their discretion obtain access. The parcel owner may be held financially responsible for any additional costs incurred by the city if the owner has not provided city staff adequate access to its assets in a timely manner.

B. Sewer lateral inspections.

1. The city may require an inspection of a sewer lateral whenever it determines from its operation, maintenance, or inspection of the public sewer, or through any other means, that the sewer lateral is defective or otherwise in a condition that might cause a blockage in the lower sewer lateral. Conditions that render the sewer lateral defective or in a condition that might cause a blockage include, but are not limited to, displaced joints, open joints, roots, cracks, leaks, inflow, infiltration of water, FOG, defects or obstructions likely to cause or contribute to blockage of the sewer lateral.

2. Upon receipt of written notice from the city that an inspection is required, a property owner shall have the sewer lateral inspected. The city's written notice shall set forth a reasonable time in which the inspection must occur and shall require the property owner to submit an inspection report meeting the requirements of this chapter to the city within a reasonable time, to be specified in the city's written notice, after completion of the inspection. The property owner shall be responsible for obtaining any required city permits prior to any construction.

3. All inspections and inspection reports required by this chapter shall be completed in accordance with the following requirements:

a. § 13.08.110(F).

C. Private lift station inspections. The Director may inspect the property of any private lift station to determine whether the requirements set forth in this chapter are being met. Owners, managers, employees, or any other occupants or operators of facilities where a private lift station is in operation, shall allow the Director access to all areas of the premises, at all reasonable times or during normal hours of operation, for the purpose of inspection or records review to determine compliance with this chapter.

(Ord. 2016, 3/24/2026)