Yolo County Municipal Code Art. 10 Septage Pumping, Inspection, and Reporting Requirements

This article implements Health and Safety Code, Division 104, Part 13, Sections 117400-117590.

(a) Applicability: The provisions of this article shall not apply to any city, town, county, sanitary district, sanitation district, sewer maintenance district, or to any agency or institution of the state or the federal government by reason of the cleaning of septic tanks, cesspools, chemical toilets, sewage seepage pits or sewage works which are owned and operated by any of such government agencies or institutions.

(b) Permit required: It is unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or institution to do any of the following without a valid pumper truck permit issued by the Director of Environmental Health:

(1) Pump wastewater from septic tanks, cesspools, grease traps, grease interceptors, seepage pits, wastewater holding tanks, wastewater ponds, or other wastewater source; or

(2) Clean portable toilets in a manner that produces wastewater; or

(3) Dispose of wastewater in Yolo County that is collected from activities described in this section.

Each septage pumper vehicle shall require a separate and individual pumper truck permit. Each business that provides or services portable toilets requires a separate and individual pumper truck permit.

(c) Permit requirements: Prior to permit issuance the applicant shall fill out the required application and any other forms as required by the Director of Environmental Health; the applicant shall pay the required fee; DEH inspection shall demonstrate that the vehicle(s) are leak proof and meet the requirements of this article; and the operator and employees shall demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of sanitary practices, emergency and cleanup procedures, proper waste disposal, and general health protections necessary for handling and disposing of sewage.

(d) Permit revocation: Any permit issued under this chapter may be revoked or suspended by the Director of Environmental Health for cause.

(e) Permit fee: An application for a permit pursuant to this article shall be accompanied by that fee established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

(f) Permit term: The permits issued pursuant to this article shall be valid for a period of one (1) year (twelve [12] months) from the date of issuance.

(g) Vehicle identification: The business name and phone number shall be permanently affixed on both sides of the vehicle in plain, legible letters and numbers at least four (4) inches high, and shall be visible at all times. The certified capacity of the tank in gallons shall be permanently affixed on both sides of the tank in plain, legible numbers a minimum of four (4) inches high and shall be visible at all times. The capacity as shown shall be that approved and certified by the sealer of weights and measures of the county, or other approved sealer of weights and measures.

(h) Vehicle equipment: A minimum of fifty (50) feet of pumping hose, a bucket and detergent shall be carried on each pumping vehicle. All pumping hoses must be cleaned out into the truck tank or into the septic tank, chemical toilet, or other receptacle being pumped, and not on the surface of the ground. The customer's hose shall not be used.

(i) Vehicle spill kit: There shall be a spill kit carried on each vehicle at all times which shall include, but not be limited to a sufficient quantity of chloride of lime or other chlorine product for disinfection of hose, absorbent material such as kitty litter, garbage bags, gloves of an impervious material, and absorbent spill containment barrier.

(j) Violation of any of the provisions in this article or any order or orders of the Director of Environmental Health made pursuant to this article for the protection of human health and comfort shall constitute a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not less than two hundred dollars ($200) for each offense or by imprisonment for not less than thirty (30) days or by both the fine and imprisonment.

(Ord. 1469, eff. July 14, 2016)

Article 11: Land Use Project

(a) An applicant initiating a land use project that cannot be served by a public sewer system shall complete a site evaluation to determine suitability to meet system requirements for onsite wastewater dispersal as described in this chapter and the Manual.

(b) Unless waived by the Director of Environmental Health, no lot shall be created, no parcel or subdivision map shall be recorded, nor shall a lot line adjustment be approved unless all proposed lots or parcels which rely, or will rely on a system, as defined in this chapter, have an approved site evaluation report that verifies the existing and/or proposed lots or parcels have the required minimum usable wastewater dispersal area (MUWDA) in accordance with the horizontal setback requirements shown on Table 1 for each existing or proposed residence. Non-residential land use project(s) shall submit a site evaluation report and proposed system design.

Table 1: MUWDA Requirements per Residence

1 Subject to percolation test in addition to using soil texture determination.

2 Must demonstrate adequate filtration capacity

3 Subject to percolation test in addition to soil textural determination if 35% or more (by volume) coarse fragments (defined as > 2 mm size)

4 Clay shall be non-expansive

(c) No lot shall be created, no parcel or subdivision map shall be recorded, nor shall a lot line adjustment be approved where a non-discharging wastewater disposal unit is the proposed method of wastewater disposal in lieu of an onsite wastewater treatment system.

(d) No reduction in MUWDA size shall be granted for proposed supplemental systems.

(e) Except for community systems, no new lot or parcels shall be created where the lot or parcel relies on a system that cannot be sited within the boundaries of the proposed lot or parcel.

(f) The Director of Environmental Health may approve specifications for MUWDAs for non-residential projects, cluster systems, and community systems that vary from Table 3 on a case-by-case basis under the requirements of this ordinance and Manual.

(g) The minimum size of a newly created individual lot within the unincorporated area of the County that is served by a system shall be two (2) acres. The minimum size of a newly created individual lot within the jurisdiction of the City of West Sacramento shall be one (1) acre. Minimum lot sizes within geographic areas will be re-evaluated periodically based on results of the Water Quality Assessment Program.

(h) Within the unincorporated areas of Yolo County, no system shall be constructed within a residential subdivision of five (5) or more lots, or parcels in which any one (1) parcel is less than five (5) acres net size, for which a tentative subdivision map is approved after October 7, 1976.

(i) The maximum slope for the designated MUWDA on newly created lots served by a system shall be no greater than thirty percent (30%).

(j) No new lot or parcel shall be created where the vertical separation is less than two (2) feet.

(k) Proposed new lots or parcels shall specify the MUWDA on all maps. The MUWDA shall be outside of the following:

(1) Minimum horizontal setbacks as specified in Table 1.

(2) Easements dedicated to surface or underground improvements.

(3) Easements for access for roadway purposes.

(4) Paved areas

(5) Areas with a slope in excess of thirty (30) percent.

(6) Areas subject to flooding as determined in the site evaluation

(7) Areas within required setbacks to a flood control levee.

(Ord. 1469, eff. July 14, 2016)