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HomeMy WebLinkAbout8C - Sanitary/Storm Sewer AGENDA: PREPARED BY: SUBJECT: DATE: BACKGROUND: DISCUSSION: STAFF REPORT se r~ FRANK BOYLES, CITY MANAGER' \ / CONSIDER ESTABLISHMENT OF S@ITARY SEWER/STORM SEWER INTERCONNECTION AND MUNICIPAUPRIVATE WELL CROSS CONNECTION June 5, 1995 Prior Lake City Code prohibits the interconnection of household well systems with the municipal water system. The reason for this prohibition is to eliminate the potential of having private water contaminate the municipal system. In 1994 the City applied for and received a $10,000 grant from the Metropolitan Council. This grant was to be matched with $10,000 of City money to initiate an interconnection program designed to ensure that storm water is not being introduced into the sanitary sewer system. This most often happens when home owners or renters connect their storm water sump system designed to drain the foundation of their house into the sanitary sewer system. The final result is that the sanitary sewer system is taxed by an excess amount of water during rainy seasons. Each sewer customer consequently pays a larger price because of the additional and unnecessary flow. Larry Anderson, Verlyn Raaen, Gary Staber and I have been meeting to determine how we might implement a program which would address both the issue of municipal/private water systems and sanitary sewer/storm water drainage interconnection. We have reviewed the ordinance requirements of municipalities who have such a program and have found the requirements adopted by the city of Sleepy Eye to be appropriate for adaptation for the city of Prior Lake. This ordinance provides for the following: SANSEWER.DOC 16200 Eagle Creek Ave., Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372-1714 / Ph. (612) 447-4230 / Fax (612) 447-4245 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER i SANSEWER.DOC 1. Prohibits water from any roof, surface, ground, sump pump, footing tile, swimming pool or any other natural precipitation to be discharged into the sanitary sewer system. 2. Requires that any building needing a sump pump device to permanently install a discharge line which is not directed into the sanitary sewer system. 3. Requires any building owner or tenant who is presently connected to the sanitary sewer system to disconnect by a date certain in a manner approved by the City Building Inspector. 4. Requires that every building owner allow a city employee to inspect the building to assure conformance with the ordinance. 5. In lieu of city inspection of such facilities, property owners are able to furnish a certificate from a licensed plumber certifying that their property is in compliance with the ordinance. 6. Any person refusing the Building Inspector access to their property is subject to a $100 per month surcharge until such time as the assumed violation is abated by submission of a plumber's certificate or inspection by the Building Inspector. 7. The Building Inspector may allow waivers from the strict enforcement of the ordinance if undue hardships exist. 8. In the event of waiver, a property owner may be allowed to temporarily pump directly into the sanitary sewer system during winter months if the applicant agrees to pay an additional $25 per month or a part thereof, and employs a licensed plumber to certify that prior to April 15 of each subsequent year that disconnection to the sanitary sewer system has taken place. 9. For those properties which do not require a sump system, the ordinance authorizes the city to install a seal which would not allow water to be drawn from the sump basket installed in the household. To initiate the program outlined above, together with a water interconnection inspection program would require the addition of a temporary inspector over a number of years. The $20,000 grant plus $10,000 of the $20,000 set aside for inflow/infiltration will provide first year funding for this program. ISSUES: We are seeking direction from the Council on the following Issues: 1. This program will undoubtedly generate resident concern, especially from those who do not wish to have their home inspected or who have for years integrated their sump system with the sanitary sewer system. Similarly, people who receive the surcharge will probably express their anger to Councilmembers. Is the Council willing to deal with these criticisms? 2. Administration of this program over time is probably the most expensive part. We are unlikely to receive future grants for this program, and it may therefore result in increased city cost. The good news is that such costs can be born from the sewer and water fund since these are the primary benefactors from the program. The program will also tend to mitigate the increase in community sewer costs due to storm water being introduced into the sanitary sewer system. ALTERNATIVES: The Alternatives are as follows: 1. Direct the staff to prepare an ordinance amendment and administrative procedures to implement an Interconnection Program. 2. Direct staff to prepare additional information regarding the program. RECOMMENDATIONS: This a worth while program but does require significant staff time to administer. If the Council would like us to proceed with this program, it would be our intent to refine the ordinance so that it fits the city's needs and to present it to the city council together with cost refinements for action in July. SANSEWER.DOC T ORDINANCE No. 13, 2nd Series AN ORDINANCE AMENDING MUNICIPAL COnE CHAPTER 1, SECTION 3.40, SUBDIVISION 5 (H) PROHIBITING DISCHARGES INTO TilE SANlTARY SEWER SYSTEM, AND PROVID[NG PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATIONS THEREOF. The City of Sleepy Eye does ordain as follows: I.) Purpose. tn adopting this ordinance, the City Council finds that the discharge of water from any roof, surface ground, sump pump, footing tile or swimming pooL or other natural precipitation into the City sew~rage system wiLl and has on numerous occasions in the past, flooded and ov~r- loaded the sewerage system to such an extent as to cause significant and grave damage to the property of large numbers of city resid~nts. Such damage is caused by the backup of sewage into the Living quarters or residents and ill addition to other damage creates a hazard to health. Th e C i t Y Co un c i I the ref 0 r e, fin d sit e sse n t i a I tot hem a i n ten a n ceo f health and to minimize damage to property that the provisions of this ordinance be strictly enforced to avoid emergencies in the future. 2.) Definition and Method. No water from anv roof, surface, ground, sump pump, footing tile, swimming pool or other natural precipLtation shall be discharged into the sanit<Jrv sewerage system. Dwellings and other buildings and structures which require, because of the infiltra- tion of water into basements, crawl spaces and the like, a sump pump s y stem tad i s c h a r gee x c e ssw ate r , s h all h a v e a pe rma n en t I Y ins tal led discharge line which shall not at any time discharge water into the sanitary sewerage system, except as provided herein. A permanent installation shall be one which provides for vear-around discharge capability to either the outside of the dwellin~, building or structure, or is connected to the City storm sewer or discharges through the curb and gutter to the street. It shall consist of a rigid discharge line, without valving or quick connections for altering the path of discharge, and if connected to the City storm sewer line include a check valve. D.f E.~i!a~l~ c..o...,..~4-~~~ 3.) Disconnection.A Before April I, 1992, any person, firm or corpora- tion having a roof, surface, ground, sump pump, footing tile or swimming pool now connected and/or discharging into the sanitary sewer system shall disconnect and/or remove same. Any disconnects or openings in the sanitary sewer shall be closed or repaired in an effective, workmanlike manner, as approved by the Building Inspector. 4.) Inspect ion. Every person. ow ning improved real estate that dis- charges into the City's sanitary sewer system shall allow an employee of the City of SlQapy iye or their designated representative to inspect the buildings to confirm that there i.s no sump pump or ocher prohibited dis- charge into the sanitary sewer system.. In lieu of havlng the City inspect their property, any person may fl1::~~ a certificate from a licensed plumber certifying that their pro? is ir. compliance with this Ordinance, ~V\;J ~ 0- -\-- ~ 0 Y'" " "c...+e. ~e\ l ()'('" ~~ WIG. ~ j~~ ',') ~U~., 'rO'~ 'M~,^"~e.ih'fe...,.\ ~#..- ~ ~ l,~'.A,,\ · Any person refusing to allow thei~ p~ope~ty to be inspected or refusing to fur n ish a plum b ~ r 's c e ~ t i fie ate wit It i n (14) day s 0 f the d ate C i t Y employee(s) o~ thei~ designdced repre~entatives are denied admittance to the property, shall immediately hecome subject to the surcharge herein- after provided for. Any property found to violate the Ordinance shall make the necessary changes to comply with the Ordinance and furnish proof of the changes to the City by April I, 1992. 5.) Future Inspections. At any future time, if the City has reason to suspect that an illegal connection may exist in a premises, the owner, by written notice shall comply with the provisions of Article 4 above. 6.) Waivers. The City Building Inspector shall have the power and duty of hearing and deciding request:) for waivers from the applicabil ity of the provisions of this ordinance where strict enforcement would cause undue hardship because of ci~cumstances unique to the individual prop~~ty under consideration or cause a safety problem. Application for waivers pll~suant to this Suhdivision shall be addressed in writing to the Sleepy Eye Building Inspector. The applications Shdll at a minimum identify the p~operty for which the waiver is being applied for, the name of the p~ope~ty owner/applicant, and describe in detail what characteristics of the subject p~operty create an undue ha~dship. Within a reasonable time the City Building Inspector shall mak~ its order deciding on the matter and s~rve a copy of such o~der upon the applicant by mail. Upon approval of an application for a waiver, a pro- perty owner shall be allowed to temporarily pump directly into the sani- tary sewer system between the dates October 15 and Apri I I, and prov id~d the applicant agrees to pay an additional fee of $25.00 per ~for the additional sewer service, payable April I of the year. The holder of a waiver shall employ a licensed plumber to certify prior to April 15 of each subsequent year that their discharge water connection has been removed from the sanitary sewer. Failure to provide such certification will place the waiver holder in violation of this ordindnce. M o-.-~~ 7.) Penal ty. A surcharge of One Hundred (5100.00) Dollars per month is hereby imposed and added to every sewer billing mailed on and after April I, 1992, to property owners who are not in compliance with this Ordinance. The surcharge shall be added every month through October, 1992, uncil the property is in compliance. The surcharge shall continue to be levied monthly for the months of April through October (both inclusive of every year, on properties not complying with the Ordinance. 8.) Effective Date. This ordinance shall be effective from, and after its adoption and publication as provided by City Charter. Passed by the City Council at the City of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, on June 4, 1991. ;ut...,., ,7" ~ (~ Harry Hornbrook, Mayor I do hereby certify and attest that the City Council of the City of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, did pass the above Ordinance on June 4, 1991, in accordance with the Charter Provisions and state laws provided therefor. Dated June 4, 1991 g ,/ ----:/0 (, v--l . T~ Edwin V. Treml, Cicy Clerk Published in the Sleepy Eye Herald Dispacch Sleepy Eye, MN on .J,,-I L./ ~) J99 1 . ORDINANCE NO: 11, S~cond Seri~s AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 13, 2ND SERIES ESTABLISHING CHARGES FOR DISCHARGING WATER INTO THE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM. WHEREAS, Ordinanc e No. 13 , discharging of storm water into the provided for penalties, and 2nd Series prohibi ted sanitary sewer system the and WHEREAS, paragraph 6 entitled, "Waivers", allowed for property owners to receive waivers which allowed for storm water to be run into "the sanitary sewer at certain times and under certain circumstances upon payment of an additional fee, and WHEREAS, the Ci ty Council for the Ci ty of Sleepy Eye wish to clarify said paragraph and make charges which make implementation of waiver and adjustment of rates for the waivers more simple, now therefore, said paragraph 6 entitled "Waivers" is amended to read as follows: The City of Sleepy Eye does therefor ordain as follows: WAIVERS. A property owner may request a waiver allowing water prohibited by other provisions of this ordinance to be discharged into the sanitary sewer. The property owner shall make ?1Pplication for the waiver by applying at the City Clerk's office. A Ci ty employee or designee of the Ci ty shall remove the seal allowing unauthorized water into the sanitary sewer. Upon approval of a waiver, a property owner shall be allowed to temporarily discharge directly into the sanitary sewer system between the dates of October 15 thru April 1, and provided the applicant agrees to pay an additional fee as established by resolution of the City Council for the addi tional sewer service. The holder of a waiver shall disconnect from the sanitary sewer and have sealed the connection which allowed the unauthorized water into the sanitary sewer by a City employee or party designa ted by the City. Failure to seal the connection as specified will place the waiver holder in violation of this Ordinance. Passed by the City Council at the City of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, on October S. , 1992. I hereby cerify and attest that the Ci ty Council of the . ty of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, did pass the above Ordinance on Octoaer It , 1992, in accordance with the Charter Provisions and state laws provided therefor. Mayor Dated: October 6, , 1992 07 . I. ~ /c-C-<- ~.r-/ ~. / ~"_~~ ~dwin v. Treml City Clerk Published in the Sleepy Eye Herald Dispatch, Sleepy Eye, MN., on o-cto8p.r Ii ,1992. a:: w_ ~..J U'J ~< ::)z ...J "0 - - Q~ < zG. <0 1: I- - ~ lD == W a:: ~ w C (,) a.. a: ~ a.. w Z W w :: w w 0 a:: ..J en a2 ~ - en x > I- w a:: 0 ..J < < ~ LL. ~ z ..J < ..J en <: .... en N Z . 0 - Z C. w :! a:: z ;:) a:/- 0 ..J ~ ~ c. - ~ c:J< LL. ww> (,) z> (I) ~CD..J W ::;0 C. Z::)Z ..J ~U) ia::o ..J a..~ ::)z 0 Q ::)w :E 00 wa:: Q o a:: a..- a::~w c:J 0 ::) CD CD O~> a:: a:: a.. Zz u..~< w a:~ (/) ~~ (l)CD:: ~ . W::) < C'4 IDa.. OX Wa:: :: " ID ..J QW >0> ... ::)a: LL.X ..J lD ... a:0 < < - u.. O!:: > (.) O~ a: - C. > I- z:E w a::2~ O~CD -<> a::Q(I) W ~zZ X:;)- WO< u..a: Q COMMON CAUSES OF WET BASEMENTS POOR DRAINAGE AROUND HOUSES, AS IL1.USTRATED HERE, CAUSES WOST WET BASEMENTS. TO DRY UP YOUR BASEMENT, CORRECT THESE PROB1.EMS FIRST. BLOCKED \ DRAINAGE PIPE! / 1;; / / I SIDEWA1.K OR / ! DRIVEWAY DAMS WATER AGtlNST THE F'/.O~JNDATION I ' II !/ ~ FIGURE NO. 1