§ 66-45. Building sewers and connections.

The following provisions shall determine the proper procedure to be followed in the installation of building sewers and connections made into the public sewer system of the city:

(1)

No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter or disturb any public sewer or appurtenances thereof without first obtaining a permit from the city clerk after receiving the written approval of the superintendent of the department of utilities.

(2)

There shall be two classes of building sewer permits:

a.

for residential and commercial service; and

b.

for service to establishments producing industrial wastes. In either case, the owner or his agent shall make application on a special form furnished by the city. The permit application shall be supplemented by any plans, specifications or other information considered pertinent in the judgment of the superintendent. A permit and inspection fee of $2.00 for residential or commercial building sewer permit and $5.00 for an industrial building sewer permit shall be paid to the city at the time the application is filed.

(3)

All cost and expense incident to the connection of the building sewer from the owner's building to the city's property line shall be borne by the owner. The owner will maintain the sewer line from his building to the city's main sewer line. The owner shall indemnify the city from any loss or damage that may be directly or indirectly occasioned by the connection of the building sewer. Any connection from the city's property line into the public sewer shall be made by the city for which the owner shall pay the city a standard sewer tap fee of $150.00 for residential taps and $150.00 for commercial taps.

(4)

A separate and independent building sewer shall be provided for every building; except where one building stands at the rear of another or an interior lot and no private sewer is available or can be constructed to the rear building through an adjoining alley, court, yard, or driveway, the building sewer from the front building may be extended to the rear building and the whole considered as one building sewer.

(5)

Old building sewers may be used in connection with new buildings when they are found, on examination and test by the superintendent, to meet all requirements of this article.

(6)

The connection of the building sewer into the public sewer shall conform to the requirements of the building and plumbing code or other applicable rules and regulations of the city. All such connections and joints shall be made gastight and waterproof. All deviation from the prescribed procedures and materials must be approved by the superintendent before installation.

(7)

The size, slope, alignment, materials of construction of a building sewer, and the methods to be used in excavating, placing of pipe, jointing, testing, and backfilling the trench, shall all conform to the requirements of the building and the plumbing code or other applicable rules and regulations of the city.

(8)

The building sewer shall be cast iron pipe; ASTM specifications A74; vitrified clay sewer pipe, ASTM specifications C13; or concrete sewer pipe, ASTM specification C14. Joints shall be gas tight and waterproof. Any part of the building sewer that is located within ten feet of a water service shall be constructed of cast iron soil pipe with leaded joints. Cast iron pipe with leaded joints may be required by the superintendent where the building sewer is exposed to damage by tree roots. If installed in filled or unstable ground, the building sewer shall be of cast iron soil pipe, except that nonmetallic material may be accepted if laid on a suitable concrete bed or cradle as approved by the superintendent.

(9)

The size and slope of the building sewer shall be subject to the approval of the superintendent, but in no event shall the diameter be less than four inches. The slope of such four-inch pipe shall not be less than one-eighth inch per foot.

(10)

Whenever possible the building sewer shall be brought to the building at an elevation below the basement floor. In all buildings in which any building drain is too low to permit gravity flow to the public sewer, sanitary sewage carried by such building drain shall be lifted by approved means and discharged to the building sewer.

(11)

All excavations required for the installation of a building sewer shall be in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, article III of this Code and shall be open trench work unless otherwise approved by the superintendent of the department of utilities. Pipe laying and backfill shall be performed in accordance with ASTM specification C12; except that no backfill shall be placed until the work has been inspected. Cast iron pipe joints shall be firmly placed with oakun or hemp and filled with molten lead, federal specification QQL-156, not less than one inch deep. Lead shall be run in one pouring and caulked tight. No paint, varnish or other coating shall be permitted on the joint material until after the joint has been tested and approved. Rubber joint cast iron pipe may be used as an alternate.

(12)

All joins in vitrified clay or concrete pipe or between such pipe and metals shall be made with approved hot pouring joining material, as specified below or by using rubber gasket or preformed, factory-supplied couplings having resilient properties in accordance with ASTM specification C443-59T for concrete pipe and ASTM specification C425-64 for vitrified clay pipe, or the latest revision thereof.

(13)

Material for hot-poured joints shall not soften sufficiently to destroy the effectiveness of the joint when subjected to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, nor the soluble in any of the wastes carried by the drainage system. The joint shall first be caulked tight with jute, hemp, or similar approved material. Other joining materials and methods may be used only by approval of the superintendent.

(14)

The connection of the building sewer into the public sewer shall be made at the "Y" branch, if such branch is available at a suitable location. If the public sewer is 12 inches in diameter or less, and no properly located "Y" branch is available, the municipality shall install a "Y" branch in the public sewer at the location specified by the superintendent. Where the public sewer is greater than 12 inches in diameter, and no properly located "Y" is available, a neat hole may be cut into the public sewer to receive the building sewer, which entry in the downstream direction at an angle of about 45 degrees. A 45-degree ell may be used to make such connection, with the spigot end cut so as not to extend past the inner surface of the public sewer. The invert of the building sewer at the point of connection shall be at the same or at a higher elevation than the invert of the public sewer. A smooth, neat joint shall be made, and the connection made secure and watertight by encasement in concrete. Special fittings may be used for the connection only when approved by the superintendent.

(15)

The applicant for the building sewer permit shall notify the superintendent when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection to the public sewer.

(16)

All excavations for building sewer installation shall be adequately guarded with barricades and lights so as to protect the public from hazard and conducted in accordance with chapter 54, article III of this Code. Streets, curbs, sidewalks, and other public property disturbed in the course of the work shall be restored in the manner provided for in this Code.

(Prior Code, § 13-20)