Chapter 13.10
SPECIFICATIONS FOR BUILDING AND SIDE SEWERS

Sections:

13.10.010    General requirements.

13.10.020    Connection size – Slope.

13.10.030    Location – Direction of flow.

13.10.040    Backwater valve.

13.10.050    Artificial lifts.

13.10.060    Connections – How made.

13.10.070    City not responsible for private building or side sewers.

13.10.080    Costs to be borne by owners.

13.10.090    Repealed.

13.10.100    Old side sewers must conform.

13.10.010 General requirements.

The building and side sewer shall meet the requirements of the Uniform Plumbing Code, International Residential Code, APWA Standard Specifications or other applicable standard rules and regulations of the city. [Ord. 37-06 § 1, 2006; Ord. 16-03 § 1, 2003].

13.10.020 Connection size – Slope.

Every dwelling unit or building, except accessory dwelling buildings, shall be separately and independently connected with public sewer, when such sewer is provided, unless such connection is six-inch diameter pipe or larger. Four-inch shall be the minimum diameter of pipe for gravity flow building sewers and side sewers. Pipe diameter of side sewers, or multiple dwellings, industrial or commercial buildings, shall be in accordance with the Uniform Plumbing Code and/or as required by the city engineer. The size and slope of the building and side sewer shall be subject to approval of the city engineer. The slope of such four-inch pipe shall be not less than one-fourth inch per foot or as approved by the city engineer. In instances where a single building sewer serves more than one building, multifamily, commercial, or industrial, the diameter of the building sewer shall be in accordance with the Uniform Plumbing Code, Uniform Building Code and/or as required by the city engineer. [Ord. 2-14 § 1, 2014; Ord. 37-06 § 1, 2006; Ord. 16-03 § 1, 2003].

13.10.030 Location – Direction of flow.

Whenever possible, the building sewer shall be brought to the building at an elevation below the basement floor. No building sewer shall be laid parallel to or within three feet of any bearing wall which might thereby be weakened. The depth shall be sufficient to afford protection from frost or freezing. The building sewer shall be laid at uniform grade and in straight alignment insofar as possible. Changes in direction shall be made only with properly curved pipe and fittings. No 90-degree elbows shall be used, and all 45-degree bends shall have accessible cleanouts. [Ord. 16-03 § 1, 2003].

13.10.040 Backwater valve.

If the side sewer in the building is located below the elevation of the next upstream manhole cover of the city’s sanitary sewer serving such drainage piping shall be protected from backflow of sewage by installing an approved type of backwater valve in an accessible location. [Ord. 37-06 § 1, 2006; Ord. 16-03 § 1, 2003].

13.10.050 Artificial lifts.

In all buildings in which any building’s side sewer is too low to permit gravity flow to the public sewer, sewage carried by such a side sewer shall be lifted by artificial means and discharged into the city’s sanitary sewer. The connection between this building sewer and the public sewer shall be accomplished by a gravity-flow section of sewer pipe or directly connected to a manhole and subject to approval by the city engineer. The artificial means of lifting shall meet the requirements of the Uniform Plumbing Code and be approved by the city engineer. [Ord. 2-14 § 2, 2014; Ord. 37-06 § 1, 2006; Ord. 16-03 § 1, 2003].

13.10.060 Connections – How made.

Connecting a four-inch-diameter side sewer to the city’s sanitary sewer shall be made at the wye branch, if branch is available at a suitable location. If the public sewer is 12 inches in diameter or less, and no properly located wye branch is available, the owner shall at his expense install a wye branch in the public sewer at the location specified by the city engineer. Where the public sewer is greater than 12 inches in diameter, and no properly located wye branch is available, a neat hole may be cut into the public sewer to receive the building sewer, with entry in the downstream direction at an angle of about 45 degrees at the location specified by the city engineer. A 45-degree elbow 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 that 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 city engineer. Six-inch-diameter and larger side sewer connections shall discharge into a sanitary sewer manhole at the invert of the manhole’s channel and not directly into the city’s sanitary sewer main, unless otherwise approved by the city engineer. [Ord. 37-06 § 1, 2006; Ord. 16-03 § 1, 2003].

13.10.070 City not responsible for private building or side sewers.

The city assumes no responsibility for the maintenance of any building plumbing, backwater valves or side sewer lines on private property or in easements or street rights-of-way. [Ord. 37-06 § 1, 2006].

13.10.080 Costs to be borne by owners.

All costs and expenses incident to the installation and connection of the building and side sewer shall be borne by the owner. The owner or applicant of the premises in question shall indemnify the city against any loss or damage that may directly or indirectly be occasioned by the installation of the building and side sewer. [Ord. 37-06 § 1, 2006].

13.10.090 Separate side sewers required – Exception.

Repealed by Ord. 2-14. [Ord. 4-11 § 2, 2011; Ord. 37-06 § 1, 2006].

13.10.100 Old side sewers must conform.

Old building sewers may be used in connection with new buildings only when they are found, on examination and test by the city engineer, to meet all requirements of this title. [Ord. 37-06 § 1, 2006].