Chapter 14.16
BUILDING SEWERS AND CONNECTIONS1
Sections:
14.16.010 Unauthorized connections and disturbances.
14.16.030 Building sewer permits – Procedure for obtaining.
14.16.040 Building sewer contract.
14.16.050 Connections, wyes, tees, stubs – Location – Inspection.
14.16.060 Costs of building sewer borne by owner.
14.16.070 Building sewer for each building – Exceptions.
14.16.080 Reuse of old building sewers.
14.16.090 Materials – Specifications.
14.16.110 Elevation – Direction.
14.16.120 Information from city.
14.16.130 Excavation – Pipe laying.
14.16.150 Connection to public sewer.
14.16.170 Protection of excavations – Restoration of public property.
14.16.180 Unlawful connections to public sewer.
14.16.190 Private sewers – Conveyance to city.
14.16.200 Connection of nonassessed property.
14.16.210 Cost from property line to public sewer.
14.16.220 Disconnection of building sewer.
14.16.010 Unauthorized connections and disturbances.
No person other than representatives of the city shall uncover, make any connections with or openings into, use, alter or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof without first obtaining a written permit from the public works administrator/engineer. (Ord. 1387 § 1, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.01, 1971).
14.16.020 Permit – Classes.
There shall be three classes of building sewer permits:
A. For residential service;
B. For commercial service; and
C. For service to establishments producing industrial wastes. (Ord. 1387 § 3, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.02, 1971).
14.16.030 Building sewer permits – Procedure for obtaining.
Building sewer permits shall be obtained in the following manner:
A. The owner or his or her agent shall make application on a form furnished by the city. Building sewer permits shall be issued only upon proper application at the office of the city.
B. A permit which includes building sewer work in or on public property or right-of-way may be issued only to a licensed building sewer contractor.
C. A permit which includes building sewer work on private property only may be issued to the owner of the property, the owner’s agent or a licensed building sewer contractor.
D. No licensed building sewer contractor shall lay any pipe pursuant to any other person’s permit nor shall any unauthorized person lay any pipe pursuant to a licensed building sewer contractor’s permit.
E. An applicant for a building sewer permit shall supply the public works administrator/engineer with the following information:
1. Owner’s name;
2. Address to be served;
3. Owner’s mailing address;
4. Name and address to which bills shall be mailed;
5. Licensed building sewer contractor’s name;
6. Legal description of property to be served;
7. All outside dimensions of building to be served;
8. Location of buildings on property to be served;
9. Purpose of building;
10. Full course of the proposed building sewer;
11. Any plans, specifications or other information considered pertinent in the judgment of the public works administrator/engineer, including, in the case of a new building, a plan or diagram of plumbing and drainage facilities.
F. A permit shall be obtained and the fees therefor paid before any building sewer work is started.
G. No permit will be issued for a building sewer connection before the main sewer is accepted.
H. The permit card must be posted on the job and must be readily accessible to the inspector for the city.
I. A licensed building sewer contractor shall meet with the inspector on the job whenever so directed. (Ord. 1387 § 4, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.03, 1971).
14.16.040 Building sewer contract.
A building sewer contract between owners and licensed building sewer contractors shall be subject to the following requirements:
A. The contract between the owner and the licensed building sewer contractor shall provide that the building sewer contractor shall connect all outlets from plumbing fixtures existing at the time the work is done unless specifically noted otherwise.
B. The contractor shall, when requested by the owner, furnish the owner with a release of lien or claims of both labor and material or with an affidavit stating same have been paid before payment is accepted for the building sewer work. (Ord. 1387 § 5, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.04, 1971).
14.16.050 Connections, wyes, tees, stubs – Location – Inspection.
Connections, wyes, tees and stubs shall be located in the following manner:
A. Connection will be made at the point designated by the public works administrator/engineer.
B. If a building sewer tee or stub is not found at the measurement given by the public works administrator/engineer, the contractor shall prospect two feet in all directions from the measurement given and if it is not found, then notify the public works administrator/engineer.
C. Wyes may be used only if the public works administrator/engineer permits and at a location approved by the public works administrator/engineer.
D. An inspection tee with a riser to not less than one foot from the surface of the ground shall be placed on every building sewer at or near the connection to a common sewer, the location to be approved by the public works administrator/engineer. The tee shall be capped with a cast iron cover. If the inspection tee is located on private property, the city shall have the right to enter onto that property and excavate to the inspection tee at any time when there is reasonable doubt on the legal use of the building sewer, but the city shall restore the surface after such excavation.
E. Connection of more than one building to the existing main through a single sewer shall require an eight-inch sewer pipe connecting to an existing sewer manhole. Plans for such construction shall be submitted to the city engineer for approval.
F. Connection of more than one building or more than four attached dwelling units to an existing building sewer must be approved by the city engineer and, if allowed, constructed to his specification.
G. Connection to an existing sewer main where no building sewer is available shall be made with an approved wye or tee (six inches in diameter) tapped into the main. Construction shall be in accordance with and approved by the public works administrator/engineer. (Ord. 1387 § 6, 1998; Ord. 687 § 1, 1978; Ord. 486 § 4.05, 1971).
14.16.060 Costs of building sewer borne by owner.
All costs and expenses incident to the installation and connection of the building sewer shall be borne by the owner, including an inspection fee at the property line which shall be required on all installations, and a backwater valve on all basement sanitary drains. The owner shall indemnify the city from any loss or damage that may directly or indirectly be occasioned by the installation of the building sewer. (Ord. 486 § 4.06, 1971).
14.16.070 Building sewer for each building – Exceptions.
A. A single building sewer shall be provided for every building unless the connection of more than one building to a single building sewer is approved by the public works administrator/engineer prior to the construction of such building sewer. No more than one multiple dwelling, industrial building or commercial building shall be connected to a building sewer, unless otherwise approved by the public works administrator/engineer.
B. If the building sewer is to exist on more than one building site, approved documents assuring that all properties involved shall have perpetual use of the building sewer, and, having provisions for maintenance and access for repair purposes, shall be signed by the owners of record of all property involved. This document shall be acknowledged and recorded with the county auditor. (Ord. 1387 § 7, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.07, 1971).
14.16.080 Reuse of old building sewers.
Old building sewers, including septic tank lines, may be used only when they are found, on examination and test by the public works administrator/engineer, to meet all requirements of Chapters 14.04 through 14.50 PMC. The owner or his or her agent shall demonstrate to the public works administrator/engineer that no connection to such building sewer or septic tank line exists which conveys any material prohibited by Chapter 14.28 PMC. (Ord. 1387 § 8, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.08, 1971).
14.16.090 Materials – Specifications.
A. The building sewer shall be cast iron soil pipe, ASTM specification A-74 with leaded joints, “no hub” cast iron pipe with stainless steel clamps and rubber joints. Vitrified clay with “Brant” or approved equal rubber joint gaskets, cement asbestos with standard couplings and fittings, concrete pipe with rubber joint gaskets, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) ASTM specification D2729-68, Acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene ABS or DWV pipe Schedule 40 as approved by the Uniform Plumbing Code, or other suitable material approved by the public works administrator/engineer. Joints shall be tight and waterproof. 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 public works administrator/engineer.
B. Water service pipes or any underground water pipes shall not be run or laid in the same trench with nonmetallic building sewer, except the water service pipe may be placed in the same trench with such building sewer provided both the following conditions are met: the bottom of the water service pipe, at all points, shall be at least 12 inches above the top of the sewer line; the water service pipe shall be placed on a solid shelf excavated at one side of the common trench. (Ord. 1387 § 9, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.09, 1971).
14.16.100 Size and slope.
The size and slope of the building sewer shall be subject to the approval of the public works administrator/engineer, but in no event shall the diameter be less than four inches for single connections and six inches for multiple connections. The slope of such building sewer shall be not less than one-fourth inch per foot for four-inch pipe or one-eighth inch per foot for six-inch pipe unless the depth of the public sewer requires a lesser slope and such lesser slope is approved by the public works administrator/engineer. (Ord. 1387 § 10, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.10, 1971).
14.16.110 Elevation – Direction.
Whenever possible, the building sewer shall be brought to the building at an elevation below the basement floor. No building sewer shall be laid under any building or within two and one-half feet of any foundation wall, unless the building sewer is constructed of cast iron pipe. The minimum depth of trench shall be two feet. 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, as approved by the public works administrator/engineer. Fittings shall be used at all major changes of direction and a cleanout shall be provided at such fittings. Wherever any new building drain is constructed too low to permit gravity flow to the public sewer, sewage carried by such drain shall be lifted by approved artificial means and discharged to the public sewer at the owner’s expense. (Ord. 1387 § 11, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.11, 1971).
14.16.120 Information from city.
The owner of any building shall be responsible for obtaining from the public works administrator/engineer the location and elevation of the sewer tee or sewer stub at the point of connection and, in the case of new construction, for planning the building and plumbing to provide adequate slope for the building sewer. The applicant for a permit shall be responsible for determining the available grade between building drain and sewer tee or stub. (Ord. 1387 § 12, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.12, 1971).
14.16.130 Excavation – Pipe laying.
All excavations required for the installation of a building sewer shall be open trench work unless otherwise approved by the public works administrator/engineer. Pipe laying and backfill shall be performed in accordance with the following specifications:
A. Pipe shall be carefully bedded, either by forming the trench bottom to support the bottom one-quarter of the pipe or by over-excavating and bedding with granular material, thoroughly tamped or trod under and alongside the pipe.
B. No large rocks shall be left in the trench bottom which may damage the pipe and no large rocks shall be placed in the backfill.
C. Pipes shall be laid with spigot ends downstream and all changes of direction shall be made by suitable fittings. Trench shall be free of water during laying of pipe, inspection and backfill.
D. No backfill shall be placed over the pipe until the work has been inspected and approved.
E. Backfill shall be placed by hand and be thoroughly tamped or trod to six inches above the top of the pipe.
F. Only the city, owner or a licensed building sewer contractor may excavate in the vicinity of a public sewer and stubs.
G. No downspouts or outside drains shall be connected to a building sewer. (Ord. 1387 § 13, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.13, 1971).
14.16.140 Joint connections.
All joints and connections shall be made gastight and watertight. Cast iron pipe joints shall be firmly packed with oakum or hemp and filled with molten lead, Federal Specification QQ-L-156, not less than one inch deep. Lead shall be run in one pouring and caulked tight. No paint, varnish or other coatings shall be permitted on the jointing material until after the joint has been tested and approved by the public works administrator/engineer. All joints between metallic and nonmetallic pipe or between two types of nonmetallic pipe shall be made with hot-poured jointing material, rubber joint gaskets or cement mortar approved by the public works administrator/engineer. 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 be soluble in any of the wastes carried by the drainage system. The joint shall first be calked tight with jute, hemp or similar material approved by the public works administrator/engineer. Other jointing materials and methods may be used only by approval of the public works administrator/engineer. (Ord. 1387 § 14, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.14, 1971).
14.16.150 Connection to public sewer.
The connection of the building sewer into the public sewer shall be made at the stub, if such stub is available at a suitable location. If no properly located stub is available at a suitable location, a neat hole may be cut into the public sewer to receive the building sewer, with entry at right angles or in the downstream direction at an angle of about 45 degrees, which hole may be cut only by a licensed building sewer contractor. 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 a 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 public works administrator/engineer. (Ord. 1387 § 15, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.15, 1971).
14.16.160 Inspection.
A. The applicant for the building sewer permit shall notify the public works administrator/engineer when the building sewer is ready for inspection. After pipe is inspected, the bottom of the trench shall be puddled and the line will be checked for infiltration by the public works administrator/engineer by observing the flow through the inspection tee. An infiltration rate of more than four gallons per hour per 100 feet of pipe shall be sufficient reason for rejection.
B. As an alternate to the infiltration as specified, the pipe may be tightly sealed above the inspection tee by the plumber’s ball or similar apparatus, the pipe filled with water to the level of the lowest fixture, and the loss through exfiltration observed. Any joints observed to leak shall be repaired and the test repeated until exfiltration is reduced to the specified amount.
C. Proof that downspouts are not connected to the building sewer may be established by watering roof gutters and again observing the flow through the inspection tee, or by any other acceptable test. (Ord. 1387 § 16, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.16, 1971).
14.16.170 Protection of excavations – Restoration of public property.
All excavations for building sewer installations shall be adequately guarded with barricades and lights so as to protect the public from hazard. Streets, sidewalks, parkways and other public property disturbed in the course of the work shall be restored in a manner satisfactory to the city and/or the King County engineer, when applicable. (Ord. 486 § 4.17, 1971).
14.16.180 Unlawful connections to public sewer.
Any person who makes or causes to be made any connection to the public sewers of the city without receiving a permit therefor or executing the standard participation contract provided by the city before such connection shall be subject to the penalties set forth in PMC 14.44.010, and $200.00 in additional charges payable to the city. (Ord. 486 § 4.18, 1971).
14.16.190 Private sewers – Conveyance to city.
A private sewer constructed in a public right-of-way or in an easement conveyed to the city may be conveyed to the city subject to acceptance by the city. If the city accepts that conveyance, the sewer thereafter shall be a public sewer under the jurisdiction of the city. Prior to accepting the conveyance, the city may require that the grantor or the private sewer satisfy certain construction and other reasonable standards, including, but not limited to, payment of a connection charge and inspection fee and the execution of a standard participation contract. (Ord. 486 § 4.19, 1971).
14.16.200 Connection of nonassessed property.
The owners of property outside the boundaries of the city or of property within the city which has not been assessed for sewers by the city may, if the city council consents, connect to the public sewer of the city and obtain sewage disposal service by entering into a standard participation contract, provided for by Chapter 14.20 PMC. (Ord. 486 § 4.20, 1971).
14.16.210 Cost from property line to public sewer.
The cost of constructing that portion of the building sewer between the main sewer and property line of public right-of-way or easement shall be borne by the owner except those building sewers that were installed to existing buildings during the initial construction of utility local improvement district no. 2. In utility local improvement district no. 2, the assessment against the property shall be sufficient to pay the cost of constructing the building sewer between the main sewer and the property line for existing buildings during the initial period of construction. (Ord. 486 § 4.21, 1971).
14.16.220 Disconnection of building sewer.
No structure may be disconnected from a building sewer for any reason without prior written notification to, and approval of, the city, acting through its public works administrator/engineer. No approval shall be given unless the disconnection is lawful under Chapters 14.04 through 14.48 PMC and other applicable laws, and satisfactory protection is given by the owner or his or her contractor to the public sewers and sewer works of the city, including, but not limited to, the satisfactory capping of the building sewer or public sewer. Sewer service charges for any structure disconnected or to be disconnected shall continue until such disconnection is approved by the city and the building and public sewer capped and otherwise protected to the satisfaction of the public works administrator/engineer. (Ord. 1387 § 17, 1998; Ord. 486 § 4.22, 1971).
For statutory provisions authorizing third-class cities to cause sewage connections to be made and assess against the property served thereby the costs and expenses thereof, see RCW 35.24.290(4).