Chapter 14.08
SEWER SYSTEM REGULATIONS

Sections:

14.08.010    Definitions.

14.08.020    Purpose and policy.

14.08.030    Repealed.

14.08.040    Connection inside city and engineering permit issuance.

14.08.050    Delinquent charges.

14.08.060    Refusal of service to enforce payment.

14.08.070    Connection required.

14.08.080    Failure to connect.

14.08.090    Engineering permit required.

14.08.100    Engineering permit issuance.

14.08.110    Minimum and maximum grades.

14.08.120    Service connections.

14.08.130    Inspection – Service connections.

14.08.150    Tree or shrub roots obstructing system.

14.08.160    Repealed.

14.08.170    Repealed.

14.08.180    Repealed.

14.08.190    Severability.

14.08.200    Conflict.

14.08.010 Definitions.

Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms used in this chapter shall be as follows:

(1) “City” or “city of Puyallup” means the city of Puyallup, Washington, a municipal corporation.

(2) “City engineer” means the city engineer of the city or a duly authorized representative.

(3) “Connecting sewers” means all of the items required to connect the building sewer to the existing municipal wastewater collection system.

(4) “Administrator” means the development services administrator of the city of Puyallup or his duly authorized representative.

(5) “Domestic wastewater” means the liquid and waterborne wastes derived from ordinary living processes, free from industrial wastes, and of such character to permit satisfactory disposal, without special treatment, into the POTW.

(6) “Dwelling unit” means a residential establishment consisting of a detached building.

(7) “Grade” means the slope or fall of a line of pipe in reference to a horizontal plane, expressed as a ratio of horizontal distance to vertical distance.

(8) “May” shall indicate a discretionary condition.

(9) “Person” means any individual, partnership, copartnership, firm, company, corporation, association, joint stock company, trust, estate, governmental entity or any other legal entity, or their legal representatives, agents or assigns. This definition includes all federal, state, or local governmental entities.

(10) “Publicly owned treatment works (POTW)” means a “treatment works” as defined by Section 212 of the Act (33 USC 1292) that is owned by the city. This definition includes all devices, facilities, or systems used in the collection, storage, treatment, recycling, and reclamation of sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature and any conveyances that convey wastewater to a treatment plant.

(11) “Premises” means a parcel of real estate including any improvements thereon which is determined by the administrator to be a “domestic user” or an “industrial user.”

(12) “Sanitary sewer” means a sewer which carries wastewater, and to which storm, surface, ground and other unpolluted water are not intentionally admitted, except as provided in this chapter.

(13) “Service connection” means the point of connection of the connecting sewers to the building sewer at the building.

(14) “Service lateral” means side sewer.

(15) “Shall” is mandatory.

(16) “Side sewer” means service connection.

(17) “Wastewater collection system” means any and all of the connecting, lateral, main, trunk sewers, interceptors, and lift stations.

(18) “Wastewater treatment plant,” “treatment plant” or “pollution control facility” means that portion of the POTW that is designed to provide treatment of municipal sewage and industrial waste.

(19) “Wastewater treatment system” means any and all of the connecting, lateral, main, trunk sewers, interceptors, lift stations including wastewater treatment plant and facilities. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.020 Purpose and policy.

This chapter sets forth uniform requirements for wastewater discharges into the city of Puyallup wastewater treatment system. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.030 Standards.

Repealed by Ord. 2881. (Ord. 2806 § 1, 2004; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.040 Connection inside city and engineering permit issuance.

(1) Persons owning property within the city limits, adjacent to and abutting upon the municipal wastewater collection system, and which property has not been previously assessed for a sanitary sewer improvement, may connect to and discharge wastewater into the system upon receipt of an engineering permit issued by the engineering department and/or city building inspector.

(2) Such engineering permit shall be issued only upon written application of the owner of the premises to be served and subject to the following terms and conditions:

(a) The applicant shall obtain all permits and shall pay all fees necessary and required by the city, and shall construct the connecting sewers in compliance with the requirements and specifications of the city governing the same.

(b) The applicant, prior to the issuance of any engineering permit authorized in this section, shall pay in cash to the city whatever sewer connection charges are required by the city through other ordinances.

(c) All connection charges so received shall be considered revenue of the wastewater system.

(d) All ordinances, rules, regulations and procedures relating to the use, maintenance and connection to wastewater treatment system in the city as the same are now or may hereafter be adopted by the city shall apply with equal force to such sewer connection. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.050 Delinquent charges.

All delinquent charges shall be a lien against the property served and shall be perfected and enforced as provided by the laws of the state pertaining thereto. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.060 Refusal of service to enforce payment.

In addition to the lien provided for in PMC 14.08.050, the city has the right to enforce payment of all charges under this chapter by cutting off and refusing water service from the premises to which such sewer service is furnished after the charges become delinquent and unpaid, until such rates and charges are paid. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.070 Connection required.

(1) The city has determined that it is necessary for the protection of the public health that owners of property within the city be required to connect their industrial, commercial, business and residential establishments to the wastewater treatment system and to cease to use all other methods of sewage disposal; provided, that such establishment is within 300 feet of the nearest sewer main and is capable of being served by and through the municipal wastewater treatment system.

(2) In the event any owner of property fails or refuses to make such a connection upon being requested by the city, the city may take such lawful action as necessary to effect such connection.

(3) In the event the municipal wastewater treatment system is expanded so that a sewer main is established within 300 feet of a previously improved parcel of property which has in use some alternate method of wastewater treatment disposal, then the owner shall not be required to connect to the municipal wastewater treatment system until the owner’s alternate method of sewage disposal requires substantial repair or the owner desires to expand wastewater treatment capacity, at which time subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall be complied with fully.

(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the director of public works, in consultation with the city engineer, is authorized to suspend the foregoing sewer connection requirement for an owner of a septic system that requires substantial repair when:

(a) The owner would have standing pursuant to the criteria in RCW 35A.21.390(1)(a) through (c);

(b) A suspension of the connection requirement is justified based on the considerations in RCW 35A.21.390(3)(a) through (d); and

(c) The owner replaces or repairs and maintains the septic system so that it is no longer failing or in need of substantial repair.

(5) A suspension of the foregoing sewer connection requirement shall expire when the septic system fails or requires substantial repair, whichever occurs earlier.

(6) A suspension of the sewer connection requirement by the director of public works shall be memorialized in writing, signed by the owner, and recorded with the county auditor. (Ord. 3171 § 1, 2018; Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.080 Failure to connect.

If the owner of any dwelling or other facility subject to be connected to the wastewater treatment system fails to make the necessary connection within the specified time after having been directed to make such connection, the monthly charge for sewer service shall be imposed the same as if such dwelling or other facility were in fact connected to the sewer system. In addition, if such connection is not made within two years after notice to connect is given, the city attorney shall cause an action to be instituted in the superior court of the state of Washington for Pierce County against the owner or owners of the property, to require that the necessary connection be made. In any such case, the owner shall be liable for all costs of such suit, including a reasonable attorney’s fee to be set by the court. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.090 Engineering permit required.

It is unlawful for any person to make any connection, or in any way alter either an existing connection to the sanitary sewer or the wastewater treatment system, except with the permission of and under the direction of the city engineer. It is unlawful for any person to connect any private sewer line to a sewer in any street or alley without the necessary permit from the city engineer’s office. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.100 Engineering permit issuance.

When a property owner wishes to connect their premises to the wastewater treatment system the property owner shall file an application therefor with the city engineer stating the name of the owner and occupant of the premises to be connected, where the proposed lateral will be located, the type of material to be used, and the grade upon which it will be laid. If all the above is satisfactory, the city engineer will issue the required permit for the owner to construct the necessary line on their own property. The city engineer shall prepare and keep on file in the engineering office accurate records of all buildings connected to the wastewater collection system, together with a small plan showing the buildings involved, the adjacent streets, the main sewer and the house connection. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.110 Minimum and maximum grades.

(1) The minimum grade on all lateral sanitary sewers shall be two percent in all cases where it is possible to provide this grade. Where new homes, built after the sewer to be used has been constructed, apply for a permit, there will be no exception to this rule, and should basements or any other portions of the house be constructed at such an elevation that a two percent grade cannot be used, the property owners will be required to install a city-approved pump if there is any waste matter to be disposed of from such elevations.

(2) Where homes older than the sewer are involved, and a two percent grade is impossible to achieve, the grade may be lowered to one percent if, in the opinion of the city engineer, such a grade will function properly. This, however, may only be done with the written approval of the city engineer. If the house for any reason is so low that even a one percent grade cannot be obtained, the property owner will be required to install a city-approved pump for discharging their waste into the wastewater treatment system, as no septic tanks will be permitted if the house is within 300 feet of a sewer.

(3) In those cases where a sewer is abnormally deep, the house lateral shall have a maximum grade of five percent, discharging into a vertical riser from the main sewer.

(4) Because of the inevitable disputes that would arise between property owners on the matter of maintenance responsibilities, each dwelling must be connected to the wastewater collection system through its own individual service connection. No exceptions to this will be permitted except by written permission of the city engineer.

(5) Any and all pumps required to be installed under the terms of this section shall have the written approval of the city engineer before their installation and all grades less than two percent or greater than five percent shall have written approval of the city engineer prior to any work being commenced. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.120 Service connections.

All sewer service connections shall be constructed as specified in the City Standards for Public Works Engineering and Construction Manual. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.130 Inspection – Service connections.

(1) Service Connections. All work on service connections must be inspected by the city before any backfilling is done. When such work is ready for inspection, the city engineer or a representative shall be notified. If the work is found to be satisfactory, backfilling may proceed and the job brought to completion. Should the work not be acceptable, all errors pointed out by the inspector must be rectified and a second inspection made. The city engineer or representative shall have right of entry on any premises at any reasonable time for purposes of inspection. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.150 Tree or shrub roots obstructing system.

It is unlawful to plant poplar, cottonwood, soft maple, or gum, or any other tree or any shrub whose roots are likely to obstruct public or private sanitary sewers, within 30 feet of any public or private sewer or drain pipe. The city engineer is authorized to remove any trees or shrubs from any public street, or the roots of any trees or shrubs which extend into any public street, when the trees or the roots thereof are obstructing, or when he determines that they are liable to obstruct, public or private sanitary sewers or drains; provided, however, that he shall give 10 days’ notice in writing to the owner or occupant of the abutting property to remove the same, and if such owner or occupant fails or refuses to do so, the reasonable cost of such removal when done by the city engineer shall be a charge against, and a lien upon, the abutting property from which such trees or shrubs are removed, and the city attorney is authorized and directed to collect such charge by suit maintained in the name of the city as plaintiff, against the owner, in any court of competent jurisdiction, with the costs thereof to be taxed against the owner, together with a reasonable attorney’s fee to be set by the court. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.160 Prohibited use of sanitary sewer.

Repealed by Ord. 2881. (Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.170 Enforcement.

Repealed by Ord. 2881. (Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.180 Penalty – Cost.

Repealed by Ord. 2881. (Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.190 Severability.

Should any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase of this chapter or its application to any person or situation be declared unconstitutional or invalid for any reason, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this chapter or its application to any other person or situation. The city council of the city of Puyallup hereby declares that it would have adopted this chapter and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, clauses, phrases or portions be declared invalid or unconstitutional. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).

14.08.200 Conflict.

All other ordinances and parts of other ordinances inconsistent or conflicting with any part of this chapter are repealed to the extent of such inconsistency or conflict. (Ord. 2881 § 2, 2007; Ord. 2384 § 1, 1993).