HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 1472ORDINANCE NO. 1472
BEING AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING SURFACE DRAINAGE CONNECTIONS AND
DISCHARGES INTO THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM
The City of Columbia Heights does hereby establish Chapter 8, Article VIII of the City Code to read as follows:
8.801 Purpose:
The purpose of this ordinance is to implement regulations that will aid the City in limiting and reducing
the inflow of rainwater (or clear water) into the sanitary sewer system. The ordinance will be utilized to
minimize the overflow problem resulting from the lack of capacity of the sanitary sewer system to
handle large amounts of rainwater. Other sources of inflow and infiltration are discharges of water from
rooftops; surface water, groundwater sump pumps, footing tiles, swimming pools, or other natural
precipitation sources that may flow into the city sewer system and potentially cause flooding or
overloading of the City's sewage system. When clear water is discharged into the sanitary sewer system
it is treated at the sewage treatment plant. This results in added expenses for the City. The City of
Columbia Heights, therefore, finds it in the best interest of the city to prohibit such discharges into the
sanitary sewer system in order to protect and maintain the health and property of its residents.
8.802 Definitions:
Area Drain- is a receptacle designed to collect and convey surface or storm water to the drainage
system.
Clearwater- is any surface flow, runoff, and drainage that does not contain any hazardous substance or
sewage. This includes, but is not limited to, NPDES permitted discharges, storm water and water from
foundation and footing drains and basement sump pumps.
Combined Sewer- is a sewer that must handle flow of both sanitary wastewater and storm water in a
single pipeline.
Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO)- occurs when excessive amounts of rainfall enter a sanitary sewer
system. The result is a volume of rainwater and sanitary wastewater, which exceeds the system's
capacity. Combined rainwater and sewage is forced to overflow into area streams and rivers through
outfalls.
Hazardous Substances- are materials which may cause or contribute to a substantial hazard to human
health, safety, property or the environment based upon its quantity, concentration, physical, chemical, or
infectious nature. These may include:
(i)
(2)
Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or
gas.
Any waters containing toxic or poisonous solids, liquids, or gases in sufficient quantity,
either singly or by interaction with other wastes, to injure or interfere with any sewage
treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, or create any hazard in the
receiving waters or the wastewater treatment plant.
8.803
8.804
(3)
Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.5, or having any other corrosive property
capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, and personnel of the
wastewater works.
Liquid Waste- means the discharge from any fixture, appliance, or appurtenance that does not receive
fecal matter.
Owner- shall mean the person who is listed as property owner or taxpayer by Anoka County.
Runoff- precipitation and other surface drainage that is not infiltrated into or otherwise retained by the
soil, concrete, asphalt, or other surface upon which it falls.
Sanitary Sewer System- pipelines, pumping stations, force mains, and all other construction devices,
and mechanical devices used for conveying sewage or industrial waste or other wastes to a point of
ultimate disposal.
Storm Water- is any surface flow, runoff, and drainage consisting entirely of water from any form of
natural precipitation.
Compliance:
Compliance with other Codes and Laws. Compliance with the provisions of this chapter does not
release a person from any responsibility to comply with any other law or regulation, whether federal,
state, or local.
Conflict. In the event that the provisions of the chapter shall conflict with any Minnesota statue or any
federal statute, the Minnesota statute or federal statute shall govern to the extent of any direct conflict
Violations. Any person who violated any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of an ordinance
violation and subject to punishment and penalties identified elsewhere in this ordinance.
Prohibited Discharges:
Prohibited Discharges. No clear water from any roof, surface, groundwater, sump pump, footing tile,
swimming pool, other buildings or structures which require, because of infiltration of water into
basements, crawl spaces, and the like, a sump pump discharge system shall have a permanently installed
discharge line which shall not at any time discharge water into the sanitary sewer system.
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged hazardous substances to any public sewers.
Disconnection. Before August 1, 2004, any person having a yard drain, roof surface, tile, or swimming
pool now connected and/or discharging into the sanitary sewer system shall be disconnected or removed.
Any disconnects or openings in the sanitary sewer system shall be closed or repaired in an effective,
workmanlike manner, as approved by the Public Works Director or his designated agent.
Sump pumps shall not be connected to the sanitary sewer. Prior to the closing of the sale of a dwelling,
the seller must request that the sump pumps and drain tiled be inspected by the City visually and/or by
smoking to ensure that they are not connected in any manner to the sanitary sewer system. If the City
determines that the sump pump or drain tile is illegally connected to the sanitary sewer system, the
situation must be corrected before the unit is considered in compliance to be sold.
Manner of Disconnection. The disconnection shall be accomplished by a complete and permanent
method and performed in a competent manner. Any disconnection, plugging, capping, rerouting,
altering, or modifying must be done is accordance with all applicable state and city building codes.
A permanent installation shall be one which provides for year round discharge capability to either the
outside of the dwelling, building, or structure, or is connected to city storm sewer or discharge 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, shall include
a check valve and air gap located in a small diameter structure.
8.805 Inspections:
Inspection. Every person owning improved real estate that discharges into the City of Columbia
Heights sanitary sewer system shall allow a city employee or a designated representative of the city to
inspect the building to confirm that there is no sump pump or other prohibited discharges into the
sanitary system. In lieu of having the city inspect their property before the sale of a dwelling, the
property owner may furnish a certificate from a licensed plumber certifying that the property is in
compliance with this section.
Any person refusing to allow their property to be inspected or refusing to furnish a plumber's certificate
within twenty-one (21) days of the date City employee(s) or their designated representatives are denied
admittance to the property, shall immediately become subject to the surcharge hereinafter provided for.
Any property found to violate this ordinance shall make the necessary changes to comply with ordinance
and furnish proof of the changes to the City.
New Construction. All new dwellings that are permitted to install a sump pump after June 1, 2004,
shall have a pump that is piped to the outside of the dwelling before a certificate of occupancy is issued.
New homes will be required to have their sump pump system inspected within (30) days of occupancy
and a certificate of compliance must be completed before the property owner may occupy the property.
Incentive. There are a number of methods to dispose of sump pump effluent. Any property which has
an existing illegal connection may apply for financial assistance by requesting a City inspector to verify
the illegal connection, have the repair completion verified and submit a receipt for labor and/or materials
(self help labor rate valued at $50). Upon verification of the corrective action and costs, the City will
remit to the property owner the cost to correct the illegal connection to a maximum of $500 per
installation. The property owner may petition the City to abate the problem and assess the property
owner's cost for the corrective work over a 1-year period. This incentive program is in effect until
December 31, 2006.
Surcharge. A surcharge of $100.00 per month is hereby imposed on every utility bill accrued on or
after January 1, 2005 to property owners who are not found to be in compliance with this section or who
have refused to allow the city to inspect the property. The surcharge will be added to the property
owner's utility billing until the property is found to be in compliance.
Penalties.
(a)
Any person found to be violating any provision of this ordinance shall be served by the City with
written notice stating the nature of the violation and providing a reasonable time limit for the
(b)
satisfactory correction thereof. The offender shall, within the period of time stated in such notice,
permanently cease all violations.
In the event that the owner fails to correct the situation within the given time period, the City
may correct it and collect all such costs together with reasonable attorney fees, or in the
alternative, by certifying said costs of correction as any other special assessment upon the land
from which said correction of said violation was made.
Winter Discharge. The City Manager and his/her designee shall issue a permit to allow a property
owner to discharge surface water into the sanitary sewer system. The permit shall authorize such
discharge only from November 1st to March 30th of each year and a property owner is required to meet at
least one of the following criteria in order to obtain a permit:
o
The freezing of the surface water discharge from sump pump or footing drain is causing a
dangerous condition, such as ice buildup or flooding, on public or private property.
The property owner has demonstrated that there is a danger that the sump pump or footing drain
pipes will freeze up and result in either failure or damage to sump pump unit of the footing drain
and cause basement flooding.
The water being discharged from the sump pump or footing drain cannot be readily discharged
into a storm drain or other acceptable drainage system.
Following ten days written notice and an opportunity to be heard, the City Manager may require a
st th
property to discharge their sump pump into the sanitary sewer from November 1 to March 30 , if
surface water discharge is causing an icy condition on streets.
Disclaimer. The City of Columbia Heights does not guarantee or imply that areas will be free from
flooding or flood damages caused by inflow and infiltration. The City does not assume a specific duty
as to individual property owners to enforce this ordinance, but is enacting the ordinance as a general
regulation. This ordinance shall not create liability on the part of the city or its offices or employees for
any flood damage that may result from failure to comply with any portion of this ordinance or any
administrative decisions made pursuant thereto, whatever the cause.
Effective Date.
This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after thirty days (30) after its passage.
First Reading:
Second Reading:
Date of Passage:
June 28, 2004
July 12, 2004
July 12, 2004
Offered by:
Second by:
Roll Call:
ATTEST:
Carole Blowers
Secretary Pro Tem
Ericson
Kelzenberg
Ayes: Ericson, Kelzenberg, Nawrocki, Williams, Wyckoff
Nayes: None