§ 18-5.3. Property Owner Responsibility for Sewer Lateral.

a.

Property owners own the entire sewer lateral and must maintain, repair and replace all sewer laterals associated with their parcels to the extent necessary to ensure the sewer laterals meet the standards of this chapter. The minimum standards are as follows:

1.

Sewer lateral shall be kept free from roots, grease deposits, and other solids which may impede the flow or obstruct the transmission of waste.

2.

The sewer lateral shall have a two way cleanout located at the property line or at the sewer main easement. All cleanouts shall be securely capped with a proper cap at all times.

3.

There shall be no non-sanitary sewer connections to the sewer lateral or to any plumbing that connects thereto.

4.

All joints of the sewer lateral shall be watertight and all sewer lateral pipe shall be sound to prevent exfiltration by waste or infiltration by ground water or storm water.

5.

The sewer lateral shall be free of any structural defects, cracks, breaks, openings, rat holes, or missing portions and the grade shall be uniform without sags or offsets.

b.

Property owners must perform any repair or replacement and perform any inspections necessary to ensure the upper sewer laterals meet the above standards and requirements of the Regional Ordinance.

c.

All property owners must obtain a compliance certificate for the upper sewer lateral from the district at the time and in the manner required by the Regional Ordinance.

d.

Before completing a title transfer associated with a parcel containing any structure, either the transferor or transferee, as negotiated between them, shall obtain a compliance certificate for the upper sewer lateral from the district, unless a time extension certificate is obtained, see paragraph g. After the title transfer is complete, the transferee is solely responsible for obtaining a compliance certificate for the upper sewer lateral. The requirement to obtain a compliance certificate for the upper sewer lateral before title transfer in no way affects the legality of the transfer of title in the underlying property transaction.

e.

Whenever a property owner submits an application for any permit or other approval needed for new construction upon a parcel, or for remodeling of an existing or previously existing structure, the property owner shall obtain a compliance certificate for the upper sewer lateral from the district before obtaining a final permit. This paragraph applies to construction and remodeling if the cost of the permitted work exceeds the dollar amount specified in the Regional Ordinance.

f.

Whenever a property owner applies for any permit or other approval from the district for an increase or decrease in size of the property owner's water meter, the property owner shall obtain a compliance certificate for the upper sewer lateral from the district before obtaining a final permit or approval. The district may permit or approve an increase or decrease in water meter size without first requiring the property owner to obtain a compliance certificate for the upper sewer lateral if the property owner has submitted a pending application for a permit subject to paragraph e above.

g.

A property owner may at any time voluntary request a compliance certificate for the upper sewer lateral for a given parcel from the district, and the district shall issue the compliance certificate as provided by the Regional Ordinance if the upper sewer lateral located upon the parcel passes a verification test.

h.

If a compliance certificate for the upper sewer lateral cannot be obtained before the title transfer, the transferor, transferee, or other interested party or parties may obtain a time extension certificate from the district in accordance with the Regional Ordinance. Time extension certificates are issued in connection with title transfer transactions only.

i.

A property owner may request an exemption certificate from the district in accordance with the Regional Ordinance.

j.

Property owners within common interest developments must obtain compliance certificates for the upper sewer lateral from the district as described in the Regional Ordinance.

k.

The property owner of any parcel or any parcel group with upper sewer laterals exceeding one thousand (1,000′) feet in total combined length within the parcel or parcel group must comply with the requirements for a condition assessment plan, corrective action work plan and compliance certificate as specified in the Regional Ordinance.

l.

The City may establish fees for administration of this chapter. The property owner shall be responsible for paying any fees established by the City in addition to any fees established by the district.

(Ord. No. 3114 N.S., § 3, 11-18-2014)