Chapter 715: PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SEWERS
Cross Reference — As to water and sewer rates and charges, see ch. 705.
Section 715.010. Rules and Regulations. [Ord. No. 87-02 Art. I, §1, 1-22-1987]
The following rules and regulations are hereby adopted to govern the sewer services furnished by the municipality in a uniform manner for the benefit of the municipality and its sewer users. They are subject to change from time to time. If any portion of these rules shall be declared invalid by competent authority, such voidance shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions.
Section 715.020. Definitions. [Ord. No. 87-02 Art. II §§1 — 25, 1-22-1987]
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms used in this Chapter shall be as follows:
APPLICANT — Any individual, firm, partnership, corporation or other agency owning land within the municipality applying for a sewer service.
BOARD — The person or persons duly authorized by the City of La Plata to inspect and approve the installation of building sewers and their connection to the public sewer system.
BOD (denoting BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND) — The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five (5) days at twenty degrees Centigrade (20°C), expressed in milligrams per liter.
BUILDING DRAIN — That part of the lowest horizontal piping of a drainage system which receives the discharge from soil, waste, and other drainage pipes inside the walls of the building and conveys it to the building sewer, beginning five (5) feet (1.5 meters) outside the inner face of the building wall.
BUILDING SEWER — The extension from the building drain to the public sewer or other place of disposal.
COMBINED SEWER — A sewer receiving both surface runoff and sewage.
GARBAGE — Solid wastes from the domestic and commercial preparation, cooking and dispensing of food, and from the handling, storage and sale of produce.
INDUSTRIAL WASTES — The liquid wastes from industrial manufacturing processes, trade, or business as distinct from sanitary sewage.
MUNICIPALITY — The City of La Plata, Missouri.
NATURAL OUTLET — Any outlet from a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake or other body of surface or ground water.
PERSON — Any individual, firm, company, association, society, corporation or group.
pH — The logarithm of the reciprocal of the weight of hydrogen ions in grams per liter of solution.
PROPERLY SHREDDED GARBAGE — The wastes from the preparation, cooking, and dispensing of food that has been shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers, with no particle greater than one-half (½) inch (1.27 centimeters) in any dimension.
PUBLIC SEWER — A sewer in which all owners of abutting properties have equal rights, and is controlled by public authority.
SANITARY SEWER — A sewer which carries sewage and to which storm, surface, and ground waters are not intentionally admitted.
SEWAGE — A combination of the water-carried wastes from residences, business buildings, institutions and industrial establishments, together with such ground, surface, and storm waters as may be present.
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT — Any arrangement of devices and structures used for treating sewage.
SEWAGE WORKS — All facilities for collecting, pumping, treating and disposing of sewage.
SEWER — A pipe or conduit for carrying sewage.
SHALL — Is mandatory; MAY — is permissive.
SLUG — Any discharge of water, sewage, or industrial waste which in concentration of any given constituent or in quantity of flow exceeds for any period of duration longer than fifteen (15) minutes more than five (5) times the average twenty-four (24) hours' concentration or flows during normal operation.
STORM DRAIN (sometimes termed STORM SEWER) — A sewer which carries storm and surface waters and drainage, but excludes sewage and industrial wastes, other than unpolluted cooling water.
SUPERINTENDENT — The Superintendent of the Municipal Sewage Works of the City of La Plata, or his/her authorized deputy, agent or representative.
SUSPENDED SOLIDS — Solids that either float on the surface of, or are in suspension in water, sewage, or other liquids, and which are removable by laboratory filtering.
WATERCOURSE — A channel in which a flow of water occurs either continuously or intermittently.
Section 715.030. Unlawful to Place Garbage on Public or Private Property. [Ord. No. 87-02 Art. III §1, 1-22-1987]
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, deposit or permit to be deposited in any unsanitary manner on public or private property within the City of La Plata, or in any area under the jurisdiction of said City, any human or animal excrement, garbage, or other objectionable waste.
Section 715.040. Unlawful to Discharge Sewage to Any Natural Outlet. [Ord. No. 87-02 Art. III §2, 1-22-1987]
It shall be unlawful to discharge to any natural outlet within the City of La Plata, or in any area under the jurisdiction of said City, any sewage, or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with subsequent provisions of this Chapter.
Section 715.050. Privy, Septic Tank, Etc., Prohibited. [Ord. No. 87-02 Art. III §3, 1-22-1987]
Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.
Section 715.060. Buildings Must Have Toilet Facilities. [Ord. No. 87-02 Art. III §4, 1-22-1987]
The owner of all houses, buildings, or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes situated within the City and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located or may in the future be located a public sanitary or combined sewer of the City, is hereby required at his/her expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter, within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within one hundred (100) feet (30.5 meters) of the property line.
Section 715.070. Private Sewage Disposal. [Ord. No. 87-02 Art. IV §§1 — 8, 1-22-1987]
Section 715.080. Public Sewers. [Ord. No. 87-02 Art. V §§1 — 11, 1-22-1987; Ord. No. 832 §1, 10-22-2002]
- For residential and commercial service, and
- For service to establishments producing industrial wastes.
In either case, the owner or his/her agent shall make application on a special form furnished by the City. The permit application shall be supplemented by any plans, specifications, or other information considered pertinent in the judgment of the Superintendent. A permit and inspection fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) for a residential or commercial building sewer permit shall be paid to the City at the time the application is filed.
- All sewer lines shall be PVC SCH. 40 and shall be made water-tight with solvent weld or mechanical joints.
- All sewer lines shall be placed upon clean three-eighths (⅜ inch rock chips with a minimum of one-fourth (¼) inch fall per one (1) foot of travel. The rate of fall shall be measured along the actual laid sewer pipe by the Sewer Superintendent to determine compliance prior to the contractor/owner covering said pipe.
- Either the owners or contractors shall perform all taps or opening cuts into the City sewer main with the Sewer Superintendent in attendance or under his supervision. All taps shall be made with a saddle of the proper size. All taps shall be water-tight either by stainless steel, U-bolts or bands.
- The minimum diameter of sewer line for a residential user of six (6) family members or less shall be a minimum of four (4) inches. Business and industrial users plus residential users of more than six (6) residents shall use a pipe diameter as to be determined by the Sewer Superintendent.
- No part of the private sewer line may be covered until final inspection and approval by the Sewer Superintendent. After approval, the contractor/owner shall cover the sewer line by hand using three-eighths (⅜ inch clean gravel chips until the pipe has been completely covered.
Section 715.090. Discharge of Stormwater, Drain Water, Etc., to Any Sanitary Sewer. [Ord. No. 87-02 Art. VI §1, 1-22-1987]
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any stormwater, surface water, ground water, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, including interior and exterior foundation drains, uncontaminated cooling water, or unpolluted industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer.
Section 715.100. Unpolluted Drainage Discharged to Storm Sewer. [Ord. No. 87-02 Art. VI §2, 1-22-1987]
Stormwater and all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to such sewers as are specifically designated as combined sewers or storm sewers, or to a natural outlet approved by the Superintendent. Industrial cooling water or unpolluted process waters may be discharged, on approval of the Superintendent, to a storm sewer, combined sewer, or natural outlet.
Section 715.110. Toxic Wastes Shall Not Be Discharged to Public Sewers. [Ord. No. 87-02 Art. VI §3, 1-22-1987]
- Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid, or gas.
- Any waters or wastes 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, create a public nuisance, or create any hazard in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant, including but not limited to cyanide in excess of two (2) mg/l as CN in the wastes as discharged to the public sewer.
- Any waters or wastes having:
shall be subject to the review of the Superintendent. Where necessary in the opinion of the Superintendent, the owner shall provide at his/her expense, such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to:
- Reduce the biochemical oxygen demand to three hundred (300) parts per million by weight,
- Reduce the suspended solids to three hundred fifty (350) parts per million by weight, or
- Control the quantities and rates of discharge of such waters or wastes.
Plans, specifications, and any other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the Superintendent and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until said approvals are obtained in writing.
- Solid or viscous substances in quantities or of such size capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers, or other interference with the proper operation of the sewage works such as, but not limited to, ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, unground garbage, whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshing, entrails and paper dishes, cups, milk containers, etc., either whole or ground by garbage grinders.
Section 715.120. Substances That May Damage Sewage System. [Ord. No. 87-02 Art. VI §4, 1-22-1987]
- Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than one hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit (150°F) (65°C).
- Any water or waste containing fats, wax, grease or oils, whether emulsified or not, in excess of one hundred (100) mg/1 or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit (32°F) and one hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit (150°F) (0° and 65° C).
- Any garbage that has not been properly shredded. The installation and operation of any garbage grinder equipped with a motor of three-fourths (¾) horsepower (0.76 hp metric) or greater shall be subject to the review and approval of the Superintendent.
- Any waters or wastes containing strong acid iron pickling wastes, or concentrated plating solutions whether neutralized or not.
- Any waters or wastes containing iron, chromium, copper, zinc, and similar objectionable or toxic substances; or wastes exerting an excessive chlorine requirement, to such degree that any such material received in the composite sewage at the sewage treatment works exceeds the limits established by the Superintendent for such materials.
- Any waters or wastes containing phenols or other taste- or odor-producing substances, in such concentrations exceeding limits which may be established by the Superintendent as necessary, after treatment of the composite sewage, to meet the requirements of State, Federal or other public agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters.
- Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the Superintendent in compliance with applicable State or Federal regulations.
- Any waters or wastes having a pH in excess of 9.5.
- Materials which exert or cause:
- Waters or wastes containing substances which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the sewage treatment process employed, or are amenable to treatment only to such degree that the sewage treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters.
Section 715.130. Superintendent's Authorities. [Ord. No. 87-02 Art. VI §5, 1-22-1987]
- Reject the wastes,
- Require pre-treatment to an acceptable condition for discharge to the public sewers,
- Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge, and/or
Chapter 720: USER CHARGE SYSTEM
Section 720.010. Purpose. [Ord. No. 87-01 Art. I, 1-22-1987; Ord. No. 738 Art. I, 6-27-2000; Ord. No. 760 Art. I, 1-16-2001; Ord. No. 765 Art. I, 3-28-2001]
It is determined and declared to be necessary and conducive to the protection of the public health, safety, welfare and convenience of the City to collect charges from all users who contribute wastewater to the City's treatment works. The proceeds of such charges so derived will be used for the purpose of operating, maintaining and retiring the debt for such public wastewater treatment works.
Section 720.020. Definitions. [Ord. No. 87-01 Art. II §§1 — 11, 1-22-1987; Ord. No. 738 Art. II, 6-27-2000; Ord. No. 760 Art. II, 1-16-2001; Ord. No. 765 Art. II, 3-28-2001]
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms used in this Chapter shall be as follows:
BOD (denoting BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND) — The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five (5) days at twenty degrees Centigrade (20°C), expressed in milligrams per liter (mg/l).
NORMAL DOMESTIC WASTEWATER — Wastewater that has a BOD concentration of not more than two hundred fifty (250) mg/l and a suspended solids concentration of not more than two hundred seventy (270) mg/l.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE — All expenditures during the useful life of the treatment works for materials, labor, utilities and other items which are necessary for managing and maintaining the sewage works to achieve the capacity and performance for which such works were designed and constructed.
REPLACEMENT — Expenditures for obtaining and installing equipment, accessories or appurtenances which are necessary during the useful life of the treatment works to maintain the capacity and performance for which such works were designed and constructed. The term "operation and maintenance" includes replacement.
RESIDENTIAL CONTRIBUTOR — Any contributor to the City's treatment works whose lot, parcel of real estate, or building is used for domestic dwelling purposes only.
SHALL — Is mandatory; MAY — is permissive.
SS (denoting SUSPENDED SOLIDS) — Solids that either float on the surface of or are in suspension in water, sewage or other liquids and which are removable by laboratory filtering.
TREATMENT WORKS — Any devices and systems for the storage, treatment, recycling and reclamation of municipal sewage, domestic sewage or liquid industrial wastes. These include intercepting sewers, outfall sewers, sewage collection systems, individual systems, pumping, power and other equipment and their appurtenances; extensions, improvements, remodeling, additions and alterations thereof; elements essential to provide a reliable recycled supply such as standby treatment units and clear well facilities; and any works, including site acquisition of the land, that will be an integral part of the treatment process or is used for ultimate disposal of residues resulting from such treatment (including used for storage of treated wastewater in land treatment systems before land application); or any other method or system for preventing, abating, reducing, storing, treating, separating or disposing of municipal waste or industrial waste, including waste in sanitary sewer systems.
USEFUL LIFE — The estimated period during which a treatment works will be operated.
USER CHARGE — That portion of the total wastewater service charge which is levied in a proportional and adequate manner for the cost of operation, maintenance and replacement of the wastewater treatment works.
WATER METER — A water volume measuring and recording device furnished and/or installed by the City of La Plata or furnished and/or installed by a user and approved by the City of La Plata.
Section 720.030. User Charge Accounts. [Ord. No. 87-01 Art. III §§1 — 3, 1-22-1987; Ord. No. 738 Art. III, 6-27-2000; Ord. No. 760 Art. III, 1-16-2001; Ord. No. 765 Art. III, 3-28-2001]
- The Operation and Maintenance Account shall be an account designated for the specific purpose of defraying operation and maintenance costs (excluding replacement) of the treatment works. Deposits in the Operation and Maintenance Account shall be made at least annually from the operation and maintenance revenue in the amount of one hundred twenty thousand three hundred thirty dollars ($120,330.00) annually.
- The Replacement Account shall be an account designated for the purpose of ensuring replacement needs over the useful life of the treatment works. Deposits in the Replacement Account shall be made at least annually from the replacement revenue in the amount of six thousand three hundred seventy dollars ($6,370.00) annually.
Section 720.040. User Charge Rates. [Ord. No. 87-01 Art. IV §§1 — 3, 1-22-1987; Ord. No. 738 Art. IV, 6-27-2000; Ord. No. 760 Art. IV, 1-16-2001; Ord. No. 765 Art. IV, 3-28-2001; Ord. No. 14-05 § 1, 9-8-2014; Ord. No. 17-05 § 1, 3-14-2017]
$0.388 per pound BOD
$0.287 per pound SS
Section 720.050. Billing — When Due. [Ord. No. 87-01 Art. V §§1 — 2, 1-22-1987; Ord. No. 738 Art. V, 6-27-2000; Ord. No. 760 Art. V, 1-16-2001; Ord. No. 765 Art. V, 3-28-2001]
Section 720.060. City to Review User Charge System. [Ord. No. 87-01 Art. VI §§1 — 2, 1-22-1987; Ord. No. 738 Art. VI, 6-27-2000; Ord. No. 760 Art. VI, 1-16-2001; Ord. No. 765 Art. VI, 3-28-2001]