Sec. 86-39Building sewers and connections

(a) Permit required. No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter, or disturb any public sewer or its appurtenances without first obtaining a written permit from the superintendent.

(b) Permit classes. There shall be two classes of building sewer permits:

(1) For residential and commercial service; and

(2) For service to establishments producing industrial wastes.

In either case, the owner or his or 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.

(c) Costs and expenses. All cost and expense incident to the connection of the building sewer from the owner's building to the municipal property line shall be borne by the owner. The owner shall indemnify the city from any loss or damage that may be directly or indirectly occasioned by the connection of the building sewer. Any connection from the municipal property line into the public sewer shall be made by the city, for which the owner shall pay the city a sewer tap fee as fixed from time to time by the city council.

(d) Separate sewer for each building required; exception. A separate and independent building sewer shall be provided for every building; except where one building stands at the rear of another or an interior lot and no private sewer is available or can be constructed to the real building through an adjoining alley, court, yard, or driveway, the building sewer from the front building may be extended to the rear building and the whole considered as one building sewer.

(e) Old sewer use. Old building sewers may be used in connection with new buildings when they are found, on examination and test by the superintendent, to meet all requirements of this division.

(f) Materials. The building sewer shall be cast iron pipe; plastic pipe, ASTM Specifications A74; vitrified clay sewer pipe, ASTM Specifications C13; or concrete sewer pipe, ASTM Specifications C14. Joints shall be tight and water proof. Any part of the building sewer that is located within ten feet of a water service shall be constructed of cast iron soil pipe with leaded joints. Cast iron pipe with leaded joints may be required by the superintendent where the building sewer is exposed to damage by tree roots. 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 superintendent.

(g) Size and slope. The size and slope of the building sewer shall be subject to the approval of the superintendent, but in no event shall the diameter be less than four inches. The slope of such four-inch pipe shall not be less than one-eighth of an inch per foot.

(h) Elevation. Whenever possible, the building sewer shall be brought to the building at an elevation below the basement floor. No building sewer shall be laid parallel to or within three feet of any bearing wall, which might thereby be weakened. 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 pipes and fittings.

(i) Lifting of sewage. In all buildings in which any building drain is too low to perform gravity flow to the public sewer, sanitary sewage carried by such drain shall be lifted by approved artificial means and discharged to the building sewer.

(j) Excavations; pipelaying and backfill. All excavations required for the installation of a building sewer shall be open trench work unless otherwise approved by the superintendent. Pipelaying and backfill shall be performed in accordance with ASTM Specifications C12; except that no backfill shall be placed until the work has been inspected.

(k) Joints and connections. All joints and connections shall be made gastight and watertight and shall conform to regulations and requirements of the city, as adopted and amended from time to time.

(l) Connection of building sewer to public sewer. The connection of the building sewer into the public sewer shall be made at the Y branch, if such branch is available at a suitable location. If the public sewer is 12 inches in diameter or less, and no properly located Y branch is available, the city shall install a Y branch in the public sewer at the location specified by the superintendent. Where the public sewer is greater than 12 inches in diameter, and no properly located Y is available, a neat hole may be cut into the public sewer to receive the building sewer, which entry shall be in the downstream direction at an angle of about 45 degrees. 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 the 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 superintendent.

(m) Readiness for inspection. The applicant for the building sewer permit shall notify the superintendent when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection to the public sewer.

(n) Guarding of excavations; restoration of public property. All excavations for building sewer installation 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.