802.01: General Operation
802.02: Supervision
802.03: Connection Required
802.04: Application for Sewer Connection
802.05: Revocation of Contractor License
802.06: Construction Requirements
802.07: Use of Certain Buildings Restricted
802.08: Prohibited Discharges
802.09: Tampering Prohibited
802.10: Certain Connections Prohibited
802.11: Entry upon Private Property
802.12: Rates and Charges
802.13: Industrial User Strength Charges
802.14: Transport and Dumping of Sewage

The entire Municipal sanitary sewer system shall be operated as a public utility and convenience from which revenues will be derived, subject to the provisions of this Chapter. (Ord. 218, 9-4-56)

The Chief Code Enforcement Officer shall supervise all house sewer connections made to the Municipal sanitary sewer system and excavations for the purpose of installing or repairing the same. (Ord. 219, 9-4-56; amd. 1995 Code)

A. Existing Buildings: Any building used for human habitation and located on property adjacent to a sewer main, or in a block through which the system extends, shall be connected to the Municipal sanitary sewer system within two years from the time a connection is available to any such property.
B. New Construction: All buildings constructed on property adjacent to a sewer main or in a block through which the system extends shall be provided with a connection to the Municipal sanitary sewer system for the disposal of all human wastes.
C. Senior Citizen Deferral: In cases where the owner of an existing building is receiving a senior citizens deferral of special assessments for the cost of the sewer main and no health hazard exists, the City Council may defer the requirement for a connection to the sanitary sewer system until such time as the senior citizen deferral expires or a health hazard exists. (Ord. 901, 3-10-82)

A. Permit; Fees: Any person desiring a connection to the Municipal sanitary sewer system for property not previously connected with the system shall make application for a permit to the Chief Code Enforcement Officer, accompanied by such information as required by the Chief Code Enforcement Officer, together with a permit and inspection fee as set by City Council resolution; provided, however, that a separate permit may be issued for that portion of the sewer connection extending from the property line to the main sewer or other outlet for which permit the fee shall be as set by City Council resolution and a separate permit may also be issued for that portion of the sewer extending from the house or building to the property line for which the permit fee shall be as set by City Council resolution. Inspection of the sewer service from the main to the building shall be performed by the Chief Code Enforcement Officer to ensure compliance to all applicable codes. (Ord. 1009, 3-23-87; amd. 1995 Code)
B. Additional Building Permit Fees: In addition to the building permit fees established in Section 901.06 and in addition to any other fees established in this Code there is hereby established a fee to pay and reimburse the City for all sums which the City shall be required to pay to the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission because of all construction.
C. Additional Fees to Pay for Unassessed Property and to reimburse the City for Metropolitan Sewer Board Charges: The permit fee for connection to the City sanitary sewer system shall be paid for each connection in the amount specified in subsections A and B of this Section. In addition thereto, before any permit shall be issued, the following conditions shall be complied with:
1. No permit shall be issued to connect with any sanitary sewer system of the City directly or indirectly from any lot or tract of land unless the Public Works Director shall have certified:
a. That such lot or tract of land has been assessed for the cost of construction of the sanitary sewer main with which the connection is made; or
b. If no assessment has been levied for such construction cost, the proceedings for levying such assessment have been or will be completed in due course; or
c. If no assessment has been levied and no assessment proceedings will be completed in due course, that a sum equal to the portion of cost of constructing said sanitary sewer main which would be assessable against said lot or tract has been paid to the City; or
d. That all charges and fees as required by subsection B, which are fees to reimburse the City for all sums paid to the Metropolitan Sewer Board required by the construction of new buildings are paid. (Ord. 688, 12-18-72)
2. If no such certificate can be issued by the Public Works Director, no permit to connect to any sanitary sewer main shall be issued unless the applicant shall pay an additional connection fee which shall be equal to the portion of the cost of construction of the said sanitary sewer main which would be assessable against said lot or tract to be served by such connection for the main, including interest at a rate equal to the interest rate of the original assessment from the date of the original assessment and continuing for a period of 20 years or the amount of years the assessment was payable, whichever is less. Interest may be waived or decreased when it is determined by the Public Works Director that the improvement was not subject to utilization until a later date. Said assessable cost is to be determined by the Public Works Director upon the same basis as any assessment previously levied against other property for the main. If no such assessment has been levied, the assessable cost will be determined upon the basis of the uniform charge which may have been or which shall be charged for similar connection with said main, determined on the basis of the total assessable cost of said main, allocated on a frontage basis, acreage basis or both. (Ord. 745, 12-30-74)
D. Licenses Required: Permits shall be issued only to such persons who are duly licensed by the City to engage in the business of plumbing who have filed with the City the insurance certificates required under subsection F of this Section; provided, however, that permit may be issued to any person who is duly licensed by the City as a sewer contractor and who has filed with the City the insurance certificates required under subsection F for building and repairing that portion of the house or building sewer extending from the property line to the main sewer or other outlet. (Ord. 234, 8-6-57; amd. 1995 Code)
E. License Fees: The annual license fee shall be as set by City Council resolution.
F. Insurance:
1. Before any required permit is issued, the licensee applying for the permit shall file with the City Manager a certificate of insurance covering the licensee for the period covered by the license in the minimum liability amount of six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000.00).
2. The certificate shall state that the policies covering the licensee shall not be canceled without ten days' written notice to the City. (Ord. 531, 3-20-67; amd. 1995 Code)

A. Violation: The City Council shall have power to revoke any license upon satisfactory proof that the holder of said license has willfully violated any of the provisions of this Chapter.
B. Reinstatement: A revoked license shall not be reinstated in any manner for a period of six months.
C. Claim by City: The failure to pay, within sixty (60) days, any legitimate claim the City may have against a contractor shall constitute cause for revocation of license. (Ord. 233, 7-23-57; amd. 1995 Code)

A. Materials: All pipes shall be constructed of materials approved by the Public Works Director.
B. Joints and Connections: All joints and connections shall be constructed of materials approved by the Public Works Director.
C. Grades:
1. Unless otherwise, all house sewers shall have a grade of not less than one-eighth inch per foot. A grade of one-quarter inch per foot should be used wherever practical. The contractor shall check grades before construction proceeds. Wherever possible, the connecting sewer shall join the building at an elevation which is below the basement floor of such building. (Ord. 219, 9-4-56)
2. In the event that a sewer service exists from the main sewer to a point outside of the street, the contractor shall excavate and expose the upper end of the service pipe. The elevation of the pipe leaving the structure shall be determined, and the difference between the two pipes shall be sufficient so that a minimum grade of one-eighth inch per foot is maintained. (1990 Code)
D. Alignment: No connecting sewer shall contain bends or a combination of bends which at any point shall be greater than 45 degrees, and no more than two bends, regardless of angle, shall be permitted in any single house connection except where manholes or, in case of slab home, cleanouts are constructed at such points and in manner as directed by the Public Works Director. No connecting sewer shall be laid parallel to any bearing wall or footing unless further distant than three feet from any such bearing wall or footing. No connecting sewer shall be laid within 20 feet of any existing well. (Ord. 234, 8-6-57)
E. Trenching and Backfilling:
1. All excavations shall be open trench work unless otherwise authorized by the City Engineer. The foundation in the trench shall be formed to prevent any subsequent settlement of the pipes. If the foundation is good and firm earth, the earth shall be pared or molded to give a full support to the lower third of each pipe. Bell holes shall be dug to provide ample space for pouring of joints. Care must be exercised in backfilling below the center line of the pipe in order to give it proper support.
2. Backfilling shall be placed in layers and solidly tamped or packed up to two feet above the pipe. Backfilling shall not be done until the section to be backfilled has been inspected and approved by the Public Works Director.
F. Use of Existing Sewer Services: Existing sewer services or portions of such sewers may be approved for use by the Public Works Director. The Public Works Director may request that the old sewer be excavated for the purpose of facilitating inspection. No cesspool or septic tank shall be connected to any portion of a house sewer that is also laid across or over any existing cesspool or septic tank, the existing cesspool or septic tank shall first be pumped clean and filled with earth to the surrounding ground level. Where a sewer is laid across or over any existing cesspool or septic tank, only material approved by the Public Works Director shall be used for that portion of the connecting sewer which is laid across or over the existing cesspool or septic tank.
G. Connections at "Y" Only: Every connecting sewer shall be connected to the Municipal sewer system at the "Y" designated for the property served by the connection, except where otherwise expressly authorized by the Public Works Director. Where expressly authorized by the Public Works Director, all connections made at points other than the designated "Y" shall be made only under the direct supervision of the Public Works Director in such manner as the Public Works Director may direct.
H. Tunneling: Tunneling for distances of not more than six feet is permissible in yards, courts or driveways of any building site. When pipes are driven, the drive pipe shall be at least one size larger than the pipe to be laid.
I. Independent Systems Required:
1. The drainage and plumbing system of each new building and of new work installed in an existing building shall be separate from and independent of that of any other building except where provided in this subsection and every building shall have an independent connection with a public sewer when such is available. (Ord. 219, 9-4-56; amd. 1995 Code)
2. A separate connection shall be required for each dwelling unit constructed on or after September 19, 1979, in R-1, R-2, R-4, R-5 and R-6 Districts as defined in Title 10 of this Code. A separate connection shall not be required for apartment-type buildings as determined by the Public Works Director. (Ord. 855, 9-10-79; amd. 1995 Code)
J. Exception to Independent Sewer System Requirement: Under the following limited circumstances, the requirement for an independent sewer system provided in subsection I of this Section need not be met:
1. Where one building stands to the rear of another building on an interior lot and no private sewer is available or can be constructed to the rear building through an adjoining alley, court, yard or driveway, the building drain from the front building may be extended to the rear building and the whole will be considered as one building drain. Where such a building drain is extended, a cleanout shall be provided immediately inside the rear wall of the front building.
2. A new structure on one parcel may be permitted to connect to an existing sewer line serving an adjacent parcel when the following conditions are met:
a. The alternative construction of a new sewer service to serve the parcel would create a hardship due to the necessity of crossing a railroad or roadway by method other than open cut or as determined by the Public Works Director.
b. The owners of the property will sign and record an instrument, in perpetuity, for joint use and maintenance of the shared service, which instrument specifically holds the City harmless and releases the City from any and all claims relating to the shared service. A copy of said instrument will be filed with the City for approval by the City Attorney.
c. The Public Works Director determines that the shared sewer has adequate capacity for anticipated flows.
d. A cleanout is provided at the junction point of the two (2) services. (Ord. 926, 5-22-83; amd. 1995 Code)
K. Repair of Public Right of Way: No connection to the City sanitary sewer system shall be finally approved until all streets, pavements, curbs and boulevards or other public improvements have been restored to their former condition to the satisfaction of the Public Works Director. (219, 9-4-56; amd. 1995 Code)
L. Costs and Maintenance:
1. Installation and Connection: All costs and expenses incidental to the installation and connection to the Municipal sewer system shall be borne by the owner and the owner shall indemnify the City for any loss or damage that may, directly or indirectly, be occasioned by the installation of the sewer connection, including restoring streets and street surface.
2. Maintenance: It shall be the responsibility of the owner or occupant to maintain the sewer service from the main sewer into the house or building. (Ord. 532, 3-20-67)

No person shall use any building or allow any other person to use any building which is not connected to the Municipal sanitary sewer system as required by Section 802.03 of the City Code. (Ord. 414, 4-6-64)

All discharge into the City's sanitary sewer system shall be in conformance with the Waste Discharge Rules adopted by the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission. (1995 Code)

No person shall maliciously, willfully or negligently break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface or tamper with any structure, appurtenance or equipment which is a part of the Municipal sewer system. (Ord. 218, 9-4-56)

No building located on property lying outside the limits of the City shall be connected to the Municipal sanitary sewer system unless authorization is obtained from the City Council. (Ord. 218, 9-4-56; amd. 1995 Code)

The Public Works Director and other duly authorized employees of the City, bearing proper credentials and identification, shall at reasonable times be permitted to enter upon all properties for the purpose of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling and testing in connection with the operation of the Municipal sanitary sewer system. (Ord. 218, 9-4-56; amd. 1995 Code)

A. Charges for Use: A charge is hereby imposed upon every person whose premises are served, either directly or indirectly, by the sanitary sewer system within the City, for the use of the facilities of said sewer system and for connection to the system. Such charges shall be in an amount set by the Council and shall be kept on file in the City Manager's office in the form of a rate schedule. (Ord. 592, 2-17-69; amd. 1990 Code)
B. Supplemental Charges for Industrial Sewage Wastes: In respect to property which shall be connected to the City sewer for the disposal of industrial sewage wastes, which shall by virtue of its strength and volume be subject to supplementary charges by the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission, the City may impose a supplemental charge based generally upon and at least equal to the amount of the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission supplemental charge.
C. Payment of Charges: Any prepayment or overpayment of charges may be retained by the City and applied on subsequent quarterly statements.
D. Penalty for Late Payment: Each quarterly billing for sewer charges not paid when due shall incur a penalty charge of ten percent of the amount past due. (Ord. 592, 2-17-69; amd. 1995 Code)
E. Action to Collect Charges: Any amount due for sewer charges, including Metropolitan Waste Control Commission sewer charges, in excess of ninety 90 days past due shall be certified to the County Auditor for collection with real estate taxes. This certification shall take place regardless of who applied for sewer services, whether it was the owner, tenant or other person. The City shall also have the right to bring a civil action or other remedies to collect unpaid charges. (Ord. 661, 3-13-72; amd. 1995 Code) (Ord. 1383, 6-08-2009)

The Metropolitan Waste Control Commission, a metropolitan commission organized and existing under the laws of the State of Minnesota, in order to receive and retain grants in compliance with the Federal Water Pollution Control Act is required to impose industrial user strength charges to recover operation and maintenance cost of treatment works attributable to the strength of discharge of industrial waste. The City shall collect industrial strength charges as dictated by the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission rules and Minnesota State Statutes and adopts the same by reference. (1995 Code)

The cleaning and/or emptying of the contents of any privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, sink or private drain located in the City shall be done in an inoffensive manner and the contents shall be placed in and be removed from the premises in closed, tight covered barrels, receptacles or tank trucks so as to prevent the scattering, dropping or leaking while being transported and shall be discharged or destroyed so as not to be offensive to surrounding property owners. (Ord. 168, 9-15-53; amd. 1995 Code)