17.32.090 Connection Permits.

City Code Section

(Amended by Ordinances 189506 and 191725, effective July 1, 2024.)

  1. Connecting to a City sewer, storm sewer or drainage system, requires the written permission of the Director and payment of all applicable fees. A permit application must include the purpose of the work; the name of the street or proposed or existing easement or right of way where work is proposed; the location of potentially affected components of the City sewer, storm sewer and drainage system; the location of the building or lot to be connected by the work (if any); and the location and the area to be drained.
  2. A.  If the application is for a permit is to connect a commercial or industrial occupancy it must also include:
    1. 1.  A description of the business, a plat of the property, plans and specifications for any special installations;
    2. 2.  A description of the character and quantity of waters and wastes to be discharged through the connection;
    3. 3.  A proposed schedule for work; and
    4. 4.  Any further information required by the BES Chief Engineer.
  3. B.  If the application is for a permit to connect properties outside the City limits, connection approval will be at the sole discretion of the BES Chief Engineer. No connection from property outside the City limits or within a neighboring jurisdiction will be permitted that, in the opinion of the BES Chief Engineer, may overload or otherwise compromise any component of the City sewer, storm sewer or drainage system. Connection of properties outside the City’s boundaries is subject to the requirements and limitations of the City’s adopted urban services policy.
    1. 1.  Application for a permit to connect must be made in writing by the owner or other person having a recorded equitable interest in the property for which the connection is desired.  Before a permit can be issued, all fees and special charges must be paid and any permits that may be required for street or highway opening and use must be obtained.
    2. 2.  Any person connecting a property outside the City limits to the City sewer, storm sewer or drainage system may be required to enter into a maintenance agreement
    3. 3.  Flows from outside the City limits may be required to meet the standards in the Source Control Manual, the Stormwater Management Manual or the Sewer Drainage Facilities Design Manual, as determined by the BES Chief Engineer based on the needs of the City sewer, storm sewer and drainage system.
  4. C.  All permitted work must meet the following general sewer and drainage system construction standards, if applicable:
    1. 1.  All discharges must be routed to the City sewer, storm sewer and drainage system by gravity service when possible, unless otherwise approved by the BES Chief Engineer.
    2. 2.  If separate City storm and sanitary sewers are available, separate connection must be made to the City’s sewer, storm sewer and drainage system from the private property:
      1. a.  Sanitary sewage from private property must be separately conveyed to the property line and connected through individual laterals for discharge to the City separate sanitary or combined sewer.
      2. b.  Drainage from private property, whether from the roof of a building, the surface of a structure, footings of a structure or any other surface, groundwater discharge or other drainage must be conveyed separately from sanitary sewage to City systems via an approvable route of conveyance or discharge point to the City storm sewer and drainage system;
      3. c.  If separate storm and sanitary sewers are not available, but a combined sewer is available, the BES Chief Engineer may require or allow:
        1. (1)  Separate connections for the separate sewage lines from the property to the City’s combined sewer;
        2. (2)  Joining of the separate lines at the curb line closest to the property line or edge of an easement for single discharge into the City’s combined sewer; or
        3. (3)  Onsite infiltration of surface, groundwater discharge or other drainage to minimize or eliminate the need for offsite discharge.
    3. 3.  All discharges must be connected via an approved route of service or route of conveyance to a discharge point approved by the BES Chief Engineer.
  5. D.  The BES Chief Engineer may require that a property owner modify or abandon an existing sewer connection when a new or renovated public sewer becomes available. The BES Chief Engineer may dictate a new route of service or route of conveyance and new approved connection point to the City sewer, storm sewer and drainage system for sewage, wastewater or other drainage discharges. A new connection may be:
    1. 1.  Required or provided by BES as part of an infrastructure replacement project that addresses issues such as but not limited to pipe stability, capacity expansion, water quality improvement, or reduction of inflow or infiltration into existing laterals.
    2. 2.  Required for a property with a private sewer, storm sewer and drainage system located in City right-of-way to obtain a City encroachment permit; or
    3. 3.  Required in order to remove an illegal connection that is subject to an enforcement action.

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