(a) It is unlawful for any person to place, deposit, or permit to be deposited in any unsanitary manner upon public or private property within the city of Selah, or in any area under the jurisdiction of the city, any human or animal excrement, garbage, or other objectionable waste.

(b) Except as hereinafter provided, it is unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended to be used for the disposal of sewage.

(c) Pretreatment. Where required, in the opinion of the city council, to modify or eliminate wastes that are harmful to the structures, processes, or operation of the sewage works, the person shall provide at his/her expense such preliminary treatment or processing facilities as may be determined necessary to render his/her wastes acceptable for admission to the public sewers. Plans, specifications, and any other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary treatment or processing facilities shall be submitted for approval to the city council prior to the start of their construction if the effluent from such facilities is to be discharged into the public sewers.

(d) The owner of each lot or parcel of real property within the city of Selah, not already connected to the public sewer system of the city, upon which lot or parcel of property there is situated any building or structure used for human occupancy or for any other purpose, where plumbing fixtures and/or drainage piping systems are installed therein, shall install suitable toilet facilities therein, and shall connect such facilities, together with all other facilities therein, the use of which results in the existence of sewage as defined in this chapter, to the public sewer system, at his/her own expense within sixty days after service of notice to do so, signed by the city clerk-treasurer and mailed to the address listed on the records of the city of Selah for the payer of sewer charges, whenever there is a public sewer line that is contiguous or abuts or passes through or under the lot or parcel of property, or is adjacent to said lot or parcel of property. "Adjacent" is defined for the purposes of this provision to mean that the public sewer lines shall be no more than two hundred feet from the nearest property line of said lot or parcel.

(e) Where a public sewer line is not available under the provisions of Section 9.10.030(d) of this code, a private sewer and sewage disposal system shall be constructed, connected, and maintained in accordance with provisions herein.

(f) The city of Selah shall have the authority, upon request by an owner of real property required to connect with the public sewer system of the city, to postpone the mandatory connection to the public sewer system, provided:

(g) No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connection with, or opening into, use, alter, or disturb any public sewer without first obtaining a written permit from the superintendent. No unauthorized person shall open, alter, or disturb the streets or alleys of the city of Selah for the purpose of making connection with the public sewer system, without first obtaining a written permit therefor from the superintendent.

(h) No person shall construct nor commence the construction of a private sewer or private sewage disposal system without first obtaining a written permit from the superintendent. No person shall construct, extend, re-lay, repair, or connect a building sewer without first obtaining a written permit from the superintendent.

(i) An application for any permit shall be made on a form furnished by the city of Selah, which the applicant shall supplement with such plans, specifications, and other information that meet the requirements of Chapter 5 of the City of Selah Design, Construction Standards, and Specifications Manual for Public Works Improvements as adopted in Section 13.01.010 and are acceptable by the superintendent. No permit shall become effective until after the superintendent has inspected and approved the construction or installation as completed and before any underground portions are covered. Inspection shall be made by the superintendent within forty-eight hours after receipt of notice excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

(j) The type, capacities, location, and layout of a private sewage system shall comply with all recommendations and regulations of the Department of Health of the state of Washington. No septic tank or cesspool shall be permitted to discharge to any public sewer or natural outlet, or to ground surface, or shall be permitted to discharge to any public sewer without the prior approval of the city council. The owner shall operate and maintain the private sewage disposal facilities in a sanitary manner at all times, at no expense to the city.

(k) Whenever a public sewer becomes available to a lot or parcel served by a private sewage disposal system, as provided in Section 9.10.030(d), a direct connection shall be made to the public sewer in compliance with this ordinance, and any septic tanks, cesspools, and similar private sewage disposal facilities shall be abandoned and filled with suitable material.

(l) A separate and independent building sewer line shall be provided for each building which is constructed and connected to the public sewer system in accordance with Chapter 5 of the City of Selah Design, Construction Standards, and Specifications Manual for Public Works Improvements as adopted in Section 13.01.010; provided, that where feasible, this requirement may be waived upon submission of alternate plans approved by and thereafter constructed under the supervision of the superintendent. Each property connected must obtain a permit as provided in subsection (i) of this section and pay the connection charge as provided in Chapter 9.17.

(m) All connections and building sewer lines connecting with the public sewer system shall be constructed, installed, and connected in such a manner as to ensure a permanent and sanitary sewer, watertight throughout. The pipe used in the installation thereof shall be equal in quality to the pipe used in the general sewer system, and not less than four inches in diameter. The jointing compound, where mechanical joints are not used, shall be equal in quality to that used in the general or public sewer system. Where mechanical joints are used, they shall be of such construction that an absolutely tight joint is ensured. The building sewer shall be sufficient to carry all sewage into the general sewer system and each toilet, sink, stationary washstand, and every other piece or type of equipment or facility having waste fluids or sewage shall be connected therewith. The slope of the building sewer shall be subject to the approval of the superintendent; the pipe in the building sewer shall be laid so that the flow line therein will be at a depth of not less than thirty inches from the surface of the ground.

(n) All excavations for building sewer installations shall be properly safeguarded with lights and barricades so the same may not be a menace to public safety. All streets, sidewalks, alleys, parkways, and other public property disturbed in the course of the work shall be restored in a manner satisfactory to the city.

(o) Sewer connection permit fees and special connection charges required by ordinance shall be paid in cash. In the event of litigation, the city shall recover from the property owner reasonable attorney fees and actual costs.

(p) In the event the building sewer and connection are not made within the time herein provided for following notice, the superintendent is authorized and directed to cause the same to be made and to file a statement of the cost with the city clerk-treasurer, and thereupon a warrant shall be issued under the direction of the city council against the sewer fund for the payment of such cost. The cost, together with a penalty of ten percent thereof, plus interest at the rate of eight percent per annum upon the total amount of the cost and penalty, shall be assessed against the property upon which such building sewer and connection has not been placed as required, and shall become a lien thereon as herein provided. Such total amount, when collected, shall be paid to the sewer fund. (Ord. 2081, § 3, 2019; Ord. 1394,, 1998.)