Ordinance 857
ORDINANCE NO. 857
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GILROY ESTABLISHING SEWAGE
STANDARDS AND CONTROL AND REPEALING EXISTING SECTIONS
OF THE GILROY CITY CODE IN CONFLICT THEREWITH.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILROY DOES ORDAIN AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION I. Sections 19.3, 19.9, 19.11, 19.13, 19.16, 19.18
and 19.20 of the Gilroy City Code are hereby repealed.
SECTION II. Sec. 19.1 of the Gilroy City Code is adopted
to read as follows:
Sec. 19.1 Definitions
For the purposes of this Chapter, the following words,
terms, and phrases shall have the meanings respectively
ascribed to them by this section:
BOD. BOD (denoting Biochemical Oxygen Demand) shall
mean the quantity of oxygen expressed in milligrams per
liter utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic
matter in five days at twenty degrees centigrade determined
in accordance with methods described in the current edition
of "Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Waste
Water" published by the American Public Health Association, Inc.
Building Drain. Building drain shall mean that part
of the lowest horizontal piping of a waste water drainage
system which receives the discharge from soil and waste
pipes, inside the walls of the building and conveys it
to the sewer lateral, beginning two feet outside the inner
face of the building wall.
Director of Public Works. Director of Public Works
shall mean the Director of Public Works of the City or
his administrative authority.
Garbage. Garbage shall mean solid wastes from the
preparation, cooking and dispensing of food, and from
the handling, storage and sale of produce.
Health Officer. Health Officer shall mean the county
health officer, his assistants or authorized deputies
acting as health officer of the city.
Industrial Sewer System. Industrial sewer system
shall mean all mains, laterals and outfall lines which
discharge industrial waste directly onto land and which
is not processed through the sewer treatment plant.
Industrial User. Industrial user shall mean any
user engaged in the business of processing fruits,
vegetables, cereals and other agricultural products,
except animals or poultry, who processes or manufa~tures
the same for the purpose of sale, resale, or redel~very
in processed or manufactured form.
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Industrial Wastes. Industrial wastes shall mean any
and all wastes and solids conveyed therein from industrial
processes as distinct from sanitary sewage.
Natural Outlet. Natural outlet shall mean any outlet
into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake or other body of
surface or ground water.
Nuisance. Nuisance shall mean damage to the community
resulting from prohibited practices in the disposal of
sewage or industrial wastes.
~ pH shall mean the logarithm of the reciprocal
of the concentration of hydrogen ions in grams per liter
of solution.
Premises. Premises shall mean any lot, piece or
parcel of land, any building or other structure or any
part of any building or structure used for carrying on
any industry or business.
Private Sewer. A private sewer shall mean a sewer
privately owned and not directly controlled by public
authority.
Properly Shredded Garbage. Properly shredded garbage
shall mean the wastes from the preparation, cooking,
and dispensing of foods that have been shredded to such
degree that all particles will be carried freely under
the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers,
with no particle greater than one-half inch in any dimension.
Public Sewer. Public sewer shall mean a sewer which
is controlled by public authority.
Sanitary Sewer. Sanitary sewer shall mean a sewer
which carries sewage and to which storm, surface and
ground waters are not intentionally admitted.
Sanitary Sewage. Sanitary sewage shall mean the
water-carried wastes discharged from the sanitary con-
veniences of residences, business buildings, institutions
and industrial establishments.
Sewage Treatment Plant. Sewage treatment plant shall
mean any arrangement of devices and structures used for
treating waste water.
Sewerage System. Sewerage system shall mean all
facilities for collecting, pumping, treating and disposing
of waste water.
Sewer. Sewer shall mean.a pipe or conduit for carrying
sewage.
Sewer Lateral. Sewer lateral shall mean the extension
from the building drain to the public sewer or other
place of disposal.
Sha11~ May. Shall is mandatory. May is permissive.
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Storm Drain. Storm drain shall mean a pipe or conduit
which carries storm and surface waters and drainage but
excludes sewage and polluted industrial wastes. '
Suspended Solids. Suspended solids shall mean solids
that either float on the surface of, or are in suspension
in waste water, liquids; and which are largely removable
by laboratory filtering.
User. User shall mean any person responsible for
payment of sewer service charges for premises served as
provided in this chapter.
Waste Water. Waste water shall mean sanitary sewage
and industrial wastes.
Watercourse. Watercourse shall mean a channel in
which a flow of water occurs, either continuously or
intermittently.
SECTION III. The following sections are hereby adopted as
Article VII of Chapter 19 of the Gilroy City Code:
Article VII. Sewage Standards and Control.
Sec. 19.96 Right of Entry for Inspection.
Whenever the Director of Public Works, Health Officer
or any authorized representative of the city shall have
cause to suspect that a nuisance or violation of this
Chapter exists in any house, cellar, enclosure or building,
within the city limits or discharging into the sewerage
system, he may demand entry therein in the daytime, and if
the owner or occupant shall refuse or delay to open the
same and admit a free examination, such refusal or delay
shall constitute a misdemeanor.
Sec. 19.97 Discharge to Sewers Required.
All waste water shall be discharged to public sewers.
Sec. 19.98 Discharge to Natural Outlets.
It shall be unlawful to discharge to any natural
outlet any sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, petroleum
products, coal tar, or any refuse substance arising from
the manufacture of gas from coal or petroleum.
The Director of Public Works may require that unpol-
luted or uncontaminated cooling or other process water be
discharged to a natural outlet, or that it be separated
from sanitary or industrial wastes.
Sec. 19.99 Compliance With Other Regulations.
No statement contained in this Chapter shall be
construed to interfere with any additional requirements
that may be imposed by the County Health Officer, the .
Atomic Energy Commission, or the regional Water Po11ut~on
Control Board.
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Sec. 19.100 Discharge of Storm Waters~ Surface
Water~ Roof Runoff or Subsurface
Waters.
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged
any storm waters, surface waters, roof runoff or subsurface
drainage to any sanitary sewer.
Storm waters, surface waters, roof runoff or subsurface
waters shall be discharged to such drains as are specifically
designated as storm drains, or to a natural outlet approved
by the Director of Public Works. Industrial cooling, or
other process water unpolluted process waters shall be
discharged to a storm drain if so required by the Director
of Public Works.
Sec. 19.101 Tampering With Public Sewers.
No unauthorized persons shall uncover, make any
connections with or opening into, use, alter, or disturb
any public sewer, or appurtenance thereof without first
obtaining a written permit from the Director of Public
Works.
Sec. 19.102 Certain Wastes Prohibited in Public Sewers.
Except as hereinafter provided, no person shall
discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following
described waters or wastes to any public sewer~
a. Wastes containing liquids, solids or gasses
which by reason of their nature or quality may
cause fire, explosion, or be in any way injurious
to persons, the structures of the sewerage system
or its operation.
b. Wastes having a temperature in excess of 160
degrees F. or less than 32 degrees F.
c. Any garbage that has not been properly shredded.
d. Wastes having a momentary pH lower than 5.5 or
higher than 10.0, or having any corrosive property
capable of causing damage or hazards to structures,
equipment, or personnel of the public sanitary sewer
system. Where the City Engineer deems it advisable,
it may be required that any person discharging indus-
trial wastes, install and maintain in approved manner
a suitable device to continuously measure and record
the pH of the wastes so discharged.
e. Wastes containing any noxious or malodorous
gas or substance which either singly or by inter-
action with sewage or other wastes is, in the opinion
of the City Engineer, likely to create a public
nuisance or hazard to life or prevent entry to sewers
for their maintenance and repair.
f. Wastes containing ashes, cinders, sand, mud,
straw shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar,
plastics, wood, hair, lime s~urry, ~ime residues~
chemical residues, paint res~dues, ~n such quant~ty
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and concentration that, in the opinion of the City
Engineer, such substances will cause an obstruction
to the flow in the sewer or otherwise interfere with
the proper operation of the public sanitary sewer
system. Attention is called to the fact that the
maximum permissible concentration will vary through-
out the system depending upon the size of the parti-
cular receiving sewer and the flows therein.
g. Wastes containing insoluble, non-flocculent
substances having a specific gravity in excess of
2.65.
h. Wastes containing soluble substances in such
concentrations as to cause the specific gravity of
the waste to be greater than 1.1.
io Any waters or wastes containing suspended solids
of such character and quantity that unusual attention
or expense is required to handle such materials at
the sewage treatment plant.
j. Wastes containing grease, oil or other substances
that will solidify or will become viscous at temper-
atures of 32 degrees F. and 160 degrees F.
k. Wastes having an average concentration of fats,
oils, greases or similar ether-soluble matter in
excess of 100 milligrams per liter on any given day.
1. Wastes containing more than 10 milligrams per
liter of the following gases: hydrogen sulfide,
su1fus dioxide, nitrous oxide or any of the halogens.
m. Sludges resulting from the treatment of concentrated
solutions that are not acceptable for discharge to
the sewers.
n. Wastes containing gases or vapors, either free
or occluded, in concentrations toxic or dangerous to
humans or animals.
o. Wastes containing any toxic radioactive isotopes
without a special permit.
All of the preceding standards shall apply at the point
where the wastes are discharged into the public sanitary
sewer system, and any chemical or mechanical corrective
treatment required must be accomplished to practical com-
pletion before the wastes reach that point.
Sec. 19.103 Interceptors Required; Maintenance Thereof.
Interceptors shall be provided when, in the opinion of
the Director of Public Works, they are necessary for the
proper handling of liquid wastes containing grease in ex-
cessive amounts, or any flammable waste~, sand, or other
harmful ingredients; except, ~h~t such ~nterceptors ~ha11
not be required for private l~v~ng quarters or dwe11~~
units. All interceptors shall be of a type and capac~ty
approved by the Director of Public Works, and shall be
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loca~ed as ~o be readily and ~asi1y accessible for cleaning
and ~nspect~on. Screen type ~nterceptors, in addition
to other required interceptors, may be required for
handling industrial waste.
Where installed, all interceptors shall be maintained
by the owner, at his expense, in continuously efficient
operation at all times.
Sec. 19.104 Review and Approval Required for Discharge
of Certain Wastes in Public Sewers.
1. The admission into the public sewers of any waste
waters having any of the following, shall be subject to
the review and approval of the Director of Public Works:
a. A biochemical oxygen demand greater than 400
milligrams per liter.
b. More than 400 milligrams per liter of suspended
solids.
c. Any quantity of substances having the character-
istics described in Section 19.102.
d. An average daily flow for any calendar month
greater than two percent of the average daily sewage
flow of the city based on dry weather conditions.
e. An instantaneous or peak rate of flow, as measured
at the connection with the public sewer, which is
greater than five times the daily average for the
maximum calendar month.
2. Where required by the Director of Public Works, the
owner shall provide, operate and maintain at his expense,
such preliminary treatment facilities as may be necessary to:
a. Reduce the B.O.D. to 400 milligrams per liter
and the suspended solids to 400 milligrams per liter
by weight;or
b. Reduce objectionable characteristics or con-
stituents to within the maximum limits provided for
in Section 19.102 ; or
c. Control the quantities and rates of discharge
of such sewage wastes.
3. Plans, specifications and any other pertinent
information relating to proposed preliminary treatment
facilities shall be submitted to the Director of Public
Works for his approval, and no construction of such
facilities shall be commenced until such approval is
obtained in writing. No connection to the public sewer
shall be made until the construction is complete and is
acceptable to the Director of Public Works. The owners
shall furnish the City with results of such laboratory
control tests and operating data as may be called for
in the permit to enable the City to determine compliance
with provisions of this ordinance.
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Sec. 19.105 Discharge of Radioactive Wastes.
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged
any radioactive wastes into any public sewers or appur-
tenances thereof, except where:
a. The person is authorized to use radioactive
materials by the Atomic Energy Commission or other
governmental agency empowered to regulate the use
of radioactive materials.
b. The waste is discharged in strict conformity
with current Atomic Energy Commission recommendations
for safe disposal of radioactive wastes.
c. The person discharging the radioactive wastes
assumes full responsibility for any injury to personnel
or damage to the sewerage system that may result
from such discharge and submits evidence satisfactory
to the Director of Public Works that he has assumed
this responsibility. Any person discharging a
radioactive waste to a public sewer in accordance
with the provisions of the preceding paragraph shall
submit to the Director of Public Works such reports
as the Director may deem necessary. If any radio-
active material is accidentally discharged into
any public sewer, the person responsible shall:
1. Immediately notify the Director of Public
Works.
2. Render such technical or other assistance
to the Department of Public Works within his power
to prevent the sewerage system from becomming con-
taminated with radioactivity.
d. The person has secured a permit from the Director
of Public Works to discharge radioactive materials
into the public sewers.
Sec. 19.106 Use of Garbage Grinders in Individual
Dwe11inp; Units.
Garbage, fruits, vegetables, animal or other solid
kitchen waste materials from individual dwelling units
resulting from the preparation of any food or drink may
be admitted to the sanitary sewer if first passed through
a mechanically operated grinder so designed:
a. That it will operate with cold water flowing
into the grinder and through the sink drain line
in such manner as to congeal and areate the solid
and liquid greases within the grinding unit.
b. That it shall discharge wastes at a reasonably
uniform rate in fluid form, which shall flow readily
through an approved trap, drain line or soil line
in a manner which prevents clogging or stoppage
of the drain line.
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c. That it shall be of such construction and have
such operating characteristics that not more than
five percent by weight of all material discharged
from it shall have any dimension larger than one-
fourth inch and no particle shall be greater than
one-half inch in any dimension.
d. That it shall be self-scouring, with no fouling
surfaces to cause objectionable odors.
e. That it shall be free from electrical or mechan-
ical hazards and shall adequately protect the user
against injury during operation.
f. That the installation shall be free from cross-
connection to any water pipe.
g. That the entire installation shall comply in
all particulars with the provisions of the plumbing
and electrical codes of the City.
The final decision as to the sufficiency of the design
to meet these requirements shall rest with the Director of
Public Works.
Sec. 19.107 Installation of Manholes.
When required by the Director of Public Works, the
owner of any property served by a building sewer carrying
industrial wastes shall install a suitable control manhole
in the building sewer to facilitate observation, sampling
and measurement of wastes. Such manhole, when required,
shall be accessibly and safely located, and shall be
constructed in accordance with plans approved by the
Director of Public Works. The manhole shall be installed
by the owner at his expense, and shall be maintained by
him so as to be safe and accessible at all times.
Sec. 19.108 Procedure for Measuring, Testing and
Analyzing Characteristics of Waters
and Wastes.
All measurements, tests and analyses of the charac-
teristics of waters and wastes to which reference is made
in Section 19.102 and 19.104 be determined in accordance
with the publication "Standard Methods for the Examination
of Water, Sewage and Industrial Wastes," as published
by the American Water Works Association, and the American
Public Health Association and the Federation of Sewage
and Industrial Wastes Association, and shall be deter-
mined at the control manhole provided for in Section 19.107,
or upon suitable samples taken at such control manhole.
In the event that no special manhole has been required,
the control manhole shall be considered to be the nearest
downstream manhole in the public sewer to the point at
which the building sewer is connected.
Samples for analysis shall be representative of the
total waste volume and composite samples shall be collected
in proportion to the rate of flow at the time of sam~ling.
Quantitative flow measurements ~ha11 b~ made ~s~ng
primary metering elements and rec?rd~ng dev~ces ~h~ch have
been previously approved by the D~rector of Pub1~c Works.
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Sec. 19.109 Special Agreements With Other Public
Jurisdictions For Discharge of Industrial
Wastes.
No statement contained in this Chapter shall be con-
strued as preventing any special agreement or arrangement
between the City and other public jurisdictions or any
industrial concern whereby sanitary sewage from public
jurisdictions or industrial waste of unusual strength
or character may be accepted by the City for treatment,
subject to special regulation and payment therefor by
the public jurisdiction or industrial concern.
Sec. 19.110 Septic Tank Pumpers.
The City Sewer Plant will be made available to all
licensed septic tank pumpers and wastes collected outside
the City limits will be accepted. All septic tank pumpers
dumping at the City Sewer Plant shall be subject to a
City business license. Fees for dumping wastes shall be
set by resolution. Any septic tank pumper discharging
into the City Sewer System at any point other than the
City Sewer Plant shall be in violation of this ordinance
and any such violation shall constitute a misdemeanor.
Sec. 19.111 Notice To Abate Violations Of Chapter;
Procedure For Enforcement.
Any person found to be violating any provision of
this Chapter, except Section 19.113, shall be served by
the City with written notice stating the nature of the
violation and providing a reasonable time limit for the
satisfactory correction thereof. The offender shall,
within the period of time stated in such notice, permanently
cease all violations. All services for water, sewer or
garbage may be discontinued for failure to correct the
violation within the time limited. At leas. five (5)
days prior to such discontinuance a final notice shall
be mailed to the person violating the provisions hereof,
informing him that discontinuance will be enforced if
correction of the violation is not made within the time
specified. After the expiration of said five (5) days,
if the correction has not been satisfactorily made, all
such services may be discontinued.
It is hereby expressly provided that failure to cease
such violations within the period of time stated in the
notice shall constitute a public nuisance, and the City
Attorney is hereby authorized, in addition to any other
remedies provided by law, to institute abatement proceedings
against the violator.
Sec. 19.112 Summary Abatement Of Certain Nuisances.
Whenever the Director of Public Works, or any duly
authorized representative of the City, finds that,a
nuisance exists which is an actual menace to pub1~c health
and safety, he may abate the same forthwith.
Sec. 19.113 Damage to Sewer Apparatus.
It shall be unlawful for any person to maliciously,
willfully, or negligently break, damage, destroy, uncover,
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deface or tamper with any structure, appurtenance or
equipment which is a part of the municipal sewage works.
Sec. 19.114 Civil Liability For Results Of Vio1ationso
Any person violating any of the provisions of this
Chapter shall become liable to the City for any expense,
loss or damage occasioned the City by reason of such violation.
SECTION IV. All ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict
herewith are hereby repealed.
SECTION V. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force
thirty (30) days from and after its passage and approval.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 7th day of July, 1969, by the following
vote~
AYES:
COUNCILMEMBERS: Batrez, Duffin, Kennedy, Pate,
Wentworth and Goodrich
NOES~
ABSENT:
COUNCILMEMBERS: None
COUNCILMEMBERS: Silva
APPROVED:
)fn~~
Mayor
ATTEST:
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I, SUSANNE E. STEINMETZ, City Clerk of the City of Gilroy, do
hereby certify that the attached Ordinance No. 857 is an original
ordinance, duly adopted by the Council of the City of Gilroy at a
regular meeting of said Council held on the 7th day of July
, 19 69, at which meeting a quorum was present.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the
official seal of the City of Gilroy, this 5th day of August
, 19 69.
C) ty ~ ~;e~:: ~h<;' Jy;,if~~~l-