APPENDIX D
Sewer Facilities Ordinance
Sections:
20.D.010 General Provisions.
20.D.020 Definitions.
20.D.030 Description of service.
20.D.040 Notices.
20.D.050 Application for service.
20.D.060 Rates and charges.
20.D.065 Extension of sewer mains and laterals and reimbursement.
20.D.070 Rendering and payment of bills.
20.D.080 Deposits.
20.D.090 Disputed bills.
20.D.100 Annexation of property into the service area.
20.D.110 Construction of sewer extensions.
20.D.120 Procedures and policies for connection.
20.D.130 Continuity of service.
20.D.140 Protection from damage.
20.D.150 Use of the public sewers.
20.D.160 Powers and authority of inspectors.
20.D.170 Building sewers and connections.
20.D.180 Construction standards for public sewers.
20.D.190 Pump stations and force mains.
20.D.200 Standard details.
20.D.210 Original service area boundaries.
20.D.010 General provisions.
A. Short title. This appendix shall be known and may be cited as the
Douglas County sanitary sewer service ordinance.
B. Enabling statutes. This ordinance is adopted pursuant to NRS 244.157.
C. Enterprise. The County may furnish systems used for the collection
of domestic and industrial wastewater and septage waste in the service area
designated by the Board of County Commissioners, including all parts of the
enterprise, all appurtenances thereto, and land, easements, rights in land,
contract rights and franchises. Existing, approved developments within the
service area previously authorized to receive reimbursement are subject to
this ordinance.
D. Separability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or
phrase of this ordinance or the application thereof to any person or circumstance
is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall
not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance or the
application of such provision to other persons or circumstances. The board
hereby declares that it would have passed this ordinance or any section, subsection,
sentences, clause or phrase hereof irrespective of the fact that any one or
more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases may be declared
to be unconstitutional.
E Relief on application. When any person by reason of special circumstances,
is of the opinion that any provision of this ordinance is unjust or inequitable
as applied to his premises, he may make written application to the director
stating the special circumstances, citing the provision complained of, and
requesting suspension or modification of that provision as applied to his
premises. Every application granted by the director shall be reviewed and
approved by the board.
Any written application for suspension or modification of a provision
of the ordinance that has been denied by the director may be appealed to the
board. The appeal to the board must be filed within ten (10) days of notification
from the director that the application has been denied. The board may suspend
or modify the provision complained of, as applied to such premises, to be
effective as of the date of the application and continuing during the period
of the special circumstances.
F. Relief of own motion. The director retains the right to grant
adjustments and exceptions to the provisions of this ordinance in order to
vary or modify the strict application in cases where there are practical difficulties
or unnecessary hardships.
The board may, on its own motion, find that by reason of special circumstances
any special provision of this regulation and ordinance should be suspended
or modified as applied to a particular premise and may, by resolution, order
such suspension or modification for any such premises during the period of
such special circumstances, or any part thereof.
G. Review by the board. This ordinance shall be reviewed by the board
not less than every two years to insure that the provisions of this ordinance
are kept up to date and sufficient to operate the sanitary sewer facilities.
H. Words and phrases. For the purposes of this ordinance, all words
used herein in the present tense shall include the future; all words in the
plural number shall include the singular number; and all words in the singular
number shall include the plural number.
I. Billing authority. The County shall send out and collect bills
for sewer service used for which no payment has been received. (Ord. 801,
1998; Ord. 692, 1995) 
20.D.020 Definitions
A. Words defined:
1. Applicant means the person making application for
service who shall be the owner of the premises, or its authorized agent, to
be served or a person who renders such service to its customers.
2. Application means a written request for sewer service
as distinguished from an inquiry as to the availability of or charges for
such service.
3. Average month consists of 30 days.
4. Billing period means the period for which a billing
is made. It may be for an average month and need not coincide with the calendar
month (i.e., may be billed on a cycle of 29 to 31 days).
5. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) means the quantity
of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard
laboratory procedure in five days at 20 C, expressed in milligrams per liter
(mg/l).
6. Board means the Board of County Commissioners.
7. Building means any structure used for human habitation
or a place of business, recreation or other purposes containing sanitary facilities.
8. Building drain means that part of the lowest horizontal
piping of a drainage system which receives the discharge from soil, waste
and other drainage pipes inside the walls of the building and conveys it to
the building sewer. The “building drain” shall be deemed to commence five
feet from the point the piping leaves the outside face of the building wall.
9. Collection system means the system of pipes, manholes,
pump stations and appurtenances receiving liquid wastes from buildings and
premises for the transmission to the treatment facility.
10. Combined sewer means a sewer receiving both surface
runoff and sewage. A combined sewer is not permitted in the sewer service
area.
11. Contractor means an individual, firm, corporation,
partnership or association duly licensed by the state of Nevada to perform
the type of work to be done under a permit.
12. County means the County of Douglas.
13. Customer means the person in whose name service
is rendered as evidenced by the signature on the application or contract for
that service, or in the absence of a signed instrument, by the receipt and
payment of bills regularly issued in his name regardless of the identity of
the actual user of the service.
14. Date of presentation means the date upon which
a bill or notice is mailed or postmarked or delivered to the Customer.
15. Director means the Douglas County Community Development
Director or his designee.
16. Equivalent dwelling unit (EDU) means the estimated
quantity of sewage in gallons as established by County resolution which the
sewer system must handle for the specific use compared to the usage of an
average single family dwelling which has a defined usage of units. (Ord. 98-834)
17. Fixture means any sink, tub, shower, water closet
or other facility connected by drain to the sewer.
18. Gallon means the volume of sewage which occupies
231 cubic inches.
19. Gaming areas means any area where there are four
or more slot machines or any other form of gaming.
20. Garbage means solid wastes from the domestic and
commercial preparation, cooking and dispensing of food, and from the handling,
storage and sale of produce.
21. Industrial wastes means the liquid wastes from
industrial manufacturing processes, trade or business as distinct from sanitary
sewage.
22. Law means any statute, rule or regulation established
and enforced by Federal, State, County or Municipal authorities.
23. Main sewer means a public sewer designed to accommodate
more than one lateral sewer.
24. Natural outlet” means any outlet into a watercourse,
pond, ditch, lake or other body of surface or ground water.
25. Outlet means any part of a plumbing system to which
a fixture is attached.
26. Outside sewer means a sanitary sewer beyond the
limits of the sewer service area not subject to the control or jurisdiction
of the County.
27. Owner means a fee owner of the premises.
28. Permanent service means a service which, in the
opinion of the County Engineer, is of a permanent and established character.
The use of the sewer may be continuous, intermittent or seasonal in nature.
29. Permits and fees means those charges and permits
of authorizations required by the County for sewer service commensurate with
costs and administration to issue said permits.
30. Person means any human being, individual, firm,
organization, entity, company, partnership, trust, association, private, public
or municipal corporation, the United States of America, the state of Nevada,
a district, body or any political subdivision or governmental agency, a general
improvement district, local improvement district or other quasi-municipal
corporation.
31. Ph means the negative logarithm of the hydrogen
ion activity.
32. Plumbing system means all plumbing fixtures and
traps or soil, waste, special waste and vent pipes, and all sanitary sewer
pipes within a building. A “plumbing system” shall be deemed to extend to
five feet from the point the piping leaves the outside face of the building
wall (see “building drain”).
33. Premises means all of the real property and services
to a single integrated activity operating under one name to one or more buildings,
locations, or services, provided that a) such building, location or services
are to a single unit of property; or, b) such two or more units or property
immediately adjoining, except for intervening public highways, streets, alleys
or waterways.
34. Properly managed garbage means the wastes from
the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food that has been reduced to such
a 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.
35. Public Sewer means the sanitary sewage piping and
appurtenances located in a public right-of-way or easement, utilized for the
collection and/or conveyance of sewage discharged from individual building
laterals, controlled by or under the jurisdiction of the County.
36. Sanitary sewer means a sewer which carries sewage
and to which storm, surface and ground waters are not intentionally admitted.
37. Service area means the Douglas County unincorporated
sewer service area as designated in section 20.D.210.
38. Service classification:
a. Residential service means service to a single
family dwelling, condominium, individually owned mobile home, attached multiple
residential units, dormitories and rooming houses, hotels and motels.
b. Commercial service means service to laundromats,
theaters, stores, offices, general private and public businesses, gaming establishments
and other public or amusement areas.
c. Institutional service means service to schools,
churches, lodges, halls and hospitals.
d. Industrial and other special uses: service
to special users not contemplated herein above based on the character or the
waste, quantity and quality of the flow or the other unique installation or
operating circumstances.
39. Service connection means the point of connection
of the customer’s piping with the County’s facilities.
40. Sewage means a combination of the water-carried
wastes from the residences, commercial or business buildings, institutions
and industrial establishments.
41. Sewage treatment plant means any arrangement of
devices and structures used for treating sewage.
42. Sewage works means all facilities for collecting,
pumping, treating and disposing of sewage.
43. Sewer means a pipe or conduit for carrying sewage.
44. Shall is mandatory; may is permissive.
45. Single family unit means a single family unit is
defined as and refers to the place of residence for a single family. It shall
mean any residence, apartment, habitation or other structure, including a
mobile home or trailer to be occupied by a single person or family requiring
sewage disposal service. Property improved for multi-family purposes shall
constitute the number of single family units.
46. Slug means any discharge of water, sewage or industrial
waste which in concentration of any given constituent or in quantity of flow
exceeds for a duration longer than 15 minutes more than five times the average
24 hour concentration of flows during normal operation. Slugs are not permitted
to be discharged.
47. Storm drain or storm sewer means a sewer which
carries storm, surface or ground waters and drainage, but excludes sewage
and polluted industrial wastes.
48. Street means any public highway, road, street,
avenue way, public easement or right-of-way.
49. Superintendent means the person appointed by the
director to superintend the sewage works and perform the work of the inspector
and supervise the County utility.
50. Suspended solids means solids that either float
on the surface of or are in suspension in water, sewage or other liquids,
and which are removable by laboratory filtering.
51. Tariff schedules means the entire body of effective
rates, charges and rules collectively of the County as set forth herein.
52. Unit” means equivalent dwelling unit (EDU) as herein
defined.
53. Watercourse means a channel in which a flow of
water occurs, either continuously or intermittently. (Ord. 834, 1998; Ord.
801, 1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.030 Description of service.
Douglas County shall provide sewer service at the customer’s service
connection to meet reasonable needs and requirements of the customer and to
meet the rules set forth in this ordinance and those required by the Health
Division of the Human Resources Department of the state of Nevada, and Nevada
Division of Environmental Protection. (Ord. 834, 198; Ord. 801, 1998; Ord.
692, 1995)
20.D.040 Notices.
A. Notice to a customer will normally be in writing and will be delivered
or mailed to the customer’s last known address.
B. In emergencies, or when circumstances warrant, the County, where
feasible, will endeavor to promptly notify the customer affected and may make
such notification either in person or by telephone, and this notification
will be followed by a letter.
C. A customer shall make notification in writing to the County at
its administrative office at the community development department.
D. In emergencies, or when circumstances warrant, the customer may
notify the County either in person or by telephone. This notification will
be followed by a letter. (Ord. 801, 1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.050 Application for service.
A. Except as otherwise provided, service will be furnished only to
applicants whose premises are wholly situated within the boundaries of the
service area as adopted by Douglas> County. Premises outside the service
area boundaries can be served on the basis of a contract to be negotiated
between the applicant and the County or inclusion in the service area.
B. Each applicant shall be required to apply for a sewer connection
permit on a form provided by the County. The application must be accompanied
by payment of the applicable sewer connection fee as adopted by the board.
Sewer connection permits will be issued by the department upon payment of
the connection fee. The property owner will certify that no property other
than his or her own or public property will be crossed, or an easement in
a form suitable to the County engineer, legal counsel and board must accompany
the application. The application shall include information concerning the
type of service, the purpose and the type of facilities to be served on a
form as prescribed by the director. (Ord. 801, 1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.060 Rates and charges.
A. Monthly per unit charge. All rates and charges shall be in such
amounts as set forth in resolutions adopted by the board, and as revised from
time to time in accordance with other provisions of these ordinances and applicable
law.
A monthly per unit charge shall made for the discharge of or the availability
or discharge of all sewage into the County’s sewer system. The monthly per
unit charge will be based upon the operation and maintenance costs of treatment
works within the service area. Operation and maintenance shall mean those
functions that result in expenditures during the useful life of the treatment
works for materials, labor, utilities and other items which are necessary
for managing and maintaining the sewage works to achieve the capacity and
performance for which such works were designed and constructed. The term
operation and maintenance includes replacement. Replacement
shall mean expenditures for obtaining and installing equipment, accessories
or appurtenances which are necessary during the useful life of the treatment
works to maintain the capacity and performance for which such works were designed
and constructed. Each user or user class shall pay its proportionate share
of operation and maintenance costs of treatment works within the service area,
based on the user’s proportionate contribution to the total wastewater loading
from all users or user classes. Where treatment costs include treatment at
a facility not under the jurisdiction of the County, the costs shall be adjusted
in accordance with increases or decreases to these costs as approved by the
operational entity of that treatment facility.
The total monthly charge will be computed based on the summation of
the units of the user in accordance with the following schedule times the
then current monthly per unit charge established by the County. Units are
defined as the estimated quantity of sewage which the sewer system must handle
for the specific use compared to the usage of an average single family dwelling
which has a defined usage of unity. Where lift pumps operated by the County
are used to serve a user, an additional charge/per sewer unit may be assessed
to the user. Any additional charge/per sewer unit shall only be for the increased
operation and maintenance costs directly chargeable to the user resulting
from the lift pumps operated by the County to serve the user.
| Equivalent Dwelling Unit | |
| 1. Residential Use a. Single family dwellings, condominiums per single family, single mobile homes and attached multiple residential rental units using common building sewer |
1.0 unit per single family dwelling unit. |
| b. Mobile home parks per stall or pad. The permanent residence of manager or owner will be treated as a single family residence. | 0.8 units per stall. |
| c. Dormitories and rooming houses. | 0.25 units per sleeping room. |
| d. Hotels and motels with the exception that the permanent residence of manager or owner will be treated as a single family residence. | 0.33 (one-third) units per sleeping room for up to and including a combined total of 3 drains or fixtures and 0.1 units for each and every additional drain or fixture. |
| 2. Commercial a. Laundromats. |
0.5 units per machine |
| b. Restaurants, all prepared food establishments, bars, cocktail lounges and taverns. | 0.5 units per drain, all kitchen drains and general public use drains. Where the establishment is open more than 12 hours per day, 0.6 units per drain, and if no dishes are used, the 0.5 will be reduced to 0.3 units when open less than 12 hours per day and 0.4 when open more than 12 hours per day. |
| c. Stores, offices, general private and public businesses. Each business containing a minimum of one unit. Multiple businesses in one building sharing a common restroom shall be considered as one business for the purpose of calculating one applicable sewer rate. | 0.2 units per drain, per shift, for drains not available to general public. 0.3 units per drain for drains available to the general public. |
| d. Gaming establishments, or gaming areas within other use buildings. | 1.0 unit per 500 square feet (but not less than one unit). |
| e. Special drains: i) If any grease, excess cleaning agents or other agents not common to normal sewerage are discharged; |
0.5 units. |
| ii) If any cooling water drains or continuously running drains are in use; | 1.0 unit. |
| iii) For any public dump station for recreational vehicles only. | 5.0 units per drain. For any RV Park having individual parking for unserviced spaces, an additional unit will be charged for one to six spaces, two units for seven to twelve spaces and three units for thirteen to eighteen spaces, etc. |
| iv) For garbage disposal, not in residence; | 1.0 unit. |
| v) Heavy use drains serviced by more than one supply or one supply greater than 3/4" of water line; | 0.2 units times number of water services to drain or its equivalent. |
| vi) RV parks | .5 unit/space. |
| vii) Swimming pools. | In addition to the number of units for sanitary facilities and drains, a charge of 1.0 EDU for each 350 gallons of water used for back-washing the pool filters will be charged. The County will assess the maximum backwash flow based on information submitted by the applicant. The County will periodically monitor the pool and an operation and any changes noted may result in the charge of back-washing being modified to represent the actual operating conditions. A minimum of one unit for back-washing per pool will be assessed. |
| viii) Self service car washes. | 1.5 units per stall. |
| ix) Supermarket condensate drains. | 0.05 unit per drain. |
| 3. Institutional a. Schools, first ADA after first month of school year and adjusted annually. |
1.0 unit per 16 ADA pupils. |
| b. Churches. | 1.0 unit per 6,000 square feet of worship area and 1.0 unit per 1,500 square feet for all other areas. |
| c. Lodges, halls, theaters, meeting rooms, amusement areas other than gambling. | 1.0 unit per 2,000 square feet (but not less than 1.0 unit). |
| d. Hospitals. | 1.0 unit per two beds |
| e. Assisted care facilities. | 0.35 unit per single bed. |
4. Industrial, other special uses and alternatives. For
all other uses, the applicant shall present all the applicable information
required for evaluation to the director. The director will determine what
the rate will be for the applicant based upon the charge per EDU as determined
by the board.
a. Industrial discharges
are limited to domestic waste and pretreated effluent in accordance with state
standards and will be evaluated on a case by case basis. An applicant for
an industrial discharge will demonstrate that it has obtained a discharge
permit from the state specifying the quantity, quality and period of discharge.
5. Miscellaneous.
a. In the event a private residence and a business
are situate on the same premise, the following will be charged:
i) A charge will be assessed the residence
in accordance with the rates applicable to residences.
ii) Any drains in the residence used by the
business will be charged at the commercial rate in addition to the charges
in paragraph (i) above.
iii) In the case of new construction, only
one connection fee, computed on the larger rate, shall be payable, even though
more than one common physical connection is constructed.
b. On vacant subdivided lots where facilities have
been built in anticipation of future needs, a monthly standby fee per lot
will be charged to the owner of the lot until such time as a service is installed.
i) The County will notify each user at least
annually the rates and the portion of the user charge or ad valorem taxes
which are attributable to waste water treatment services.
ii) This ordinance shall take precedence over
any terms or conditions of agreements or contracts which are inconsistent
with the requirements of Section 204(b)(1)(A) of the Clean Water Act and 40
CFR 35.2140.
C. Connection and capitalization charges.
1. Where new construction within the service area boundaries
results in a sewer connection being made, the County may charge a connection
charge and a capitalization charge.
a. Connection charge. The connection charge shall
entitle the customer to treatment plant capacity. The charge is applied to
all new users or sewer facilities in approximate proportion to their anticipated
usage and is for the right service in the system. The connection charge shall
be a fee charged in order to equalize the investment in sewer plant equipment
and related facilities made by the County.
b. Capitalization charge. The capitalization charge
shall be the charge to sewer system customers to produce revenues for such
non-operating, maintenance and replacement items as the board may specify,
and to retire any outstanding indebtedness and maintain reserve accounts for
capital improvements to upgrade and expand the sewer system. Capital costs
shall mean costs of major rehabilitation, expansion or upgrading required
as facilities reach the end of their useful life. Capital outlays shall mean
expenditures which result in the acquisition of, or addition to, fixed or
capital assets.
i) The sewer system repair fund shall be accounted
for separately. The monies collected through the capitalization charge shall
be kept in an account in the Sewer Enterprise Fund for sewer system capital
improvements and repair.
ii) Computation of sewer units will be based
on the schedule pursuant to section 20.D.060 of this appendix.
2. Where an existing building is remodeled or extended and
such existing building is already served by an existing sewer connection,
additional capitalization and connection charges shall be charged. These
charges will be computed on the basis of the total sewer units for the remodeled
or extended building, less the sewer units previously existing and paid for
in the building prior to its remodeling or extension. A sewer connection
permit must be obtained prior to commencing any work which results in a change
in the sewer facilities within the remodeled or extended building or existing
sewer line.
3. Where a sewer allocation has been made for a parcel of
property, the allocation shall be completely utilized on that property before
any additional allocation or connection requests will be considered for that
property by the director. In the event a piece of property with a sewer allocation
is further parceled, the available capacity will be reduced by the connection
requests within the original property boundary and in the order in which they
were requested. The allocation of capacity when a property is divided must
be specifically approved by the director.
4. Stand-by fees may be imposed by resolution of the board
on lots not occupied within one year after service has been available and
approval has been issued by the County.
5. Any connection charges paid for capacity for any completed
project for which any connection permit has been issued may be refunded at
the same rate at which initially assessed provided that refunds are requested
within six months of completion of the project, except that no refunds will
be granted more than two years after the payment of the connection charge.
A service charge of $50 will be charged for all refunds. (Ord. 834, 1998;
Ord. 801, 1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.065 Extension of sewer mains and laterals
and reimbursement.
A. General requirements. In the event that provisions of this title
require the owner to extend the sewer, then the owner shall extend the sewer
main along the entire frontage of his parcel unless it is found by the director
to be physically improper to do so.
B. Participation. The applicant is responsible for the construction
of the sewerline system (or the sewerline system costs) along any of the property
sides or frontages of the property along which a sewerline is needed for the
overall completeness and continuity of the County’s sewer main system. The
applicant is responsible for the necessary and required system of sewerline
within the interior of the tract of land.
1. The applicant shall construct all needed sewerlines (of
approved sizes) within and along all sides or frontages of any piece of property
prior to final approval of the development or the issuance of any certificate
of occupancy. Phased construction of the sewerline system may also be specifically
allowed if provided for in a development agreement between the applicant and
the County. In lieu of actually constructing the required sewerline system,
the applicant may secure the improvements in accordance with section 20.720.030.
The applicant may also present a cash deposit, letter of credit, or similar
method of financing the costs in a form acceptable to County, but in that
event the estimated costs shall be based upon 150% of the County’s cost of
construction which would include statutorily required wage rates.
2. Whenever an applicant is required to construct a sewerline
from the applicant’s respective property to the nearest sewerline outside
of the applicant’s property, and where, in the opinion of the director, it
is necessary that a sewerline be constructed of a larger size than the minimum
size needed to serve such property and that such extended sewerline will be
or can be used in the collection of sewerage from adjacent properties, the
director shall require the applicant to construct the larger size sewerline
in accordance with the plans and specifications as approved by the director.
Should the County require an oversized sewerline, the County will reimburse
the applicant for the costs of the additional sewerline size as long as the
line is greater than ten inches in diameter, as set forth in a reimbursement
agreement pursuant to chapter 20.460.
3. When the County agrees to pay for an increase in sewerline
size, at least three proposals, signed and prepared by a contractor, shall
be required which show the comparable cost of the incremental increase requested
by the County. The County shall select the proposal most beneficial to it.
In no event shall County pay more than the lowest proposal presented.
C. Reimbursement. If the applicant must extend the sewerline system
through another property owner’s property or along the frontages of various
intermediate property owners, and if those properties are not currently served
by the County’s sewer system, then the intermediate and benefitting property
owners shall be responsible when development commences or connection is made
for a pro rata share of the costs of the sewerline extension, provided that
the parcels were identified in the reimbursement fair share analysis and agreement.
1. When the applicant is required to extend a sewerline, he
shall front-end the entire cost of the sewerline construction and shall be
responsible for the actual construction of the sewerline. Any owners of properties
to be served by the extended will thereafter be responsible for reimbursing
the first property owner for a pro rata share of the costs of the sewerline
system at the time the subsequent owners begin to plat, parcel, develop, or
build upon their parcels or when connection is made for existing buildings.
2. The pro rata shares for the applicant and all subsequent
or other owners benefitted by the extended sewerline shall be determined prior
to the County entering into the reimbursement agreement. The County shall
collect a 15% administrative fee from the applicant who front-ended the sewerline
construction upon reimbursement.
3. In no event shall any owners of the property to be served
by such extended sewerlines be permitted to connect thereto without first
paying to the applicant or the County the pro rata share of the costs described
above as well as all other fees required by the County.
D. Any facilities installed pursuant to subsections A through C of
this section are the property of the County upon inspection and approval by
the County.
E. Lateral installation, maintenance, and reimbursement. Whenever
the County, or a contractor hired by the County, extends a sewer main along
the frontage of any property not connected to the County sewer system, the
County may elect to install a sewer lateral or wye or both within the public
right-of-way or easement adjacent to the property. If such a lateral or wye
is installed by the County or its contractor, the property owner shall reimburse
the County for the costs of the installation prior to connection of the property
owner’s sewer system to the sewer main. For the purposes of this section
the costs which must be reimbursed are the costs incurred by the county at
the time of the installation and include the County’s final contract cost
for the lateral or wye and any required pavement replacement. The payment
of these costs by the owner odes not affect the duty of the owners of property
to install, maintain, and repair sewer laterals in the public right-of-way
or easement which serve their property.
F. Agreements and effective period. Reimbursement agreements shall
be negotiated between the director or his staff and the applicant. If the
parties are unable to reach an agreement, the dispute may be presented to
the board for resolution. Each agreement shall become null and void and no
further reimbursement is obtainable ten years after the recording of the final
map that provides for or requires construction of the addition to the sewer
system. (Ord. 801, 1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.070 Rendering and payment of bills.
A. Presentment of bills. Statements for sewage rates and charges
shall be rendered and mailed to the property owner. The bills shall be due
and payable at the County office on or before the tenth (10th) day after the
statement has been mailed. Use charges shall be billable in advance and shall
begin to accrue the day on which service becomes available.
B. Rates and charges to constitute lien; remedies; penalties.
1. No application for sewer service shall be accepted from
any customer who has any delinquent account.
2. The County may bring an action against the owner of the
premises for the collection of the amount of the delinquency, all penalties
and costs of collection, including a reasonable attorney’s fee. Until paid,
all rates, tolls or charges shall constitute a lien on the property and may
be foreclosed by the County as provided by statute for the foreclosure of
a lien.
3. A basic penalty for the non-payment of charges when due
of 10% for the first month’s delinquency shall be charged. In addition, a
penalty of one and one-half percent (1½%) per month for each month for non-payment
of the charges will be assessed. The basic penalty shall be imposed on the
first day of the calendar month following the due date under paragraph A above.
4. When an owner notifies the County that water from the applicable
water utility has been discontinued and there is no private water system
use, the County will verify this, and the sewer charges will be as per the
rate charged for non-users. (Ord. 801, 1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.080 Deposits.
A. Amount to establish or re-establish credit. A deposit may be required
to insure future payments, but the deposit shall not exceed a four months’
estimated billing. An application for service will be refused because of
non-payment of bills for other classes of service at another address by the
same owner.
B. Applicability to unpaid accounts. Deposits made under this rule
will be applied to unpaid bills for service when such service has been discontinued.
C. Return of deposits. Upon discontinuance of service, the County
will refund the balance of the customer’s deposit in excess of unpaid bills
for the service for which the deposit was made. (Ord. 801, 1998; Ord. 692,
1995)
20.D.090 Disputed bills.
A. In the case of a dispute between a customer and the County as to
the correct amount of any bill, the customer shall deposit with the County
the amount claimed by the County to be due.
B. If the customer fails to make such deposit within 15 days after
written notice by the County, the County may commence legal proceedings to
collect the bill.
C. n the event of dispute concerning any bill, charge or service,
the County will make such an investigation as may be required by the particular
case and will report the result of the investigation to the customer. (Ord.
801, 1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.100 Annexation of property into the service area.
A. A applicant desiring to have property included into the service
area, for the purpose of obtaining sewerage service, shall make an application
to the director in writing. The application must contain:
1. A accurate legal description of the property; and
2. The consent of all the property owners or their agents.
3. A vicinity map showing the area to be included in relation
to the existing service area boundaries. The area to be included must consist
of a complete legal parcel or complete legal parcels of land as such are understood
and defined by applicable Douglas County Code.
B. Every application for inclusion of property into the service area
shall be reviewed and approved by the board.
C. Every developer has the obligation to construct a minimum eight-inch
sewer line. The County may require on-site or off-site sewer lines beyond
the eight-inch minimum or beyond the applicant’s needs greater than an eight-inch
line, which oversized line will be constructed at the applicant’s expense.
Upon connection to the sewer system, the applicant shall dedicate all such
oversized lines to the County and upon dedication, the County will operate
and maintain all such lines. The County shall reimburse the applicant for
the additional cost incurred for the increased size or design of such lines
and/or other facilities based on a reimbursement agreement entered into by
the County and the applicant or the following guidelines:
1. The county engineer shall determine the amount of money
necessary to cover the cost of the construction for the oversized lines over
and above the cost of the line and/or facilities that the applicant would
expend if the construction of the sewer line were of the size, design and
capacity sufficient to serve only the interest of the applicant. This excess
cost shall then be prorated along the entire length of the line on a linear
per-foot basis, hereinafter referred to as the “unit cost.”
2. Any and all new applicants for capacity connecting to the
oversized line shall pay to the County an amount based on the linear footage
of line situated on the new applicant's property multiplied by the unit cost
(per foot cost) originally determined by the county engineer. The County
shall refund these amounts to the original applicant who paid for the original
construction of the oversized line. Refunds shall be made as follows:
a. Refunds shall be made without interest;
b. Refunds shall be made within 90 days after the
County receives payment from new applicants connecting to the line.
c. If two or more applicants or parties pay for the
oversized line, refundable amounts will be distributed to each applicant or
party in the same proportion as each individual’s payment bears to the total
cost.
d. No payment will be made by the County for any oversized
line costs after a period of ten years from the date the original applicant
paid such costs. Any and all such non-refundable amounts, even if later collected
by the County from other applicants, shall become the property of the County.
D. All sewer design and construction shall meet the requirements of
the County’s applicable ordinances and/or any applicable facility plans. (Ord.
801, 1998; Ord.692, 1995)
20.D.110 Construction of sewer extensions.
All construction and procedures shall be in accordance with the County’s
applicable design criteria, rules, regulations and ordinances. (Ord. 801,
1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.120 Procedures and policies for connection.
A. Single family residential connections. The applicant will pay
all applicable fees at the time of connection.
B. All Other classes of connection.
1. All applicants desiring connection shall submit a written
application to the County and will pay all applicable fees pursuant to section
20.D.060.
2. The application shall contain:
a. A signed statement from the applicant as to the
use of the intended building.
b. A building plan showing the number of plumbing
fixtures and drains.
c. A sewer plan showing the location and elevation
of the ground and sewer at the point of connection to the building, the slope,
size and material of the connecting sewer and other information requested
by the County deemed necessary for proper evaluation. (Ord. 801, 1998; Ord.
692, 1995)
20.D.130 Continuity of service.
A. Emergency interruptions.
1. The County will make all reasonable efforts to prevent
interruptions to service and when such interruptions occur, the County will
endeavor to re-establish service within the shortest possible time consistent
with the safety for its customers and the general public.
2. If an emergency interruption of service affects the service
to a customer, the County will promptly endeavor to notify the customer and
any public agency with jurisdiction of the interruption and the subsequent
restoration of service.
3. The County will not be responsible for the interruption,
flooding, overflowing, line breakage or any loss or damage if same is caused
by an act of God, fire, strike, riot, war, accident, breakdown, action by
a governmental body or any other cause beyond the control of the County.
4. Under disaster conditions, the County will cooperate to
the fullest extent with the governmental agency having authority.
B. Scheduled interruptions. Whenever the County finds it necessary
to schedule an interruption of service it will, where feasible, notify all
affected customers stating the approximate time and anticipated duration of
the interruption. Scheduled interruptions will be made during hours which
will provide the least inconvenience to the customers consistent with reasonable
County operations. (Ord. 801, 1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.140 Protection from damage.
A. Any person who maliciously, willfully or negligently breaks, damages,
destroys, uncovers, defaces or tampers with any structure, appurtenance or
equipment which is a part of the County’s sewerage works will be dealt with
in accordance with the law.
B. The County may, in its sole unfettered discretion, grant a permit
of encroachment on, to, or over its facilities. Such grant shall be considered
on a case by case basis. The encroachment permit, if granted, must be signed
by the department and the permittee before any right of encroachment is granted.
(Ord. 801, 1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.150 Use of the public sewers.
A. No person shall discharge, or cause to be discharged, any storm
water, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, cooling
water, swimming pool water or industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer
without obtaining a special use permit.
B. No person shall discharge, or cause to be discharged, any of the
following described waters or wastes to any public sewers:
1. Any gasoline, corrosive acid, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil
or flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas.
2. Any greases, waters or wastes containing toxic or poisonous
solids, liquids or gases in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction
with other wastes, which will injure or interfere with any sewage treatment
process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, create a public nuisance
or create any hazard in the sewage treatment plant including, but not limited
to, cyanide in excess of 2 mg/1 as CN in the wastes as discharged to the public
sewer.
3. Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.5 or higher
than 9.0 or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage
or hazard to structures, equipment and personnel of the sewage work.
4. Any waters or wastes containing iron, chromium, copper,
zinc and similar objectionable or toxic substance; or wastes exerting an excessive
chlorine requirement, to such degree that any such material received in the
composite sewage at the sewage treatment works exceeds the limits established
by the County for such materials.
5. Any waters or wastes containing phenols or other taste
or odor-producing substances in such concentrations exceeding limits which
may be established by the County as necessary after treatment of the composite
sewage to meet the requirements of the state, federal or other public agencies
of jurisdiction for such discharge to the receiving waters.
6. Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or
concentration as may exceed limits established by the County in compliance
with applicable state or federal regulations.
7. Materials which exert or cause:
a. Unusual concentration of inert suspended solids
(such as, but not limited to, Fullers Earth, lime, slurries and lime residues)
or of dissolved solids (such as, but not limited to, sodium chloride and sodium
sulfate).
b. Excessive discoloration such as dye wastes and
vegetable tanning solutions.
c. Unusual BOD, chemical oxygen demand, or chlorine
requirements in such quantities as to constitute a significant load on the
sewage treatment works.
d. Unusual volume of flow or concentration of wastes
constituting slugs.
8. Waters or wastes containing substances which are not amenable
to treatment or reduction by the sewage treatment processes employed or are
amenable to treatment only to such degree that the sewage treatment plant
effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies having jurisdiction
over discharge to the receiving waters.
9. No water from swimming pools or water from washing the
decks of swimming pools will be allowed.
C. If any waters or wastes are discharged, or are proposed to be discharged,
to the public sewers which contain the substances or possess the characteristics
enumerated in paragraph B, above, and which, in the judgment of the County,
may have a deleterious effect upon the sewage works, processes, equipment,
or receiving waters or which otherwise create a hazard to life or constitute
a public nuisance, the County may:
1. Reject the wastes.
2. Require pretreatment to an acceptable condition for discharge
of the public sewers.
3. Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge.
4. Require payment to cover the added cost of handling and
treating the wastes not covered by existing sewer charges. If the County
permits the pretreatment or equalization of waste flows, the design and installation
of the plants and equipment shall be subject to the requirements of all applicable
codes, ordinances and laws.
D. Grease, oil and sand interceptors must be provided when they are
necessary for the handling of liquid wastes, sand or other harmful ingredients,
except that such interceptors shall not be required for private living quarters
or dwelling units. All interceptors, types and locations shall be determined
by the County. The locations are to be easily accessible for inspection and
cleaning. All food processing establishments or restaurants or other uses
when food is served to the public must have a grease trap approved by the
County. All grease traps must be maintained and cleaned on a regular basis
that is acceptable to the County. All self service car wash facilities must
have grease and sand traps of a size designated by the County based on the
information submitted by a user. The facilities will be subject to review
and revision as deemed appropriate by the County.
E. Where preliminary treatment, flow-equalizing facilities, or grease,
oil or sand interceptors are provided for any waters or wastes, they shall
be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the
owner and at his expense.
F. When required by the County, the owner of any property served by
a sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable control structure
together with such necessary meters and other appurtenances in the sewer to
facilitate observation, sampling and measurement of the wastes. Such structure,
when required, shall be accessible and safely located and shall be constructed
in accordance with plans approved by the County. The structure 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.
G. All measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of
waters and wastes to which reference is made in these regulations shall be
determined in accordance with the appropriate reporting requirements of the
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection. (Ord. 801, 1998; Ord.692, 1995)
20.D.160 Powers and authority for inspectors.
Designated employees and representatives of the County shall be permitted
to enter properties for the purpose of inspection, observation, sampling and
testing of sewer facilities in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance.
(Ord. 801, 1988; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.170 Building sewer and connections.
A. No person shall uncover, make any connection with or open into,
use, alter or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof without first
obtaining permission from the County.
B. An owner desiring to make a connection to a public sewer shall
make application for a permit on a form furnished by the County. The permit
application shall be supplemented by any plans, specifications and other information
considered pertinent by the County. An applicable connection fee, as set
out in this ordinance, shall be paid by the owner to the County prior to his
obtaining a building permit and before the sewer service permit is issued.
C. All costs of construction of the building sewer including the connection
to the sewer main shall be paid by the owner. Costs for plan review and inspection
by the County is included in the permit fee. The owner shall indemnify the
County from any loss or damage that may directly or indirectly be occasioned
by the installation of the building sewer.
D. Except as hereinafter provided, a separate and independent building
sewer shall be provided for every building. Where one building stands to
the rear of another on the same lot, and construction of a separate building
lateral on the property is not possible, the lateral from the front building
may be extended to the rear building and the whole considered one building
sewer. Row homes or other buildings integrally separate shall have separate
laterals if reasonably possible.
E. Old building sewers may be used in connection with new buildings
only when they have been examined, tested and found by the County to meet
all requirements of its regulations.
F. The minimum size of a gravity building lateral shall conform with
the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) or Standard Specifications for Public Work
Construction (“Orange Book”).
G. All lateral sewers are to be inspected by authorized County personnel
prior to backfill. The County shall be given 24 hours advance notice of intent
to begin construction or for backfilling.
H. Whenever possible, the lateral sewer shall be brought to the building
at an elevation below the lowest floor. In buildings where any building drain
is too low to permit gravity flow to the public sewer, sanitary sewage carried
by such building drain shall be lifted by a pumping facility approved by the
County and discharged to the lateral sewer. Operation and maintenance of
the pumping facility shall be at the expense of the owner.
I. No person shall make a connection of roof downspouts, exterior
or interior foundation drains, areaway drains or other sources of surface
runoff or groundwater to a building sewer or building drain which is connected
to a public sewer.
J. All excavations for building lateral installations shall be adequately
guarded with barricades and lights so as to protect the public from hazards.
Streets, sidewalks, parkways and other public property disturbed in the course
of the work shall be restored in a manner at least equal to its original condition.
(Ord. 834; 1998; Ord. 801, 1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.180 Construction standards for public
sewers.
Public sewers may be constructed by the applicant or by the County
at the applicant’s expense. Procedures governing the appropriate requirements
and agreements are set forth in the Standard Specifications for Public Works
Construction (“Orange Book”) and the Douglas County design criteria and improvement
standards manual (upon adoption). (Ord. 801, 1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.190 Pump stations and force mains.
A. Pump stations are not permitted where a gravity connection can
be made to an existing gravity sewer main of the County. Temporary pump stations
may be considered by the County only after all pertinent information has been
submitted to the County.
B. Sewage pump stations shall be located and designed to serve the
greatest practical tributary area so as to minimize the number of pump stations.
A stand-by engine driven generator shall be provided with automatic starting
and load transfer equipment to operate the station during power failure, unless
1) automatic overflow into a gravity sewer line can be provided at an elevation
that insures no back-ups in the collection system served by the station to
cause surface overflows or backing-up into any connected buildings, or 2)
a minimum of two hour peak flow storage capacity is provided. Careful consideration
shall be given to control odors and noise. Alarms shall be set or designed
in accordance with the County’s specifications.
C. Station capacity shall consider anticipated ultimate-peak flow
from its tributary area. Effects of initial low flows or minimum design flows
must be considered in the design. At least two independent pumps and motors,
each having the total station capacity, shall be provided.
D. Wet well design shall be designed in accordance with Nevada Division
of Environmental Protection requirements. (Ord. 801, 1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
20.D.200 Standard details.
The Douglas >County design criteria and improvement standards manual,
Standard Details for Public Works Construction (“Orange Book”), the Uniform
Plumbing Code and/or the Recommended Standards for Wastewater Facilities for
the Great Lakes Upper Mississippi River Board of State Public Health and Environmental
Managers shall be complied with for all construction. (Ord. 801, 1998; Ord.
692, 1995)
20.D.210 Original service area boundaries.
The original service area boundaries will be established and may be
amended by resolution adopted by the board. The service area can be established
by legal description or by map. If the service area is established or amended
by map, the map shall be maintained on file with the county clerk in the same
manner as the ordinance. (Ord.801, 1998; Ord. 692, 1995)
