Sec. 33-86. - Permit for installation or repair.

It shall be unlawful for any person to install or repair, have installed or repaired, allow to be installed or repaired, or to contract to install or repair a septic tank system for another person before the owner of the property on which such system is to be installed or repaired, or such owner's authorized agent, obtains a permit therefor in accordance with the rules and regulations of the state board of health. Such permit may be applied for at the department of public health. A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) shall be paid at the time of such application.

(Ord. No. 1890, § 1; Code 1961, § 10-120; Ord. No. 2825-81)

Cross reference— Plumbing permit fees, § 13-29(b).

Sec. 33-87. - Design and construction specifications; prohibited discharges.

(a)

Septic tank systems shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the provisions of part III, Septic Tank Systems, of the rules and regulations of the state board of health; provided, that the use of metal septic tanks is prohibited. Copies of such rules and regulations shall be maintained on file with the codes compliance administrator and the health director.

(b)

Septic tank systems shall be designed to receive all sanitary sewage, including laundry waste, from the building. Drainage from basement floors, footings or roofs shall not enter any such system.

(Ord. No. 1890, § 1; Code 1961, §§ 10-123, 10-124)

Sec. 33-88. - Separate systems required for duplex dwellings.

For two-family dwellings, a separate septic tank system shall be installed for each dwelling unit therein.

(Ord. No. 1890, § 1; Code 1961, § 10-122)

Sec. 33-89. - Manholes not required for certain tanks.

Where removable slab covers are provided on septic tanks, manholes are not required.

(Ord. No. 1890, § 1; Code 1961, § 10-125)

Sec. 33-90. - Prerequisites to covering or use.

No part of any septic tank system shall be covered or put into use until completed, inspected and approved by the department of public health.

(Ord. No. 1890, § 1; Code 1961, § 10-121)

Sec. 33-91. - Registration, license and bond of cleaners.

It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the business of cleaning any septic tank system, until such person has registered with the codes compliance administrator, has obtained a license pursuant to Chapter 23 of this Code and has given a bond acceptable to the city, in the penalty of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) issued by a bonding company licensed to do business in the state and payable to the city. The conditions of such bond shall be to indemnify and save harmless the city from all loss, damage, expense or cost by reason of any claim, suit or action instituted against the city or its agents or employees on account or in consequence of neglect on the part of the principal obligor in carrying out the act of cleaning a septic tank system. Such bond shall further be conditioned that any and all sludge and material removed from such system shall be disposed of in accordance with section 33-92 and that all registered septic tank system cleaners shall notify the department of public health, on or before the fifteenth day of each month, of the addresses of the systems pumped during the preceding month.

(Ord. No. 1890, § 1; Code 1961, § 10-126; Ord. No. 4965-96)

Sec. 33-91.1. - Pump out and reserve fields.

All on-site septic tank systems or other sanitary disposal systems not requiring a Virginia Pollution Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit shall be (i) pumped out at least once every five (5) years and (ii) for new construction, a reserve sewage disposal site with a capacity of at least equal to that of the primary sewage disposal site shall be provided. The requirement for a reserve sewage disposal site contained in (ii) shall not apply to any lot or parcel created prior to the effective date of this section, if the area of such lot or parcel is not sufficient to accommodate a reserve sewage disposal site, as determined by the department of public health. Building or construction of any impervious surface shall be prohibited on the area of all sewage disposal sites or on an on-site sewage treatment system which operates under a permit issued by the department of environmental quality, until the structure is served by a public sewer. A recordkeeping system to monitor compliance with these requirements shall be initiated and maintained by the department of public health.

(Ord. No. 4668-94)

Sec. 33-92. - Disposition of sludge and material removed from system.

Any person who claims any septic tank system shall dispose of the sludge and material removed from such system by depositing such sludge and material into a sewage treatment plant designated by the director of public works.

(Ord. No. 1890, § 1; Code 1961, § 10-127)

Sec. 33-93. - Abandonment of septic tanks, cesspools, etc.

All septic tanks, cesspools, manholes and open wells, whether in use or not, shall be maintained in a safe, sanitary manner. After December 31, 1996, when a building is disconnected from an existing septic tank system and connected to a sanitary sewer system, the disconnected septic tank shall be pumped empty of all sludge and other material by a licensed contractor after which a hole shall be punched in the bottom of the tank to promote stabilization, the tank shall be filled with sand or other clean fill material and the top of the tank shall be crushed.

(Ord. No. 2528-79; Ord. No. 2538-79; Ord. No. 4965-96)