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Wastewater Lateral Maintenance Policy

WATER SERVICE AND WASTEWATER LATERAL MAINTENANCE POLICY

Summary of the Property Owner's Responsibilities

It is the property owner's responsibility to maintain and repair their own sewer lateral from the house up to the point of connection with the public sanitary sewer main. This includes the portion under the grass, sidewalk. and street. It is also the property owner's responsibility to maintain and repair their own culinary water line from the water meter to the building. Please refer to the drawing and policy below for more information.

Diagram of a house's underground pipes to help explain ownership

 Purpose of the Policy

The purpose of this policy is to establish rules relating to the ownership, responsibility, and maintenance of culinary water, fire, and sanitary sewer lines.

Definitions

  • Private-complex – Private property developed with private structures such as apartments, town-homes, condominiums, private unit developments, business center, etc.
  • Single-use – One parcel receives one bill for a maximum of two culinary water lines and meters, two landscape water lines and meters, two fire lines, and one sanitary sewer line.
  • Shared-use – More than one parcel receives one bill for a maximum of two culinary water lines and two meters, two landscape water lines and meters, two fire lines and one sanitary sewer line.

Publicly-Owned Infrastructure

Part of the District’s infrastructure includes culinary water transmission and distribution lines, and sanitary sewer lines located within the public roadway, or right-of-way. This infrastructure provides culinary water and sanitary sewer service to the District’s Customers that have been connected to these lines. It is the District’s responsibility to maintain, repair, and/or replace these lines as necessary to provide continued service to its customers. The following definitions shall apply:

  • Public Culinary Waterline - Owned, maintained, repaired, and replaced by the District. Lines and appurtenances which are located within a public right-of-way. The District will maintain, repair, and/or replace the culinary water service line from the connection to the culinary water main line up to and including the public yoke assembly, water meter and meter box. A maximum of two culinary water meters and two landscape meters will be allowed per parcel or master-metered private complex.
  • Public Fire Lines and Hydrants - Owned, maintained, repaired, and replaced by the District. Lines and appurtenances which are located within a public right-of-way, or perpetual sanitary sewer line easement accepted and approved by the District. One sanitary sewer line will be allowed per parcel or master-metered private complex.
  • Public Sanitary Sewer Lines - Private complexes are either master-metered shared-use or single use for culinary water lines, landscape water lines, fire lines and sanitary sewer lines. Single-use private complexes shall not be allowed to share culinary water lines, landscape water lines, fire lines or sanitary sewer lines with other parcels or complexes. Master-metered shared-use private complexes may be allowed to share culinary water lines, landscape water lines, fire lines and sanitary sewer lines with parcels within the master-metered private complex when an agreement between all owners is accepted by the District.
  • Private complexes are either master-metered shared-use or single use for culinary water lines, landscape water lines, fire lines and sanitary sewer lines. Single-use private complexes shall not be allowed to share culinary water lines, landscape water lines, fire lines or sanitary sewer lines with other parcels or complexes. Master-metered shared-use private complexes may be allowed to share culinary water lines, landscape water lines, fire lines and sanitary sewer lines with parcels within the master-metered private complex when an agreement between all owners is accepted by the District.

Privately-Owned Facilities

  • Private Culinary Water Lines - Owned, maintained, repaired, and replaced by individual parcel owners. All lines and appurtenances which are downstream of public culinary water meter yoke assemblies. Lines and appurtenances which cross the centerline of road, leave the public right-of-way, and/or are located within private property. Any maintenance, repair, or replacement of culinary waterlines and appurtenances downstream of the public culinary water yoke assembly is the responsibility of the parcel owner. The District is not responsible for utility line locating, or any damage to private waterlines caused by others.
  • Private Fire Lines and Hydrants - Owned, maintained, repaired, and replaced by individual parcel owners. Lines and appurtenances which cross the centerline of road, leave the public right-of-way, and/or are located within private property. Hydrants and appurtenances which are connected to private fire lines and/or are located within private property. Private ownership and maintenance responsibility begins at the point of connection to the public water system, in the public right-of-way. The District is not responsible for utility line locating, or any damage to private fire lines and hydrants caused by others.
  • Private Sanitary Sewer Lines - Owned, maintained, repaired, and replaced by individual parcel owners. Lines and appurtenances which are located within private property. The parcel owner is responsible for the entire sanitary sewer line and appurtenances from the connection at the sanitary sewer main line to the building. However, if a problem exists in the sanitary sewer line between the parcel owner’s property line and the connection to the sanitary sewer main line, the District will assess the problem and may, at its sole discretion, work with the parcel owner to correct it. The District is not responsible for utility line locating, or any damage to or blockage of private sanitary sewer lines caused by others. The District assumes no responsibility for damage to, or blockage of the private sanitary sewer lateral caused by tree roots or other plants.

Sewer Lateral TV Inspection

In the event of sanitary sewer lateral damage or blockage the District, at its sole discretion, may provide record of a TV inspection to parcel owners. This service is to assist the parcel owner in identifying the possible cause of damage to, or blockage of the sanitary sewer lateral. District inspections do not obligate the District to correct any problems. It is the responsibility of the parcel owner to locate and make accessible to the District the sanitary sewer lateral clean-out before the TV inspection. It is also the responsibility of the parcel owner to clean the sanitary sewer lateral of any and all debris before the TV inspection so the TV camera will be unobstructed.

Single-Use Service Connection Requirements

Each separately owned single-use parcel or lot and attached facilities shall be served with separate culinary water, fire, and sanitary sewer service lines. Each separate culinary waterline, fire line, and sanitary sewer service line shall be connected to the District’s mainlines. A maximum of one sanitary sewer line connection will be allowed to serve one parcel or lot. A maximum of two culinary waterline connections will be allowed to serve one parcel or lot. A maximum of two landscape waterline connections will be allowed to serve one parcel or lot. A maximum of two private fire line connections will be allowed to serve one parcel or lot. All private culinary waterline, landscape waterline, and fire service lines shall be installed within the service lines owners parcel or lot. Private culinary waterline, landscape waterline, and fire lines may not cross through the property of any separate parcel or lot. Local conditions, elevation, grade, slope, existing structures, or public mainline availability may create circumstances where there is no alternative but to install private sanitary sewer lines that cross adjacent parcel(s) or lot(s). The District may allow private sanitary sewer lines to cross through the property of separately owned parcel(s) or lot(s) if it can be shown that the granting of such an exception will not conflict with the best interest of the District. If the District allows a private sanitary sewer line to cross separate parcel(s) or lot(s), the developer or owner shall provide the District with a copy of a lawful and recorded with the Salt Lake County Surveyors Office, ten-foot wide (minimum), perpetual sanitary sewer line easement in favor of the parcel or lot number the private sanitary sewer line will serve.

Service Connections Requirements Exception

Existing Common-Wall Facilities - An owner of a common-wall facility may propose to serve two or more parcels with a maximum of two culinary waterlines, two landscape waterlines, two fire lines, and one sanitary sewer service line. The District may grant an exception to the District’s Service Connections Requirements policy for existing common-wall facilities if it can be shown that the granting of such an exception will not conflict with the best interests of the District. If such an exception is allowed, this will be considered a master-metered private-complex service arrangement. All master-metered private-complex service arrangements shall be required to submit to the District a contractually binding and lawful Home or Business Owners Association Agreement that shall perpetually run with the land. The Home or Business Owners Association Agreement shall outline all owners’ responsibilities pertaining to culinary waterlines, fire lines, and the sanitary sewer line rates payment, ownership, maintenance, repair, replacement, etc. It shall be the owners’ sole responsibility to ensure the legality, maintenance of, and adherence to the Home or Business Owners Association Agreement

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