Download sewer lateral repair program policy

SANITARY SEWER LATERAL REPAIR PROGRAM POLICY
1.
This sanitary sewer lateral financial assistance program applies to single-family residential buildings of
up to 6 units only and is not available to residential buildings with more than 6 units or commercial and
industrial (as determined by the use of the land) property. The program commenced on January 1, 2000.
2.
A sanitary sewer lateral is defined as the portion of the sewage system which carries household waste to
the Metropolitan Sewer District main and which lies between the structure foundation wall, or exterior
wall if construction is non-traditional, and the sewer main. The definition is the same whether the pipe
is located in the front, side or rear yard. Damaged or blocked pipes located within the interior walls of
the unit are not covered under this program policy.
3.
A sanitary sewer lateral is considered defective when there is sufficient evidence, to the satisfaction of
the City, to prove that the lateral cannot be cleared or is significantly broken, misaligned, offset, cracked
or has conditions which will cause at least 50% blockage of the pipe’s capacity within 3 years or any
condition with multiple backups which create a hazard to public safety or health. Evidence includes, but
is not limited to, a TV inspection, MSD dye test, plumber’s verification, sketches, etc. The City may
require the homeowner to submit additional documentation, as needed.
4.
If an owner is experiencing a blockage of the sanitary sewer lateral, the owner must first contact a
University City licensed plumber to have the line cabled. If cabling does not result in clearing the line,
the owner should have a televised inspection and electronic locate performed and a sketch prepared
showing the approximate location of the defect. After the television inspection and sketch is completed,
the homeowner should contact the University City Public Works and Parks Dept. between the hours of
9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday - Friday, to secure an application and instructions for participating in
the program. The owner should return a completed application, the sanitary sewer lateral television
inspection video, sketch and any other required information to the Public Works. In a case of an
emergency, the City Manager or his designee may waive this and other requirements.
5.
Once the application is approved, effective April 1, 2015, the dwelling owner will be responsible for
coordinating all repairs and paying a 20 percent of the total cost of the City approved repair. The
Department of Public Works and Parks may adjust the deductible amount from time to time based on the
actual administration and experience with the program. The costs incurred for cabling and the sanitary
sewer lateral television inspection will not apply towards the 20 percent payment.
6.
The City will provide the specifications and will obtain at least three (3) bids, if a single contractor is not
in place, which are acceptable to the City for the sanitary sewer lateral replacement/repair. The City will
only accept bids, which have been obtained from companies registered with the Community
Development Dept. The City will only accept bids, which are, in its opinion, responsive to the
specifications. The City reserves the right to deny any and all bids received. The City may, at any time,
obtain bids for any part of the corrective action for a defective sanitary sewer lateral from the list of
plumbers/drain layers registered with the Community Development Dept. for the purpose of comparison
and to determine current market conditions or for any other City purpose.
7.
Once bids are received, the Public Works and Parks Dept. will review and approve. After written
approval of the City’s acceptance of the lowest, responsive bid, the homeowner may schedule the work.
8.
This financial assistance program covers excavation, repair or replacement of the sanitary sewer lateral,
backfilling, seeding and strawing. The top six inches of the backfill will be topsoil. It will be the
responsibility of the dwelling owner to water and maintain the ground cover to assure growth. Any
additional work desired by the homeowner, unless approved by the City, will be done at the
homeowner’s expense.
9.
This financial assistance program will cover the cost to replace sidewalk, driveway and street pavement
removed to accomplish the repair. In the event it is necessary to remove accessory structures such as
fences, the contractor is required to restore such structures to their pre-existing condition. In the event
obstacles such as yard sheds, garages, etc are in the path of the sanitary sewer lateral or lie over the
damaged portion of the lateral, the City reserves the right to reroute the sanitary sewer lateral to avoid
the necessity of removing the structure. In the event rerouting is impractical, the City and the dwelling
owner will meet to discuss a solution. The City will make the final decision regarding a solution. The
City can require the homeowner to repair all or a part of the lateral at the homeowner’s expense or the
City can complete or have completed any needed repairs or replacement of the sanitary sewer lateral to
preserve public health and safety, and charge the homeowner for the expense plus any administrative
costs.
10.
The City will make the final decisions regarding all aspects of this program, including whether or not to
repair or replace a sanitary sewer lateral, eligibility of expenses, responsibility of bidders, hazardous
conditions, etc.
11.
The City has no obligation or responsibility for the performance of the contractor and no responsibility
for any damages caused to the owner’s property because of the sanitary sewer lateral defects. The
contractor is responsible for obtaining all necessary permits.
12.
Should the City staff notice, or be notified of, visible evidence of a leaking sanitary sewer lateral (such
as a sinkhole, etc.), then the City will initiate appropriate steps to identify the cause and, if necessary,
replace the sanitary sewer lateral. In most instances the City will arrange for the Metropolitan Sewer
District (MSD) to perform a dye test. Currently, MSD does not charge for this test. If the sanitary sewer
lateral needs replacing, the owner will be contacted.
13.
All City bills (i.e., refuse, weed, property clean up, ambulance, etc.) and St. Louis County Real Estate
taxes (includes the $50 sanitary sewer lateral fee) must be paid prior to submitting an application to
participate in the program.
14.
The homeowner is responsible for contacting their home insurance company to determine if any or the
entire sanitary sewer lateral repair is covered by the home insurance policy. The owner is required to
notify the City of any payment received from the insurance company to pay any part of the sanitary
sewer lateral repair. All such payments will be deducted from the City’s expense of the approved repair.
15.
The City may periodically amend these guidelines in the best interest of the City and its homeowners,
except as may be restricted by state law or City ordinance.