As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
B.O.D. (BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND)
The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standardized laboratory procedure, expressed in parts per million by weight.
BUILDING DRAIN
The part of the lowest horizontal piping of a drainage system which receives the discharge from waste and other drainage pipes inside the building.
BUILDING SEWER
The pipe extending from the building drain to the public sewer or another place of disposal.
CITY
The City of Isanti or its officers or employees authorized to perform the functions to which there is reference in the chapter.
GARBAGE
Solid wastes from the preparation, cooking, and dispensing of food, and from the handling, storage, and sale of produce.
INDIVIDUAL SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM
A sewage disposal system other than a public community system and which receives sewage from an individual establishment.
INDUSTRIAL WASTE (WASTEWATER)
The liquid wastes from industrial processes and distinct from residential or domestic strength wastes, and exceeds normal domestic strength.
MPCA
The Minnesota Pollution Control Authority.
[Added 7-20-2021 by Ord. No. 763]
NATURAL OUTLET
Any outlet into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake or other body of surface water or groundwater.
NORMAL STRENGTH SEWAGE WASTE
Wastewater that is primarily introduced by residential users (domestic wastewater strength) with a BOD concentration not greater than 220 mg/l, a total suspended solids (TSS) concentration not greater than 240 mg/l, ammonia nitrogen concentration not greater than 25 mg/l, and total phosphorus concentration not greater than eight mg/l.
NOTICE
A notice in writing directed to the owner or other person affected for the time specified by the chapter, stating briefly the condition that is the reason for the notice and the consequences that will result upon failure to comply with the terms of the notice. A notice shall be deemed given when either it is personally served on the person to whom it is directed or mailed to them at their last known address. If the owner or other person cannot be reached by mail so addressed, service may be made upon the occupant of the building or premises. Notification may also be made by posting the notice on the front door of the building.
NPDES PERMIT
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (NPDES) is a permit issued by the MPCA, setting the limits on pollutants that a permittee may legally discharge into navigable waters of the United States pursuant to Sections 402 and 405 of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1342 and 1345.
[Amended 7-20-2021 by Ord. No. 763]
OWNER
The person, company, corporation, or their authorized agent, that owns a building or premises.
pH
The logarithm of the reciprocal of the concentration of hydrogen ions in terms of grams per liter of solution.
PREMISES
A platted lot or part thereof or unplatted parcel of land, either occupied or unoccupied and/or any building or structure on the property.
PROPERLY SHREDDED GARBAGE
The waste from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of food that has been shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers, with no particles greater than 1/2 inch in any dimension.
PUBLIC SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM
A sanitary sewer utility owned, maintained and controlled by the City.
SANITARY SEWAGE
Any water-carried domestic waste, exclusive of subsurface building or roof stormwater drainage, of any residence, commercial or industrial establishment, whether treated or untreated, and includes domestic waste. Raw sewage is sewage that has not been subjected to any treatment process.
SERVICE
Connection to the public sanitary sewer system controlled by the City.
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT (COLLECTION/DISPOSAL SYSTEM/WORKS)
An arrangement of any devices, facilities, structures, piping, equipment or processes owned or used by the City for collection and treatment of municipal, domestic and industrial sewage.
SPECIAL ASSESSMENT
A charge for construction of public sanitary sewer system improvements pursuant to City Code Chapter 276, or a charge for any repair performed by the City or any fees and usage charges which, pursuant to state law, are certified to the county for collection with property taxes.
STORM SEWER
A sewer that carries storm and/or surface waters and drainage but excludes sanitary sewage and polluted wastes.
SUSPENDED SOLIDS
Solids that either float on the surface of, or are in suspension in water, sanitary sewage, or other liquids, and which are removable by filtering.
WATERCOURSE
A channel in which a flow of water occurs, either continuously or intermittently.
The City Administrator or their designee shall have control and general supervision of all public sanitary sewer collection and treatment systems in the City and shall be responsible for administering the provisions of this chapter.
No unauthorized persons shall maliciously, willfully, or negligently break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface, or tamper with any structure, appurtenance, or equipment which is part of the public sanitary sewer system. Said person(s) shall be subject to costs and/or penalties pursuant to §§ 260-44 and 260-46 of this chapter.
All buildings and premises discharging sanitary sewage and located in the City and adjacent to any street, alley, public easement or right-of-way in which there is now located, or may in the future be located, a public sanitary sewer shall be required at their expense to install a suitable sanitary sewer service connection in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
A. 
Where a parcel of property in the City has an available connection to the public sanitary sewer system, no owner or occupant shall construct a private sanitary sewage treatment system (SSTS) on the property or make use of any existing private SSTS on the property. Existing SSTS can continue until such time as there is system failure or the system is noncompliant.
[Amended 7-20-2021 by Ord. No. 763]
B. 
Use of existing on-site private SSTS for treatment of sanitary sewage in existing buildings and premises where no public sanitary sewer is available in an adjacent right-of-way shall be permitted in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
C. 
Any privy, septic tank, cesspool or other such facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage that is constructed or maintained in violation of any of the provisions of this section of this article is declared to be a public nuisance as per City Code § 216-2 and the City may abate the same in the manner provided by law.
The City Engineer, Building Official and other duly authorized employees of the City, bearing proper credentials and identification, shall be allowed to enter upon all buildings, premises or properties for the purposes of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling and testing in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. In the event that access is denied by the owner, authorized agent, or tenant, the City may request an administrative search warrant to access the building, premises or property. Nothing in this section shall be construed as to limit the authority of the City to enter any building, premises or property in urgent emergency situations where there is imminent danger to protect the public health, safety and welfare.
In addition to any penalties in this chapter, any persons or firms violating the provisions of this chapter may become liable to the City for any expense, loss or damage by reason of such violation.
[Amended 7-20-2021 by Ord. No. 763]
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, deposit, or permit to be deposited in an unsanitary manner upon public or private property within the City, or in any area under the jurisdiction of the City, any human or animal excrement, garbage or objectionable waste.
It shall be unlawful to discharge into any natural outlet or to any storm sewer or storm drain, or in any area under the jurisdiction of the City, any sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
The owner of each building, dwelling or premises used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purpose, is required at their expense to install and maintain suitable toilet facilities therein and connect such facilities directly to the public sanitary sewer system, unless connected to an existing private SSTS in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
No statement in this chapter shall be construed to interfere with any additional requirements that may be imposed by the MPCA or the Minnesota Department of Health.