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a.The property owner shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair, and proper operation of the sanitary sewer lateral and/or private sanitary sewer collection system, regardless of whether any part of the sanitary sewer lateral or private sanitary sewer collection system is located on private property or within the public right-of-way. The City shall have no responsibility or obligation for the maintenance, repair, or proper operation of sanitary sewer laterals or private sanitary sewer collection systems.

b.The property owner shall maintain the sanitary sewer lateral and perform any repair or replacements necessary to meet these standards and requirements:

1.The sewer lateral and/or private sanitary sewer collection system shall be kept free from roots, grease deposits, and other solids that may impede or obstruct the transmission or flow of wastewater.

2.All joints shall be watertight and all pipes shall be sound and free from structural defects, cracks, breaks, openings, sags, or missing portions to prevent exfiltration by waste or infiltration by groundwater or storm water.

3.In the event that material is permitted to enter the main during work on a sanitary sewer lateral, causing or contributing to the cause of a sewage spill, the property owner and/or contractor performing such maintenance work, in addition to any criminal penalties imposed, shall be held civilly liable to the City for any fines or other expenses incurred by the City resulting from the spill.

c.A joint sanitary sewer lateral, also referred to as a branched or common lateral, with two or more laterals from separate parcels that combine into one sanitary sewer lateral that connects to the City’s sewer main is prohibited. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, joint laterals shall be permitted only in the following instances:

1.Where a lateral is maintained by a homeowners’ association or other entity that is party to a formal sanitary sewer lateral maintenance agreement recorded with the Monterey County Recorder in a form acceptable to the City.

2.Where more than one building or other structure is situated upon the same lot, in which case all such buildings and structures may, by permit authorized by the City Manager, or his/her designee, be joined in the use of one sewer connection; provided, that the connection conforms in all other respects to the provisions of this chapter and a drawn plan of the joint connection is first submitted to and approved by the Public Works Director, or designee. As a further condition of obtaining such a permit, all buildings and structures shall be owned by the same person.

3.Where, in the opinion of the Director of Public Works, or designee, it is impossible or impractical to connect a building on a single lot to the main sewer except in conjunction with the connection of a building or buildings on other lots, a joint connection may be allowed; provided, that the connection conforms in all other respects to the provisions of this chapter and a drawn plan of the joint connection be first submitted to and approved by the Public Works Director. A sanitary sewer lateral maintenance agreement signed by each property owner sharing the common lateral must be recorded with the Monterey County Recorder.

4.The affected property owners and not the City shall have the responsibility for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of any joint sanitary sewer lateral. (Ord. 3579 § 2, 2018)