Ord. 0201 07-27-70Ordinance No. 2 0/
An ordinance of the City of Pearland, Brazoria County, Texas re-
gulating the use of public and private sewers and drains, private sewage
disposal, providing penalties for violations thereof; providing a savings
clause; providing publication and repealing all ordinances or parts of
ordinances in conflict with this ordinance.
Be It Ordained By The City Council of The City of Pearland, Texas:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meaning
of terms used in this ordinance shall be as follows:
1. Sanitary Sewer System shall mean and consist of main and lateral
conduits with necessary accessories together will all facilities necessary
for collecting, pumping, treating, and disposing of sewage.
2. Sewage shall mean a combination of the water -carried wastes from
residences, business buildings, institutions, and industrial establishments,
together with such ground, surface, and storm waters as may be present.
3. Sewer shall mean a pipe or conduit for carrying sewage.
4. Sanitary Sewer shall mean a sewer which carries sewage and to which
storm, surface, and ground waters are not intentionally admitted.
5. Storm Sewer or Storm Drain shall mean a sewer which carries storm
and surface waters and drainage, but excludes sewage and polluted industrial
wastes.
6. Industrial Wastes shall mean the liquid wastes from industrial
processes as distinct from sanitary sewage.
7. Garbage shall mean solid wastes from the preparation, cooking,
and dispensing of food, and from the handling, storage, and sale of produce.
8. Natural Outlet shall mean any outlet into a watercourse, pond,
dictch, lake or other body of surface or ground water.
10. Person shall mean any individual, firm, company, association, society,
corporation, or group.
11. Shall is mandatory; may is permissive.
ARTICLE II
Use of Public Sewers Required
1. It shall be unlawful to discharge to any natural outlet within the
City of Pearland, 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 applicable State
Standards or city ordinances.
2. Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct
or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility
intended or used for the disposal of sewage.
3. The owner of all houses, buildings or properties used for human
occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purpose, situated within the city
and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located
or may in the future be located a public sanitary or combined sewer of the
city, is hereby required at his expense to install suitable toilet facilities
therein, and to connect such facilities therein, and to connect such facilities
directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of
this ordinance, within thirty (30) days after date of official notice to do
so, provided that said public sewer is within one hundred (100) feet of the
property line.
ARTICLE III
Private Sewage Disposal
1. Where a public sanitary or combined sewer is not available under the
provisions of Article II, the building sewer shall be connected to a private
sewage disposal system complying with the provisions, conditions and re-
quirements of the Senate Bill Number 188, "The Plumbing License Law of 1947"
as amended, passed by the 50th legislature.
2. The type, capacities, location, and layout of a private sewage
disposal system shall comply with all recommendations of the Department of
Public Health of the State of Texas. No permit shall be issued for any
private sewage disposal system employing subsurface soil absorption facili-
ties where the area of the lot is less than fifteen thousand (15,000) square
feet. No septic tank or cesspool shall be permitted to discharge to any,
public sewer or natural outlet.
3. At such time as a public sewer becomes available to a property
served by a private sewage disposal system, as provided in Article II, a
direct connection shall be made to the public sewer in compliance with this
ordinance, and any septic tanks, cesspools, and similar private sewage
disposal facilities shall be abandoned and filled with suitable material.
4. The owner shall operate and maintain the private sewage disposal
facilities in a sanitary manner at all times, at no expense to the city.'
5. No statement contained in this article shall be construed to
interfere with any additional requirements that may be imposed by the
health officer.
ARTICLE IV
Protection from Damage
1. No unauthorized person shall maliciously, willfully, or negli-
gently break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface or temper with any structure,
appurtenance, or equipment which is a part of the municipal sewage system.
Any person violating this provision shall be subject to immediate arrest
under charge of disorderly conduct.
ARTICLE V
Penalties
1. Any person found to be violating any provision of this ordinance
shall be served by the city with written notice stating the nature of the
violation and providing a reasonable time limit for the satisfactory correc-
tion thereof. The offender shall, within the period of time stated in such
notice, permanently cease all violations.
2. Any person who shall continue any violation beyond the time limit
provided for in Section I shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction
thereof shall be fined in an amount not exceeding Two Hundred ($200.00) Dollars
for each violation. Each day in which any such violation shall continue shall
be deemed a separate offense.
3. Any person violating any of the provisions of this ordinance shall
become liable to the city for any expense, loss, or damage occasioned the
city by reason of such violation.
ARTICLE VI
Validity
1. The invalidity of any section, clause, sentence, or provision of
this ordinance shall not affect the validity of any other part of this
ordinance which can be given effect without such invalid part or parts.
2. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are
hereby repealed.
ARTICLE VI I
Ordinance in Force
1. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after
its passage, approved, recording, and publication as provided by law.
2. Passed and adopted by council of the City of Pearland, State
of Texas on the 7 day of �y 1970.