Sewer Collection and Maintenance

The Public Works Department is responsible for sewer system maintenance and collection as well as enforcement of the City's sewer code.

Prohibited Acts

City Sewers Ordinance

No person shall do, or allow, any of the following:

  1. Damage sewer system. Maliciously, willfully or negligently break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface or tamper with any structure, appurtenance or equipment which is a part of the sewer system; (Iowa Code § 716.1)
  2.  Downspouts. Connect a roof downspout, exterior foundation drain, areaway drain or other source of surface run-off or groundwater to a building sewer or building drain which in turn is connected directly or indirectly to a public sanitary sewer;
  3.  Manholes. Open or enter any manhole of the sewer system, except by authority of the Superintendent;
  4.  Objectionable wastes. Place or deposit in any unsanitary manner on public or private property within the city, or in any area under the jurisdiction of the city, any human or animal excrement, garbage or other objectionable waste;
  5.  Septic tanks. Construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage except as provided in these chapters; and (Iowa Code § 364.12(3)(f))
  6. Untreated discharge. Discharge to any natural outlet within the city, or in any area under its jurisdiction, any sanitary sewage, industrial wastes or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with subsequent provisions of this chapter. (Iowa Code § 364.12(3)(f))

Sewer Connection Required

The owner of any building or property which is located within the city, or in any area under the jurisdiction of the city and from which sewage is discharged is required to connect to a public sewer at the owner’s expense within 90 days after service of official notice to do so, provided that the public sewer is reasonably available for connection. A property shall be considered reasonably available for connection if the building sewer discharge is within 200 feet of connection to the city sanitary sewer system by private gravity sewer, or within 200 feet of connection to the city sanitary sewer system by private pressurized sewer. 

Fats, Oils and Grease ("FOG")

City FOG Ordinance

The City's FOG ordinance exists to:

  1. To prevent the introduction of FOG into the Publicly Owned Treatment Works that will interfere with its operation;
  2. To prevent the introduction of FOG into the Publicly Owned Treatment Works that could pass through the Publicly Owned Treatment Works, inadequately treated, into receiving waters, or otherwise be incompatible with the Publicly Owned Treatment Works;
  3. To prevent sanitary sewer overflow (SSO), where sewer water flows out of a manhole cover and along the ground. These overflows can then contaminate the ground, local water bodies and any property that the sewerage comes into contact with.
  4. To promote the reuse and recycling of waste grease (FOG) from the Publicly Owned Treatment Works;
  5. To enable the city to comply with federal, state and local pollutant discharge limits.

The ordinance is applicable to all non-domestic users of the publicly owned treatment system.