Village of River Hills
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Chapter 13 Section 8

Section 13.08. REGULATIONS RELATING TO PUBLIC SEWERAGE OR SANITARY SEWERS.

(1)       Sanitary Connections.

[a]        Only licensed plumbers or qualified pipelayers, as herein provided, shall be permitted to tap or make connections with the general sewerage system or any part thereof.

[b]        The Village Manager and Engineer or the Plumbing Inspector shall furnish available information to such plumber or pipelayer with regard to the location of sewer junctions or slants, the Village assuming no risk as to the accuracy of the same.  In the event the junction is not found in accordance with such measurements, a slant connection and one-eight bend shall be used, such connection being made under the direction of the Plumbing Inspector.

[c]        All other provisions pertaining to building sewers and building drains shall be as per State Code.  (Rep. & Rec. 03/11/20, Ord #541)

(2)        Trees, etc., Adjacent to Sanitary Sewers.  The following regulations shall apply to trees, shrubbery or bushes within fifty (50) feet of any public sanitary sewer, located within the Village, to-wit:

[a]        No person shall plant or cause to be planted any trees, shrubbery, or bushes within fifty (50) feet of any public sanitary sewer constructed or maintained by the Village within the Village limits, without first obtaining from the Village Manager and Engineer a permit so to do, upon application forms therefor provided by said Village Manager.  The said permit shall have attached thereto or printed thereon a summary of the provisions relating thereto.

[b]        The Village Manager shall cause investigation with respect to the clogging of sewers to be made by the proper Village employees from time to time.  Should such investigation reveal that any trees, shrubbery or bushes located within fifty (50) feet of any public sanitary sewer are growing roots which are interfering with or clogging the flow of such sanitary sewer, report thereof shall be made by the Village Manager to the Village Board.

[c]        Upon authority of the Village Board, the said Village Manager shall give written notice to the owner of any premises upon which such trees, shrubbery or bushes may be located, as revealed by said investigation, advising the said owner to cause the removal of said trees, shrubbery or bushes within thirty (30) days from the service of said notice, and stating that in the event of the owner’s failure so to do within the time specified therein, the Village will arrange for the removal thereof.  The said notice shall also state that the owner of said lands may have the privilege of exercising the option of retaining said trees, shrubbery or bushes, provided he so notifies the Village in writing within said thirty (30) day period, the condition of said option being that the said owner agrees to and obligates himself to pay any expenses incurred by the Village from time to time in removing obstructions (caused by the roots of said trees, shrubbery or bushes) from said sanitary sewers, and the Village levying a charge in question, or the repair or replacement of the sewer.

[d]       In the event the owner shall fail or neglect to remove said trees, shrubbery or bushes, or to exercise the option of retaining same, within the thirty (30) day period, as above set forth, the Village Manager shall proceed to cause same to be removed by contract or otherwise, and report the cost thereof to the Village Board.  The owner of the lands upon which are located said trees, shrubbery or bushes, which have been found to cause the blocking, clogging or obstructing of said sanitary sewer, shall be required to pay the cost of removing same, should it be ascertained that said trees, shrubbery or bushes were planted by him after December 15. 1950; and if it is ascertained that such planting occurred prior to said date, the Village shall pay the cost of such removal.

[e]        Any person, firm or corporation who shall plant any trees, shrubbery or bushes within fifty (50) feet of any public sanitary sewer, without obtaining the permit therefor, as herein above provided, shall not be entitled to exercise the option of retaining same, and any expenses involved in removing same shall be charged to the owner of said premises upon which said trees, shrubbery or bushes are planted.

(3)        Sewer Improvement Taxes.  No person shall be allowed to connect with the public sewerage system in any manner while delinquent in the payment of any sewer taxes or installment thereof, nor to any public sewerage system where the cost to each applicant has not been assessed, except when permission so to do has been duly given by the Village Board.