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SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
PART 1 -- GENERAL ........................................................................................................................................................ 1
1.
Title ........................................................................................................................................................................... 1
2.
Interpretation ........................................................................................................................................................... 1
3.
Definitions ................................................................................................................................................................. 1
4.
Right of Entry ........................................................................................................................................................... 3
PART 2 -- USE OF SEWER SYSTEM ........................................................................................................................... 4
5.
Prohibited Discharges .......................................................................................................................................... 4
6.
Standards for Waste Discharges ...................................................................................................................... 5
7.
Accidental Discharges........................................................................................................... 6
8.
Wastewater Treatment Facilities ........................................................................................... 6
9.
General Design Requirements .............................................................................................. 7
10. Volume Control .................................................................................................................... 8
11. Special Control Manholes ..................................................................................................... 8
12. Monitoring of Wastewater .................................................................................................... 8
13. Control of Waste Disposal .................................................................................................... 9
14. Disconnection of Sewer ........................................................................................................ 9
15. Recovery of Costs for Damage to the Public Sewerage System ............................................. 9
PART 3 -- USE OF SEWER SYSTEM - CONNECTIONS .................................................................10
16. Illegal Connections ............................................................................................................. 10
17. Building Sewer Required..................................................................................................... 10
18. Notice Given....................................................................................................................... 11
19. Connection Application ...................................................................................................... 11
20. Individual Connections ....................................................................................................... 11
21. Connection Location .......................................................................................................... 11
22. Compulsory Service Connections ........................................................................................ 11
PART 4 -- BUILDING SEWERS ....................................................................................................11
23. BUILDING BYLAW .............................................................................................................. 11
24. Blockages ........................................................................................................................... 12
25. Abandonment .................................................................................................................... 12
26. Connection to Service Connection ...................................................................................... 12
27. Depth of Service Connection .............................................................................................. 12
PART 5 -- CHARGES FOR SERVICE .............................................................................................13
28. Connection Fees ................................................................................................................. 13
29. User Rates .......................................................................................................................... 13
30. Unpaid Fees and Rates ....................................................................................................... 13
PART 6 -- INSPECTION ..............................................................................................................13
31. INSPECTION ....................................................................................................................... 13
PART 7 -- ENFORCEMENT, OFFENCES, LIABILITY AND SEVERABILITY.........................................13
32. Enforcement ....................................................................................................................... 13
33. Offences ............................................................................................................................. 14
34. Liability ............................................................................................................................... 14
34. Severability .......................................................................................................................... 14
PART 8 -- REPEAL ......................................................................................................................14
35. Repeal Bylaws ...................................................................................................................... 14
PART 9 -- ADOPTION ................................................................................................................15
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
A BYLAW TO REGULATE EXTENSIONS, CONNECTIONS AND USE OF THE
TOWN'S SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM
The Council of the Town of Comox in open meeting assembled enacts as follows:
PART 1 -- GENERAL
1.
Title
This Bylaw shall be cited as "Sanitary Sewer Bylaw No. 2057".
2.
Interpretation
(1) Words or phrases not defined in this Bylaw, where defined by the Community Charter or
the Local Government Act, shall have the same meaning as defined by those statutes.
(2) Words or phrases not defined in this Bylaw, the Community Charter, or the Local
Government Act shall be given their usual and customary meaning.
3.
Definitions
In this Bylaw, unless the context is specified otherwise, the meaning of terms used shall be as
follows:
"Applicant" means an owner or their agent making application for Sanitary Sewer service and
from whom the Town may expect to receive revenue on a continuing basis for this service.
"BOD" or "Biochemical Oxygen Demand" means the quantity of oxygen utilized in the
biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory conditions in five (5) days at
20 degrees Celsius expressed in milligrams per litre as determined by the appropriate
procedures in "Standard Methods".
"Building Inspector" means the Building Inspector of the Town of Comox, and their duly
authorized agent.
"Building Sewer" means a pipe, including manholes and inspection chambers laid on private
property, connecting a Service Connection with a house or building.
"Bylaw Enforcement Officer" means
(a) the Person appointed by the Town of Comox to enforce Bylaws;
(b) the Building Inspector, Engineering Manager, Public Works Supervisor, Corporate
Officer and Traffic Officers of the Town of Comox; and
(c) members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and their duly authorized
representatives.
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 2
"COD or Chemical Oxygen Demand" means the measure of chemically decomposable materials
in domestic or Industrial Wastewater as represented by the oxygen utilized as determined by the
appropriate procedure described in "Standard Methods".
"Domestic Wastewater" means the water-carried wastes produced from non-commercial or
non-industrial activities and which result from normal human living processes.
"Effluent" means a liquid out flow of any facility designed to treat or convey Wastewater.
"Garbage" means solid wastes from the domestic and commercial preparation, cooking and
disposing of food, and from the handling, storage and sale of produce.
"Grease" means an organic substance recoverable by procedures set forth in "Standard
Methods" and includes but is not limited to hydrocarbons, esters, fats, oils, waxes and high
molecular carboxylic acids.
"Highway" has the same meaning as in the Motor Vehicle Act, [RSBC 1996] CHAPTER 318.
"Industrial Wastewater" means all water-carried wastes and Wastewater excluding Domestic
Wastewater and Uncontaminated Water, and includes all Wastewater from any processing,
institutional, commercial or other operation where the Wastewater discharged includes wastes
of non-human origin.
"Offal" means waste portions of food, animals, fowl or fish.
"Person" means any individual, firm, partnership or corporation or any trustee, manager or other
individual owning or occupying any building or place, either individually or jointly with others
and includes any agent, workman or employee of such individual, firm partnership or
corporation.
"PH" means the measure of the intensity of the acid or alkaline condition of a solution
determined by the hydrogen ion activity of the solution in accordance with procedures set forth
in "Standard Methods".
"Public Works Supervisor" means the Public Works Supervisor of the Town and their duly
authorized representatives.
"Sanitary Sewer" means a Sewer, which carries Wastewater, and to which storm, surface and
ground waters are not intentionally admitted.
"Service Connection" means a pipe, which may include an inspection chamber or clean-out
connecting a Sewer to a Building Sewer at the property line of a parcel of land.
"Sewerage System" means a network of Wastewater collection and conveyance facilities.
"Sewage Treatment Plant" means any arrangement of devices and structures used for treating
Wastewater.
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 3
"Sewer" means a pipe or conduit that carries Wastewater, rainwater, groundwater or
uncontaminated process or cooling water.
"Standard Methods" means the analytical and examination procedures set forth in the latest
edition of "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater" published by the
American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, and the Water Pollution
Control Federation, or alternatively procedures set out in a publication of the British Columbia
Ministry of Environment that is intended to supplement or replace the procedures presented in
an edition of "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater".
"Special Waste" shall be waste as designated by the Waste Management Branch Special Waste
List, 1982.
"Storm Sewer" means a Sewer, which carries storm and surface water and uncontaminated
drainage water but is not intended for Wastewater.
"Storm Water" means water resulting from or following rainfall or snowfall but not containing
Wastewater.
"Suspended Solids" means the insoluble matter suspended in Wastewater that is separable by
laboratory filtration in accordance with the procedure described in "Standard Methods".
"Town" means Town of Comox.
"Uncontaminated Water" means any wasted water not contaminated with Wastewater which is
suitable for discharge to Storm Sewers.
"Vehicle" has the same meaning as in the Motor Vehicle Act, [RSBC 1996] CHAPTER 318.
"Wastewater" means the water-borne waste of the community, derived from human or industrial
sources including Domestic Wastewater and Industrial Wastewater, but does not include
rainwater, groundwater or drainage of Uncontaminated Water.
4.
Right of Entry
(1) Bylaw Enforcement Officers are authorized to enter into or onto any property or
premises at any reasonable time in accordance with the Community Charter.
(2) No Person shall interfere with or obstruct a Bylaw Enforcement Officer, after
identification is presented, when entering into or onto any premises.
(3) No Person shall hinder or prevent a Bylaw Enforcement Officer from entering and
making reasonable inspection of any building or premises whenever necessary to
secure compliance with, or prevent a violation of any provisions of this Bylaw.
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 4
PART 2 -- USE OF SEWER SYSTEM
DIVISION 2.1 - Waste Discharges
5.
Prohibited Discharges
(1) No Person or owner of a registered vehicle shall deposit, allow to be deposited,
discharge or cause to be discharged onto any Highway or into any pipe, main, conduit,
manhole, street inlet, gutter, aperture, or fixture of the public or private Sewer or
drainage, any of the following:
(a) Any gasoline, benzene, alcohol fuel or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or
gas.
(b) Any pesticides, herbicides or fungicides.
(c) Any corrosive, noxious or malodorous gas, liquid or substance, which either singly
or by interaction with other wastes, is capable of:
(i)
creating a public nuisance or hazard to life;
(ii)
preventing entry into a Sewer or pumping station; OR
(iii)
causing damage to the Sewerage System.
(d) Radioactive material - except within such limits as are permitted by the license
issued by the Atomic Energy Control Board of Canada.
(e) Any material from a cesspool or septic tank except at authorized receiving stations.
(f) Any solid or viscous substance capable of obstructing Wastewater flow or
interfering with the operation of the Sewerage System or treatment facilities
including but not limited to the substances set out in Table I.
TABLE 1
Substances specifically prohibited in Wastewater discharge.
Solid Materials: Ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, grass clippings, insoluble
shavings, metal, glass, rags, Offal, shells of shellfish, hair and
fleshings from operations such as hid processing, spent
grain and hops, whole or ground paper or plastic food or
beverage containers.
Viscous Materials: Tar, asphalt, lard, tallow, baking dough, chemical residues,
cannery waste, bulk solids, blood, paint residues, slurries or
concrete, cement, lime or mortar
(g) Any Special Waste without a current permit.
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 5
(2) No Person shall cause or permit any Storm Water, unpolluted drainage OR
uncontaminated cooling water to be discharged to Sanitary Sewers.
(3) No Person shall, except as provided for in this Bylaw, dispose of any Industrial
Wastewater except by means of a connection with the Sewer system.
(4) If no Sewer is available for an Industrial Wastewater connection the proposed method
of disposal shall be satisfactory to the Public Works Supervisor,
(5) Any vehicle or item found to be associated with a contravention of this Bylaw may be
removed, stored, impounded or disposed of at the owner's expense.
6.
Standards for Waste Discharges
(1) No Person shall discharge or permit to be discharged into a Sanitary Sewer any waste
that has any of the following characteristics:
(a) Any Garbage unless such Garbage is from premises where food is prepared for
consumption on the premises and which has been properly comminuted to 7
millimetres or less in any direction;
(b) Any liquid or vapour having a temperature higher than 65 degrees Celsius;
(c) Any water or waste, which contains Grease, whether or not emulsified, whose
concentration is in excess of 200 milligrams per litre or which contains more than
25 milligrams per litre of substances derived from petroleum sources;
(d) Any substance which may solidify or become discernibly viscous at temperatures
above 0 degrees Celsius;
(e) Any water or waste having a Suspended Solids content of more than 600
milligrams per litre;
(f) Any soluble waste or Wastewater having a PH lower than 5.5 or having any other
corrosive property which reasonably could be hazardous to structures, equipment
or Personnel included but not limited to battery or plating acid and wastes, copper
sulphate, chromium salts and compounds, or brine;
(g) Any water or waste that will by itself or with other water or wastes in the Sewerage
System release noxious gases, or form Suspended Solids in excess of 600
milligrams per litre or create any other condition deleterious to structures or
treatment processes;
(h) Any water or waste containing a toxic or poisonous substance in sufficient quantity
to injure or interfere with any Sewerage treatment process, to constitute a hazard
to humans or animals, or to create any hazard to the receiving waters or Storm
Water overflows or the Effluent of the Sewage Treatment Plant; OR
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 6
(i)
Any water or waste having a BOD content in excess of 400 milligrams per litre of
COD content in excess of 600 milligrams per litre.
(2) Without limiting the generality of clause 6(1)(h), the concentration of toxic substances
at the point of discharge to a public Sewer shall not exceed those set up in the
following Table 2:
TABLE 2
MATTER
(Toxic Substances)
EXPRESSED AS
CONCENTRATIONS IN
MILLIGRAMS PER
LITRE
Aluminum
Arsenic
Barium
Cadmium
Chloride
Chromium
Copper
Cyanide
Flouride
Iron
Lead
Mercury
Nickel
Phenolic Compounds
Sulphate
Sulphide
Tin
Zinc
Al
As
Ba
Cd
Cl
Cr
Cu
Cn
F
Fe
Pb
Hg
Ni
S04
S
Sn
Zn
50.0
1.0
5.0
1.0
1500.0
5.0
2.0
1.0
10.0
10.0
2.0
0.1
3.0
1.0
1500.0
2.0
5.0
4.0
7.
Accidental Discharges
Every Person responsible for the accidental discharge of prohibited substances into a public
or private Sewer shall report the same immediately to the Public Works Supervisor in order
that the necessary precautions can be taken to minimize the deleterious effects of the
discharge.
DIVISION 2.2 - Connection to the Sewerage System
8.
Wastewater Treatment Facilities
(1) Any Industrial Wastewaters likely to damage or increase maintenance costs on the
Sewerage System or which may detrimentally affect the Sewage Treatment Plant, or
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 7
contaminate surface or subsurface waters, shall be pretreated to render them
innocuous prior to discharge into a public Sewer.
(2) Discharges of liquid waste, exceeding the strength, nature, quantity or quality permitted
by this Bylaw, shall be treated in a facility designed, constructed and operated so as to
fulfill all of the requirements of this Bylaw.
(3) All details pertaining to the treatment process or processes, capacity, location,
materials, equipment, methods of construction and all operational procedures and
methods of process control of treatment facilities shall be approved by the Public
Works Supervisor before any portion of such facilities is installed.
(4) All Wastewater treatment facilities must be kept clear of obstructions so as to provide
immediate access for inspection and servicing.
9.
General Design Requirements
(1) Owners or occupiers of premises, upon which an industrial or commercial activity is
proposed or is carried on, wishing to connect these premises to the Sewerage System,
must comply with subsection 9(3).
(2) Owners or occupiers intending to expand an industrial or commercial activity so that
the quantity, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Suspended Solids concentration or Grease
concentration of sewage will be increased, must comply with subsection 9(3).
(3) Except as provided in subsection 9(4), the owner shall supply to the Public Works
Supervisor, plans and reports certified by a professional engineer indicating:
(a) the proposed or existing development or addition;
(b) the daily volumes and peak discharges;
(c) the type of waste to be processed or discharged;
(d) the anticipated biochemical oxygen demand and the amount of Suspended Solids
or Grease;
(e) the PH factor and temperature of the Wastewater;
(f) toxic chemicals contained in the Wastewater;
(g) the proposed pretreatment;
(h) flow equalizing or mixing facilities;
(i)
the location of sampling manhole;
(j)
the monitoring equipment; and
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 8
(k) any other information deemed necessary by the Public Works Supervisor.
(4) The Public Works Supervisor may deal with the application and make a decision
thereon without the above information if in their opinion the nature of the
application is such that a decision can be properly made without such information.
10. Volume Control
(1) Where Wastewater is discharged into the Sewerage System in volumes which are highly
variable or unusual, the owner or occupier shall ensure that discharges do not exceed
the limits on flow volumes set by the Public Works Supervisor.
(2) Equipment necessary to comply with subsection 10(1) shall be provided, maintained
and operated by the owner or occupier of such premises in a manner satisfactory to the
Public Works Supervisor.
DIVISION 2.3 - Control of Industrial Waste
11. Special Control Manholes
(1) Any property discharging Industrial Wastewater to the public Sewer shall have installed
a control manhole suitable for the inspection and sampling of the discharged wastes.
(2) Any design and location of the control manhole shall be approved by the Public Works
Supervisor.
(3) The control manhole shall be installed and maintained at the sale expense of the owner
of the premises and shall be accessible at all times to the Public Works Supervisor.
(4) All Industrial Wastewater discharged to public Sewers shall first pass through the
control manholes.
(5) Where installation of a control manhole is not possible, an alternative device or facility
may be substituted if approved by the Public Works Supervisor
12. Monitoring of Wastewater
(1) Should any testing of Wastewater show that it is not in compliance with this Bylaw, the
Public Works Supervisor, in addition to any other provision of this Bylaw, may direct the
owner to so comply with the Bylaw and may, in addition, direct the owner at their
expense to install such automatic monitoring and recording equipment as the Public
Works Supervisor deems necessary and supply the results of such monitoring to the
Public Works Supervisor.
(2) All tests, measurements, analyses and examinations of Wastewater, its characteristics or
contents shall be carried out in accordance with Standard Methods.
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 9
13. Control of Waste Disposal
(1) The Public Works Supervisor may at any time require a Person who intends to dispose
of wastes and liquids, semi-liquid or solid nature to show proof that these wastes are
being stored and subsequently disposed of in a place and manner which is acceptable
to the Public Works Supervisor; the information must also include method of
packaging, storing and transporting.
(2) The Public Works Supervisor may require a Person to provide an analysis, prepared by a
qualified chemist, of the waste referred to in Subsection 13(1).
DIVISION 2.4 - Protection of Public Sewerage System
14. Disconnection of Sewer
(1) Where any Wastewater which:
(a) is hazardous or creates an immediate danger to any Person or
(b) endangers or interferes with the operation of the Sewerage System is discharged to
the Sewerage System, the Public Works Supervisor may, in addition to any action
provided for in this Bylaw, disconnect, plug or seal off the Sewer line discharging
the unacceptable Wastewater into the Sewerage System or take such other action
as is necessary to prevent such Wastewater from entering the Sewerage System.
(2) The unacceptable Wastewater described in subsection 14(1) may be prevented from
being discharged into the Sewerage System until evidence satisfactory to the Public
Works Supervisor has been produced to ensure no further discharge of hazardous
Wastewater will be made to the Sewer system.
(3) The owner or occupier of the land from which the Wastewater described in subsection
14(2) is being discharged shall pay the costs incurred by the Town in taking all
necessary action relative to the Sewer disconnection and/or reconnection.
(4) The cost incurred in subsection 14(3) shall be in addition to and not in substitution for
any fine or other penalty to which the owner or occupier of the premises in question
may be subject pursuant to the provisions in this Bylaw.
(5) The Sewer shall not be reconnected until the costs in sentence subsection 14(3) are
paid.
15. Recovery of Costs for Damage to the Public Sewerage System
(1) Where any Person contravenes any provision of this Bylaw and thereby causes damage
to the Sewerage System, such Person shall be liable to the Town for all costs incurred in
making repairs or taking remedial action.
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 10
(2) If such costs are not paid forthwith after demand, the Town may recover the same by
action in any count of competent jurisdiction.
PART 3 -- USE OF SEWER SYSTEM - CONNECTIONS
16. Illegal Connections
No Person shall connect or attempt to connect, or allow to be connected, or allow to remain
connected to the Sewer system any property or premises otherwise than in accordance with the
provisions of this Bylaw.
17. Building Sewer Required
(1) The owner of every parcel of land that is capable of connection to a Sewer or to which a
Sewer Service Connection has been made, and on which is located a building that
generates sewage, must connect such building to the Sewerage System.
(2) Subsection 17(1) does not apply to any building served by an on-site sewage disposal
system using ground disposal that is in existence on a parcel that becomes capable of
connection to a Sewer by reason only of the installation of a Sewer main, unless the
Sewer main has been installed as a local area service or the building is being altered to
an extent requiring a building permit under the Town's Building Bylaw in which case the
Subdivision and Development Servicing Bylaw No. 2048 shall apply.
(3) In the case of a building previously served by an on-site sewage disposal system using
a septic tank, the owner must, within 30 days of a Sewer connection being made,
remove all sewage from the tank and dispose of it in accordance with all applicable
laws, and either remove the tank from the parcel or fill the tank with clean granular fill.
(4) In the event of any such owner failing to make the required connection within 30 days
after being notified in writing by the Public Works Supervisor to do so, or to
decommission a septic tank as required by this bylaw, the Public Works Supervisor may
have the work done at the expense of the owner and s.258 of the Community Charter
shall apply.
(5) For the purposes of this section, a parcel is capable of connection to a Sewer if the
parcel is within 15 metres of the nearest Sanitary Sewer main and sewage generated in
a building on the parcel will drain by gravity to a Sewer Service Connection and to the
Sewer main, and the distance of a parcel from the nearest Sewer main shall be
determined by projecting the side parcel line nearest the Sewer main and the centre
line of the Sewer main such that the projected lines intersect, and measuring the
distance from point of intersection to the closest part of the Sewer main or manhole in
which the main terminates.
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 11
18. Notice Given
Notice in writing required to be given by the Public Works Supervisor (pursuant to this section)
shall be sufficiently given if sent by registered mail to the owner at the address shown on the
last revised Assessment Roll of the Town.
19. Connection Application
Each application for a Service Connection shall be made to the Town by the owner or their
authorized agent in the form prescribed by the Town. Such owner shall, on making application,
pay to the Town the applicable connection fee. If such connection is practicable, the Public
Works Supervisor will, within ninety (90) days, weather permitting, provide and install a Service
Connection to the Applicants property. If such connection is not practicable, the Public Works
Supervisor shall so notify the Applicant within sixty (60) days and the Town shall refund the
charges or fee paid by the Applicant.
20. Individual Connections
Each property shall have its own Service Connection which shall be installed by the Town.
Where two or more buildings exist on one parcel of land and where such parcel of land can be
subdivided, each building shall have a separate connection.
21. Connection Location
Where possible the Service Connection will be located at the location requested by the
Applicant. In the event the Applicant's preferred location is not practicable, due to the existence
of installed surface improvements or is in conflict with underground utilities, the Public Works
Supervisor shall designate the location of each Service Connection to each parcel of land or
premises.
22. Compulsory Service Connections
Where street surface improvements are scheduled for installation by the Town during a current
budget year, the Public Works Supervisor shall order a compulsory Service Connection to be
installed to any property abutting such street and served by a Sewer regardless of whether or
not any improvement is constructed on the property and the cost of the Service Connection
shall be recovered as set out in SCHEDULE F of the Fees and Charges Bylaw.
PART 4 -- BUILDING SEWERS
23. BUILDING BYLAW
Building Sewers must be installed in accordance with the Comox Building Bylaw 1472, and must
be constructed by and at the expense of the owner, and must be approved by the Building
Inspector prior to connection being made.
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 12
24. Blockages
(1) Building Sewers must be maintained by the property owner at their sole expense.
Where any Sewer or Service Connection becomes stopped or otherwise fails to
function, the owner or occupier of the premises served shall first determine that the
blockage is not located in the Building Sewer and then notify the Public Works
Supervisor forthwith and the Public Works Supervisor shall, as soon as practicable,
arrange to have said Sewer or Service Connection unstopped or otherwise restored to
serviceable condition.
(2) Where any stoppage or failure is found to exist in the Service Connection or Sewer and
where such stoppage or other failure is found to have been caused by the act or
neglect of the owner or occupier of the premises, all cost incurred by the Town in
restoring service and unstopping the Sewer or Sewer connection shall be paid by such
owner or occupier upon demand
(3) If costs referred to in subsection 24(2) remain unpaid on the thirty-first day of
December in which such work is done, they shall be deemed to be taxes in arrears on
the property concerned and shall be dealt with in the same manner as ordinary
municipal taxes upon land in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Local
Government Act.
25. Abandonment
When any Building Sewer is abandoned the owner or their agent must notify the Public Works
Supervisor and the owner must effectively block up the Building Sewer at a suitable location at
or near the connection point of the Building Sewer and Service Connection with an approved
watertight seal.
26. Connection to Service Connection
In all cases, the Service Connection must be installed by the Town prior to installation of the
Building Sewer and connection of the Building Sewer to the Service Connection by the owner.
The Town will not be responsible for meeting the elevation or connect to an existing Building
Sewer installed by the owner prior to installation of the Service Connection.
27. Depth of Service Connection
Where practicable as governed by the depth of the Sewer, the minimum depth of the Service
Connection at the property line must be one point two metres (1.2m). Where possible, the
Service Connection will be installed with sufficient depth to provide natural drainage from the
lowest floor of any building or structure except where natural drainage is impractical due to the
relative elevation of the Sewer and the lowest floor of the building or structure.
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 13
PART 5 -- CHARGES FOR SERVICE
28. Connection Fees
(1) The owner or their agent shall, on making application for a Service Connection, pay to
the Town the applicable connection fee as specified in SCHEDULE F of the Fees and
Charges Bylaw.
(2) Connection fees not paid on or before the thirty-first day of December in any year shall
be deemed to be taxes in arrears in respect of the parcels of land served by the said
Service Connections and such sum shall be recoverable as such.
(3) Where Service Connections were provided and prepaid to any parcel of land existing at
the date of this Bylaw, the connection fee payable by any owner or Applicant of such
parcel pursuant to this Bylaw, shall be waived. The provisions of this clause shall not
apply to any parcel of land created by subdivision where such connection fee was not
prepaid nor to the additional costs payable by any owner or Applicant for additional
Service Connections or for a Service Connection exceeding 200 millimetres (200mm).
29. User Rates
(1) Every owner or occupier of real property within the Town of Comox having an
improvement thereon and where sewer facilities are available, must have such
improvement connected to the Sanitary Sewer and must pay or cause to be paid to the
Town, the Sanitary Sewer User Rates as set out in SCHEDULE G of the Fees and Charges
Bylaw, whether such facilities are used or not.
(2) The account for Sanitary Sewer Rates shall be rendered in the month of June each year
for the twelve months, January to December, in the year of billing.
30. Unpaid Fees and Rates
All Sanitary Sewer Connection Fees which remain unpaid, on December 31st in the year in which
they were levied will become a charge upon the property and shall be entered in the real
property tax roll as taxes in arrears.
PART 6 -- INSPECTION
31. INSPECTION
Building Sewers must pass inspection by the Town prior to connection being made to the
Service Connection.
PART 7 -- ENFORCEMENT, OFFENCES, LIABILITY AND SEVERABILITY
32. Enforcement
(1) When requested by a Bylaw Enforcement Officer, or any other person authorized by the
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 14
Town, any person who has apparently committed an offence under this Bylaw, will
correctly state their name and address.
(2) Every person will at all times comply with any lawful order, direction, signal, or
command made or given by a Bylaw Enforcement Officer, or other person authorized
by the Town, in the performance of their duties enforcing the provisions of this Bylaw.
(3) Each day that an offence continues shall constitute a separate offence against this
bylaw.
33. Offences
(1) Any person who contravenes any provision of this Bylaw, or who suffers or permits any
act or thing to be done in contravention of this Bylaw, or who refuses, omits, or
neglects to fulfill, observe, carry out, or perform any duty or obligation imposed by this
Bylaw is guilty of an offence and is liable, upon summary conviction, for penalties of up
to $50,000 as prescribed by this Bylaw or by the Offence Act, R.S.B.C. 1979, Chapter 304
and amendments thereto.
(2) Any person who contravenes any provision of this Bylaw, or who suffers or permits any
act or thing to be done in contravention of this Bylaw, or who refuses, omits, or
neglects to fulfill, observe, carry out, or perform any duty or obligation imposed by this
Bylaw is liable, on summary of conviction, and may be issued a bylaw notice as
permitted under the provisions of the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2004 and
the Local Government Bylaw Notice Enforcement Act, SBC 2003 c. 60.
34. Liability
Any person who contravenes any provisions of this Bylaw is liable to the Town for, and must
indemnify the Town from, all costs, expenses, damages, and injuries resulting from the
contravention.
34. Severability
Each provision of this Bylaw is severable from each other provision, and, if any provision is
determined by a Court of competent jurisdiction to be void or unenforceable in whole or in part,
this determination will not be deemed to affect or impair the validity of any other provision,
unless a Court otherwise determines.
PART 8 -- REPEAL
35. Repeal Bylaws
The following Bylaws are hereby repealed:
(1) Bylaw No. 713 "Comox Sanitary Sewer Use, Extension and Connection By-law 1983".
(2) Comox Sewer User Rates Bylaw No. 2038.
SANITARY SEWER BYLAW NO. 2057
Page 15
PART 9 -- ADOPTION
READ a FIRST, SECOND and THIRD time this
4th day of March, 2026
ADOPTED this
1 ath day of March, 2026
MAYOR
CORPORA TE OFFICER