Article I. In General.
Sec. 1. Duty of owner to connect with city sewer.
The owner of every building now erected, or which may hereafter
be erected, remodeled or repaired, whether occupied or to
be occupied for any purpose, shall cause the same to be connected
with the city sewer, provided such building or premises be on or
along the line of a public sewer, unless in any case it can be shown
to the satisfaction of the health officer that there is no necessity
for such connection. It shall be unlawful for any person to have
any privy on his lot or in any home on the line of the city system
of sewage that is not connected therewith.
All buildings and premises, whether situated on public lanes or
courts, or on such lanes or courts as have not been accepted by
the council as public when the same opens into the street on which
the city sewers are laid, shall be considered on the line of the said
city system of sewerage; and the owner of buildings and premises
on said lanes and courts, not accepted as public, shall run at
his expense a lateral to connect therewith, in accordance with
regulations herein contained governing sewers. (Code 1932, §
373.)
As to power of cities to regulate sewer connections, see § 1544 of
Michie's Virginia Code of 1942.
Sec. 2. Each building to be separately connected with
sewer.
The plumbing and drainage system of every building shall be
separately connected with the public sewer at property lines, and
in a row of tenements each tenement shall be deemed a separate
house. The connection of more than one building to the same
house sewer will not be allowed, except by written permission of
the city manager. (Id.)
Sec. 3. Use of septic tanks.
In cases where it is not practicable or possible to make connections
with the city system of sewers, the use of septic tanks will be
allowed in the discretion of the health officer and in all cases shall
be constructed and maintained in accordance with directions of
the health officer. (Id.)
Sec. 4. Disposal of excreta from human bodies.
It shall be unlawful for any person to throw out, deposit or
bury within the city limits any excreta from human bodies, solid
or liquid, or to dispose of such substance in any manner other
than by means of a properly sewered water closet or a properly
constructed sanitary privy. (Id.)
Sec. 5. Sewered water closet or sanitary privy required.
All buildings or other places in the city where human beings
live, are employed or congregate, shall be provided with a sewered
water closet or a sanitary privy for the catchment or receiving
of human discharge which will properly dispose of and safeguard
such matter. (Id.)
Sec. 6. Privies—Construction requirements and regulations
generally.
It shall be unlawful for any property owner or his authorized
agent or tenant to construct, maintain or permit to exist on any
property under his control, where sewer connection has not been
made, a privy, unless the same be sanitary, and constructed in
accordance with the state requirements for a sanitary privy, and
approved by the health officer.
The health officer shall prescribe by regulations the proper size
and method of construction of such privies, and such other details
as will render this article effective and its application uniform.
All such privies must conform to such regulations. (Id.)
Sec. 7. Same—Keeping in cleanly condition; use only
for toilet purposes.
All sanitary privies in the city shall be kept in a cleanly condition
at all times and so used that all excreta deposited therein
shall fall into the receptacle or pit provided. Such receptacle or
pit shall be used only for the purpose of a toilet, and no waste
water, garbage or other refuse matter other than human excreta
shall be deposited therein. (Id.)
Sec. 8. Same—Not to be permitted to overflow.
No privy shall be permitted to become filled to overflowing.
Before the pit is allowed to overflow a new pit must be provided
and the privy house placed thereon in accordance with directions
of the health officer. (Id.)
Sec. 9. Same—Noncomplying privies declared nuisance.
All privies existing or maintained in the city which do not
comply with the requirements of this article or the regulations issued
under this article, shall be and are hereby declared a nuisance,
dangerous to the public health, and the city shall proceed to
abate such nuisance in accordance with law. (Id.)
Sec. 10. Same—Alterations or constructions to privies
found to be nuisances.
The city, through the health officer, shall have the further
right to make or cause to be made such alterations or constructions
to such privies as are found to be nuisances, that will render
them sanitary, and the entire cost of such work shall be charged
against the owner of the property. All such alterations or constructions
are to be prescribed and approved by the health officer.
(Id.)
Sec. 11. Same—Receptacles for sanitary privies.
All receptacles for sanitary privies shall be in the beginning
furnished by the property owner. Said receptacle shall be interchangeable
from closet to closet and replacement of destroyed or
worn receptacles is to be made by the city. It shall be unlawful
for any person to take, destroy, misuse or misplace any such receptacle.
(Id.)
Sec. 12. Same—Inspection.
The health officer or a duly appointed inspector shall personally
inspect all privies as such inspection shall be deemed by the
health officer necessary. The health officer or a duly appointed
inspector is hereby empowered to enter all premises in the discharge
of this duty. (Id.)
Sec. 13. Same—Replacement of can privies.
When an existing can privy becomes unsanitary and its replacement
is directed by the health officer, the new privy shall conform
to the state standards for a sanitary privy as approved by the
health officer. (Id.)
Sec. 14. Sewers discharging into septic tanks or cesspools.
All houses having a sewer which discharges into a septic tank
or cesspool shall be provided with an ample and approved subsurface
distributing system to care for the effluent from such
tank or cesspool. (Id.)
Sec. 15. Penalty.
Any person who violates any of the provisions of this article,
or any person who in any way obstructs the city health authorities
in the proper discharge of the duties prescribed in this article,
shall, upon conviction, be fined in a sum of not less than five dollars
nor more than one hundred dollars and may also be sentenced
to hard labor for the city for a period of time not exceeding six
months. Each day such violation continues shall constitute a
separate offense. (Id.)
