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Private Sewer Lateral Relocation 3 June 20, 2011 Analysis Past and Current Policy Section 505.4 of the City's adopted Uniform Housing Code requires that every structure with plumbing fixtures be connected to the POTW. This connection is typically a pipe lateral that extends from the structure and connects to the POTW sewer main. San Leandro Municipal Code Section 3-14-640 states that ownership and maintenance of the lateral is the responsibility of the property owner. If it becomes necessary for a POTW sewer main to be relocated, it then becomes the responsibility of the property owner to reconnect to the new sewer main. The addition of Administrative Code Title 8 Chapter 11 established a procedure by which the City would provide ample notice of the sewer main relocation and provide financial assistance in the form of loans to private property owners to reconnect private laterals when a sewer main is abandoned. Prior to the addition of this Administrative Code section, the property owner was responsible for the entire cost. This new code included provisions for the POTW to construct that part of the private lateral within the public right of way based on a benefit to the general public. The remainder of the costs and implementation for reconnection remains with the property owner, but permits the POTW to provide financial assistance to the property owners. In May 2011, the Engineering and Transportation Department conducted a survey using the list of cities available on the California League of Cities mailing list. Eighteen cities responded to the survey, and in most cases the cities indicated that the private property owner are responsible for the entire lateral, but none of the responding cities has needed to relocate a sewer main pipeline in the past 15 years. There are, however, instances where sewer mains have been relocated in Oakland. In those instances, the property owners were solely responsible for the cost of reconnecting their private sewer laterals. In the Oro Loma Sanitary District, lateral maintenance is also the property owner's responsibility and relocation costs are at the District's sole discretion. "OLSD Ordinance 35-14 Section 4.11 District Cost for Nonpublic Sewer Work. When modification or failure of public sewer facilities necessitates work on nonpublic sanitary sewer facilities, the determination of responsibility for the costs of nonpublic sewer work is made at the sole discretion of the District." Possible Options for Consideration To aid in the discussion of possible amendments to the Administrative Code, staff provides the following options for consideration: 1) Retain the existing, procedure with improved financial assistance With this option, the property owner remains responsible for the maintenance of the entire lateral; however, the POTW would construct the portion of the lateral within the public right of way under certain schedule conditions. Construction of the lateral on private property would remain the responsibility of the property owner. The POTW would provide financial assistance to property owners with a maximum $15,000 loan