APPROVAL OF WATER LINE AND SEWER LINE EXTENSIONS OR IMPROVEMENTS

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 11-C, ch. 10

in effect

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 11-C, § 1000 Definitions.

Section 1000. - Definitions. For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms, words, phrases and their derivations shall have the following meanings. A. City shall mean the City of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a municipal corporation, acting through the Utility Board and the City's duly authorized officer or agents. B. DEQ shall mean the Oklahoma State Department of Environmental Quality, its successors, designees and assigns. C. Director shall mean the Director of Public Works of the City of Tulsa, or any person succeeding to the Director's duties and functions. D. Engineer shall mean the professional engineer of the City of Tulsa who: 1. Is in responsible charge of the reviewing staff of the City; 2. Is responsible for reviewing applications for water line and sewer line extensions or improvements for the City; 3. Is duly licensed as a professional engineer in the State of Oklahoma; and 4. Has passed an examination on the contents of the Standards for Water Pollution Control Facilities and Standards for Public Water Supply Facilities. E. Licensed Engineer shall mean a person licensed as a professional engineer in the State of Oklahoma. F. Water distribution lines shall mean water mains not larger than twelve (12) inches in diameter and except systems constructed in whole or in part with funds from EPA and/or administered by DEQ. G. Municipal sewer/wastewater system shall mean sanitary sewage collection systems constructed, operated or maintained by a municipality or trust for the benefit of such a municipality. H. Municipal water system shall mean a public water supply distribution system constructed, operated and maintained by a municipality or trust for the benefit of such a municipality. I. Permit shall mean the City's written approval of the application for water line or sewer line extensions or improvements which connect to the water or sewer system of the City. J. Person shall mean any natural individual, corporation, company, firm, partnership, association or trust, including any state agency, governmental subdivision, instrumentality, and agency, county, city and town. K. Premise shall mean any plot or tract of ground, regardless of size or plat, under individual ownership or individual use or occupancy. L. Sewage collection system shall mean and include gravity sewage collection lines not larger than twelve (12) inches in diameter, except for systems constructed in whole or in part with funds from EPA and/or administered by DEQ. M. Small commercial sewage treatment system shall mean a sewage treatment system which serves a public or commercial establishment which exhibits a flow of not greater than five thousand (5,000) gallons per day. This includes such establishments as small restaurants, retail stores and commercial office buildings, but does not include residential systems, alternative systems, lift stations, discharging systems or land treatment systems. (Ord. Nos. 16384, 20781)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 11-C, § 1001 Water distribution line—Construction permit exemption.

Section 1001. - Water distribution line—Construction permit exemption. A. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to qualify for exemptions from the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) construction permit requirement for water systems, pursuant to Chapter 625 of the Oklahoma Administrative Code, entitled "Public Water Supply Construction Standards," adopted by the Board of Environmental Quality on May 26, 1994. Water distribution lines not larger than twelve (12) inches in diameter are the only mains eligible for the exemption from the requirements of issuance of state construction permits. All water distribution lines/systems constructed in whole or in part with funds from the United States EPA and/or with funds administered by the DEQ shall not be exempted from the requirement of obtaining a state construction permit. B. Systems and connection requirements. The municipal water systems and any water distribution line or connection thereto shall be constructed in compliance with the applicable regulations, rules and requirements of the DEQ or the ordinances, regulations, rules and requirements of the City, whichever standard is more stringent. C. Approval required. All water distribution lines to be connected to the municipal water system shall be approved by the Director prior to actual construction. D. Approval withheld. Approval shall be withheld if the water treatment plant, pump station or distribution main to which the water distribution line is to attach has reached or, with the addition of the proposed water distribution line, would reach treatment or hydraulic capacities. Further, approval shall also be withheld if the water distribution line does not meet or exceed the standards of the DEQ and the City, or may be withheld for any other reason. E. Review and approval of plans and specifications for connection to systems. Prior to construction, plans and specifications for water distribution line shall be reviewed, approved and signed by a professional engineer licensed by the State of Oklahoma and designated by the Director as being in responsible charge of such connections to the municipal water systems. All approved plans and specifications shall be signed by the designated professional engineer, in responsible charge, indicating approval to proceed with construction in accordance with the approved plans and specifications. No water distribution line construction shall proceed until plans and specifications have been reviewed and approved in this manner. F. Listing of projects. The Director or his designated representative shall supply DEQ with one (1) copy of all such approved plans and specifications together with a listing of all approved water distribution line projects monthly, on or before the fifteenth of each month following approval of the plans and specifications for each project. The listing shall include the name, location and date of approval of each such project. G. Inspection. The Director or his designated representative shall inspect each approved project and shall prohibit commencement of any water distribution line construction or connection prior to approval of plans and specifications in accordance with this chapter. H. System operation. The City shall operate its municipal water system in compliance with the applicable rules of DEQ. I. System capacity exception. Should the City declare a moratorium on water distribution line construction or should any proposed water distribution line bring the municipal water system, a connected pump station, distribution main or water treatment plant to its design capacity, the construction or connection of the proposed water distribution line may still be allowed, to the extent approved by DEQ, under the following circumstances: 1. The City shall apply, in writing, to the DEQ for a variance allowing the specified construction to proceed within the area; 2. The application shall detail what the City will do to ensure that the construction or connection will not worsen any existing problems; 3. The application shall include timetables for correcting any stated problems, prior to the connection of any additional users, demands or flows as a result of the construction of which approval is sought; 4. The application, if approved, shall become a condition of any permit issued for such construction by the DEQ; 5. Approval of construction in an area under moratorium or at design capacity which has not received such a variance from the DEQ may result in revocation of the City's overall water permit exemption status, as provided by the rules and regulations of DEQ. (Ord. No. 20781)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 11-C, § 1002 Compliance with standards.

Section 1002. - Compliance with standards. A. All municipal water systems, facilities and connections shall be constructed in compliance with the "Public Water Supply Construction Standards" established by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality or City standards, whichever is more stringent. B. No municipal water system or water distribution line shall be constructed until plans and specifications meeting the criteria in Subsection A, above, are reviewed, approved and signed by the responsible licensed professional engineer in charge of the project. (Ord. No. 20781)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 11-C, § 1003 Municipal sewer/wastewater systems—State permit exemption.

Section 1003. - Municipal sewer/wastewater systems—State permit exemption. A. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to qualify for exemptions from the Department of Environmental Quality construction permit requirement for wastewater collection systems, pursuant to Chapter 655 of the Oklahoma Administrative Code, entitled "Water Pollution Control Construction Standards," adopted by the Board of Environmental Quality on November 24, 1993. Gravity sewage construction lines not larger than twelve (12) inches in diameter are the only systems eligible for the exemption from the requirements of issuance of state construction permits, provided all systems which are constructed in whole or in part with funds from the United States EPA and/or with funds administered by the DEQ shall not be exempt from the requirement of obtaining a state construction permit. B. System and connection requirement. All municipal sewer/wastewater systems and any connection thereto shall be constructed in compliance with the applicable regulations, rules and requirements of the DEQ or the applicable regulations, rules and requirements of the City, whichever standard is more stringent. C. Approval required. All sewer line extensions to sewage treatment plants, lift stations and interceptor lines shall be approved by the Director prior to actual construction. D. Approval withheld. Approval shall be withheld if the sewage treatment plant, lift station or interceptor line to which the sewer line extension is to attach has reached or, with the addition of the proposed sewer line extension, would reach treatment or hydraulic capacities. Further, approval shall also be withheld if the sewer line extension does not meet or exceed the standards of the DEQ and the City, or may be withheld for any other reason. E. Review and approval of plans and specifications for sewage collection systems. Prior to construction, plans and specifications for sewage collection systems shall be reviewed, approved and signed by a professional engineer licensed by the State of Oklahoma and designated by the Director as being the responsible professional engineer in charge of connections to the sewage collection systems for the municipality. All approved plans and specifications shall be signed by the designated professional engineer indicating approval to proceed with construction in accordance with the approved plans and specifications. No sewage collection system construction shall proceed until plans and specifications have been reviewed and approved in this manner. F. Listing of projects. The Director or his designated representative shall supply DEQ with one (1) copy of all such approved plans and specifications together with a listing of all approved projects monthly, on or before the fifteenth of each month following approval of the plans and specifications for each project. The listing shall include the name, location and date of approval of each such project. G. Inspection. The Director or his designated representative shall inspect each approved project and shall prohibit commencement of any sewage collection system construction or connection prior to approval of plans and specifications in accordance with this chapter. H. System operation. The City shall operate its sewer/wastewater systems in compliance with the applicable rules of DEQ. I. System capacity exception. Should any proposed City sewer line extension bring a connected lift station, interceptor line or sewage treatment plant to its design capacity, the construction or connection of the proposed sewer line extension may still be allowed, to the extent approved by DEQ, under the following circumstances: 1. The City shall apply in writing to the DEQ for a variance allowing the specified construction to proceed within the area; 2. The application shall detail what the City will do to ensure that the construction or connection will not worsen any problems or treatment capacity, flow or bypassing of sewage; 3. The application shall include timetables for correcting any stated problems, prior to the connection of any additional loadings or flows, as a result of the construction for which approval is sought; 4. The application, if approved, shall become a condition of any permit issued for such construction by the DEQ; 5. Approval of construction in an area at design capacity which has not received such a variance from the DEQ may result in revocation of the City's overall sewer line permit exemption status, as provided by the rules and regulations of DEQ. (Ord. No. 20781)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 11-C, § 1004 Requirements for small sewage treatment systems.

Section 1004. - Requirements for small sewage treatment systems. Small sewage treatment systems may be installed under the following circumstances: A. Small sewage treatment systems shall be constructed in accordance with Title 17, Tulsa Revised Ordinances, Chapter 9, Septic Tanks; and B. A permit shall be obtained from the Tulsa City-County Health Department; and C. If a subsurface system is to be installed, a soil percolation test shall be required. The soil percolation test shall follow the procedure set forth by ODH Bulletin No. 600 and shall be performed by a registered professional sanitarian, registered professional engineer or registered land surveyor, and submitted to the Tulsa City-County Health Department; and D. Prior to backfilling a subsurface system or placing a lagoon into service, a final inspection shall be performed and approval obtained from the Tulsa City-County Health Department, or persons certified by the Oklahoma State Department of Health. (Ord. No. 20781)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 11-C, § 1005 Variances.

Section 1005. - Variances. Whenever the City has declared a moratorium on water or sewer line extensions, improvements or modifications in a portion of the City, construction may be allowed in that portion to the extent approved by the Commissioner of Health of the State of Oklahoma. (Ord. Nos. 16384, 20781)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 11-C, § 1006 Permit transfer and cancellation.

Section 1006. - Permit transfer and cancellation. A permit shall not be assigned, transferred or sold to any other person and shall not be valid for construction at a premise or location different from the premise or location contained in the application. A permit shall be void if construction is not commenced within one (1) year of the date of its issuance. If a permit becomes void by reason of failure to commence construction within the required period, a new application for a permit shall be filed with the City prior to construction, and all regulations and standards in effect at the time of the new application shall be in force and effect. (Ord. Nos. 16384, 20781)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 11-C, § 1007 Fee schedule.

Section 1007. - Fee schedule. The following fees shall be charged by the City for the review and approval of plans and specifications for a permit pursuant to this chapter: Line extensions or improvements | $5.00/100 feet (rounded to the nearest 100 feet) | ($50.00 minimum) (Ord. Nos. 16384, 20781)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 11-C, § 1008 Inspection required.

Section 1008. - Inspection required. Before they are placed into service, all extensions or improvements of the water and sewer lines of the City shall be inspected, tested and approved by the inspection staff of the City to ensure that construction is in accordance with approved plans and specifications. (Ord. Nos. 16384, 20781)

Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 11-C, § 1009 Rules and regulations.

Section 1009. - Rules and regulations. The Director shall develop such standards, rules and regulations which are deemed necessary to protect the public peace, health and safety and for the administration and enforcement of this chapter, which shall be approved by the Utility Board and Council of the City before they become effective. (Ord. Nos. 16384, 20781)

Source: City of Tulsa, Revised Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ok/tulsa/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_TIT11-CWASE_CH10APWALISELIEXIMFetched: 10/28/2026