GENERAL PROVISIONS (11-16-010 et seq.)

Municipal Code of Chicago tit. 11, ch. 11-16, art. I

in effect

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-16-010 Definitions.

11-16-010 Definitions. As used in this chapter: "A.S.T.M." means American Society for Testing Materials. "City" means City of Chicago. “Commissioner” means Commissioner of Water Management. “Department” means Department of Water Management. “Private sewer” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 18-29-202. "Videotapes" or "videotaping" means closed circuit inspection. (Added Coun. J. 2-6-02, p. 78883, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 1.13; Amend Coun. J. 12-16-24, p. 22879, Art. I, § 5)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-16-020 Care of sewers, sewer structures and drains.

11-16-020 Care of sewers, sewer structures and drains. (a) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: "Building drain", "building sewer" and "public sewer" shall have the meanings ascribed to these terms in Section 18-29-202. "Repair" means: (i) to repair or replace an existing sewer at its original location, and (ii) to maintain a sewer free from obstruction. (b) Responsibilities. (1) The city shall be responsible for repairs to the public sewer. (2) The property owner shall be responsible for repairs to the building drain. (3) With regard to residential buildings of more than four units and all non-residential buildings, the property owner shall be responsible for repairs to the building sewer. With regard to residential buildings of four or fewer units: (A) The property owner shall be responsible for repairs to the part of the building sewer located on private property. (B) The department shall be responsible for repairs to the part of the building sewer located on public property, unless: (i) the property owner, intentionally or negligently, failed to maintain the building sewer free from obstruction or otherwise caused the damage necessitating repairs; (ii) the conditions necessitating repairs occurred within three years of a new connection to the public sewer; (iii) the building sewer was reused without the approval required by Sections 18-29-301.3 and 18-29-703.4.1 of this Code; or (iv) the building is vacant, as that term is defined in Chapter 14X-2 of this Code, for more than 30 days. If any one or more of exceptions (i) through (iv) apply, the property owner shall be responsible for repairs to all parts of the building sewer. (c) New or relocated sewer connections. The property owner shall be responsible for the cost of installing any new or relocated sewer connection to the public sewer, unless the commissioner confirms that the installation is necessary to avoid utility conflicts or other obstructions in the provision of utility services. (d) Sewer work methods. The commissioner shall by rule establish the method and specifications for piercing and opening sewers or drains, when any connection is made to any sewer or drain within the corporate limits of the city. (Added Coun. J. 7-29-15, p. 3537, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 1-23-19, p. 94952, Art. I, § 6; Amend Coun. J. 4-10-19, p. 100029, Art. II, § 102)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-16-021 Reserved. Editor’s note – Coun. J. 1-23-19, p. 94952, Art. III, § 1, repealed § 11-16-021, which pertained to reuse of existing house sewer, house drain or other sewer structure.

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-16-030 Permit - Required.

11-16-030 Permit - Required. No person shall build, rod, or videotape a public sewer, or line or pump into any other sewer or sewer structure or drain upon private property or the public way without first having obtained a permit from the department of buildings. No person shall construct any drain or make any connection to any City of Chicago public sewer, private sewer or waterway without first having obtained a permit from the department of buildings, and, if required, from the general superintendent of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and any other applicable agencies. No person shall excavate or make any opening upon the public way or other public place without first having obtained a permit from the department of transportation. No person shall seal or abandon any sewer or sewer structure unless a permit is first obtained from the department of buildings. No person shall uncover or excavate under or around any public sewer, for any purpose, without first having obtained the written consent of the department. No person shall lay, alter or repair any part of a house drain or drains, or any part of a catch basin or strainer of a house drain or drains, or any part of a cesspool or water closet connecting with any public sewer unless a permit is first obtained from the department of buildings. Any person who violates this section shall be fined $200.00 for the first offense, and $1,000.00 for the second and any subsequent offense. Any licensed drain layer who violates this section three or more times within any calendar year shall have his license suspended or revoked in accordance with Section 4-28-140 of this Code. (Added Coun. J. 2-6-02, p. 78883, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. VI, § 6)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-16-040 Permit - Exception - Starting work without a permit.

11-16-040 Permit - Exception - Starting work without a permit. If the work involves in kind replacement of less than 20 feet of an existing sewer system, or if the work involves rodding, a licensed drain layer may start work without first having obtained a permit if the licensed drain layer (1) calls and registers with the department prior to beginning the work; and (2) pays the permit fees no later than 30 days after the work has been completed; and (3) in the case of in kind replacement, requests an inspection by the department of buildings. If the permit fee is not paid within the required 30 day period, the fee shall double and no new permit under this chapter shall be issued to the licensee until the permit fee is paid. (Added Coun. J. 2-6-02, p. 78883, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-8-12, p. 38872, § 207)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-16-050 Permit - Application.

11-16-050 Permit - Application. An application for any permit issued under this chapter shall be made to the building commissioner on a form provided by the department of buildings and shall be accompanied by the following: (1) Any statements, drawings, designs, plans, specifications and related documents showing the location, configuration, dimensions and details of construction of the permitted work as the commissioner may require; (2) The name and license number of the licensed drain layer who will perform the work, unless the work to be performed is sealing; (3) A written agreement that the permitted work shall be done in compliance with the requirements of this Code, including, but not limited to, any requirements governing excavation in a public way or public place; (4) An indemnification agreement as required by Section 11-16-070; (5) The permit fee; and (6) Any other information that the building commissioner may require. (Added Coun. J. 2-6-02, p. 78883, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. VI, § 7)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-16-060 Permit - Approval of plans required.

11-16-060 Permit - Approval of plans required. No permit shall be issued under this chapter unless the building commissioner approves in writing any statements, drawings, plans, specifications and related documents submitted pursuant to Section 11-16-050(1) of this chapter. (Added Coun. J. 2-6-02, p. 78883, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-16-070 Permit - Indemnification agreement required.

11-16-070 Permit - Indemnification agreement required. An applicant for a permit under this chapter shall agree to indemnify, defend and hold the city harmless against all liabilities, judgements, costs and expenses which may in any way result from the issuance of any permit under this chapter. (Added Coun. J. 2-6-02, p. 78883, § 1)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-16-080 Permit - Fees.

11-16-080 Permit - Fees. The building commissioner is authorized to issue permits under this chapter. Permit fees shall be charged as follows: (a) Connections to public sewers and extensions of private drains. Six-inch diameter and smaller.....$75.00 Eight-inch diameter.....$125.00 Ten-inch to 16-inch diameter.....$175.00 18-inch to 21-inch diameter.....$225.00 24-inch and larger.....$300.00 Connections by public agencies of branch sewers or catch basin drains to main sewers.....$125.00 – $450.00 (b) Repairs and/or additions to existing sewers up to 20 feet. Six-inch diameter and smaller.....$65.00 Eight-inch diameter.....$100.00 Over eight-inch diameter.....$125.00 Repairs or adjustment of a sewer structure in public way or on private property.....$50.00 Repair of an existing flood control system on private property.....$30.00 (c) [Reserved.] (d) Seal permits (demolition).....$125.00 (e) Miscellaneous permit fees: Sump pump only installation.....$50.00 Sump pump and drain tile installation.....$100.00 Flood control and overhead conversion.....$100.00 Inspection manholes (per manhole).....$100.00 Each townhouse/single-family residence unit of a planned development or subdivision (each house).....$65.00 Pumping water from basements of residential buildings up to six flat apartment buildings.....$30.00 Other pumping operations: the higher of: (1) the minimum charge of $100.00, or (2) a charge based on volume of discharge per gallon, as determined by the sewer service charge in Section 3-12-020 and the metered water service rate in Section 11-12-310 Minimum.....$100.00 Stubs (per stub).....$50.00 Installation of testing equipment in a manhole....$150.00 (f) Fees for videotaping, cleaning, lining and inspections of public sewers: From zero to 500 linear feet of sewer.....$125.00 From 501 to 1,000 linear feet of sewer.....$200.00 Over 1,000 linear feet of sewer.....$275.00 (g) Other fees. For sewer-related or building drain-related work applied for pursuant to this chapter with no associated permit fee, including the approved use of a pipe diameter not specified in this section, the building commissioner is authorized to assess a permit fee for such work, based on the city's reasonable cost of issuing and administering the permit, which in no case shall be less than $450. (h) Exemption. The fees imposed by this section and Section 11-16-250 shall not apply to permits issued to the City of Chicago or any City department or agency established under Title 2 of this Code or to their contractors for work undertaken for public or governmental use. (Added Coun. J. 2-6-02, p. 78883, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-03, p. 14216, § 7.6; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-29-15, p. 3537, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. VI, § 8)

Source: City of Chicago, Municipal Code of Chicago (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2657126Fetched: 10/24/2026