Dallas City Code § 19-84 CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE.
SEC. 19-84. CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE.
From and after the 15th day of December, 1915, all dry closets within the city and all dry closets located within 3,000 feet of the corporate line of the city shall be so constructed and maintained as to prevent access of flies and insects to the closets and to the night soil and for such purpose shall be constructed as follows:
(a) The closets and the compartment under the seat in which stands the night soil container shall be tightly constructed of sound lumber, without cracks or crevices. Any opening for ventilation shall be covered with wire fly screening. There shall be at the back or side of the night soil container an opening for the removal of the night soil container, which opening shall be provided with a tightly fitting, let-down board cover, hinged to the house and so constructed as to prevent access of insects to the night soil. This cover shall be provided with a hook or button and shall always be kept closed. Where practicable, the opening shall abut on a public alley, and in any event it shall be located so as to be readily accessible to the city scavenger. The night soil container shall rest on a floor at least six inches above the ground and two inches below the floor of the closet. The seat openings in the closet shall be provided with tightly fitting, hinged, self-closing covers of sufficient size to completely cover the openings in the seat.
(b) The roof of each dry closet shall be watertight and so constructed as not to shed water into the night soil container. The doors of all dry closets shall be tight fitting and self closing and any windows or openings for ventilation shall be covered with wire fly screens not coarser than 14 mesh to the inch. All dry closets shall have at least two openings of not less than one square foot each for ventilation.
(c) All existing dry closets which are not constructed in compliance with this chapter shall be immediately reconstructed or repaired so as to be in accordance with the provisions hereof, and it shall be the duty of the owner or person in charge or control of the property upon which such closet is located, or the agent of such owner, if the owner be a nonresident, to make such alterations or improvements as will fully meet the requirements and intent of this chapter, and so as to prevent the closet from being a menace to public health.
(d) Whenever in the opinion of the city health officer, or his duly authorized agent, the condition of any existing closet is such that it cannot be altered to meet the requirements of this chapter and be maintained in a sanitary condition, the owner or person in charge of the property upon which such dry closet is located, or the agent of such owner, if such owner is a nonresident, shall, within 15 days after notice from the city health officer, or his duly authorized agent, provide a new closet constructed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(e) No dry closet shall be built or maintained on any piece of property, any part of which extends to within 100 feet of a sanitary sewer. No dry closet shall be located within 10 feet of the property line of any piece of property except where such property abuts upon a public alley. If a water-operated fixture is installed in any dry closet, it shall be included within the provisions of this chapter and shall be in all respects constructed and maintained in accordance with the terms of this chapter. (Ord. Nos. 7806; 27697)