Cost recovery for sewer blockages and illicit discharges.
Columbus City Codes § 1145.102
in effect1145.102 - Cost recovery for sewer blockages and illicit discharges.
Any person who discharges or places into the sewer system, POTW or MS4, any substance or material that causes a total or partial obstruction or blockage is required to reimburse the city for the costs incurred in responding to the obstruction or blockage. Any person who causes or contributes to the illicit discharge of a pollutant into the sewer system, POTW or MS4 is required to reimburse the city for the costs incurred in responding to the illicit discharge.
(A) Cost recovery fees for responding to illicit discharges, obstructions or blockages shall be established by rule by the Director pursuant to Section 1145.11. This amount shall be assessed to any person that caused or contributed to the illicit discharge, obstruction or blockage. This assessment may be pro-rated to more than one (1) person if more than one (1) person contributed to the illicit discharge, obstruction or blockage.
(B) The Director may assess additional amounts if removal of the pollutants or repair of the blockage requires an increased level of effort or is otherwise unusual. In addition, nothing in this rule limits the city's ability to seek reimbursement for any and all other types of damage caused by any person to any part of the sewer system, including water reclamation plants.
(C) All assessments pursuant to this rule shall be added to the person's sewer service charge, and may be appealed to the Director pursuant to Columbus City Code Section 1145.94.
(Ord. No. 1327-2012, § 1, 7-23-2012, eff. 10-1-2012; Ord. No. 2553-2020, § 7, 2-8-2021; Ord. No. 2837-2024, § 2, 11-25-2024)
Source: City of Columbus, City Codes and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/oh/columbus/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT11WASEELCO_CH1145SEUSRE_1145.100--1145.103FICORE_1145.102CORESEBLILDIFetched: 10/27/2026