Proper maintenance of sewer system.
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 47-9
in effect§ 47-9. - Proper maintenance of sewer system.
(a) Generally. All persons and contracting parties utilizing or connecting to the City's sewer system, either directly or indirectly, shall exercise reasonable measures to prevent a break in or a leak from any private sewer line and to expeditiously repair any such defective private sewer line, and thereby prevent any threat to the health, safety, or welfare of the public by maintaining all private sewer lines in watertight and non-leaking condition and in accordance with all City standards and specifications.
(b) Public nuisance. The Director is hereby authorized to declare a break in or a leak from a private sewer line, directly or indirectly connected to the City's sewer system, which causes a threat to the health, safety, or welfare of the public, to be a public nuisance. Upon said declaration by the Director that a public nuisance exists, the contracting party or a responsible person at the serviced premises shall be notified by the City that a public nuisance exists, that said nuisance must be remedied, and that any failure or refusal to make or to cause to be made the necessary repairs may result in the suspension of water service to all premises contributing to the public nuisance.
(c) Hearing. Upon the notification of the contracting party or a responsible person at the serviced premises of the declaration of a public nuisance the contracting party, or another on his behalf, shall within 24 hours demonstrate to the Director that a licensed plumber has been retained or arrangements have been made with a licensed plumber for the purposes of remedying the public nuisance within a time period deemed reasonable by the Director or shall show other good cause why water service shall not be suspended pending the repair of the aforementioned defective private sewer line. Said necessary repairs or arrangements for repairs to the defective private sewer line must be reasonably verified by the licensed plumber to the Director within the aforementioned 24-hour notice period. Should said necessary repairs be made by a licensed plumber or should arrangements be made with a licensed plumber for said necessary repairs to be made within a reasonable time period acceptable to the Director, then service to said premises shall not be suspended hereunder.
(d) Suspension of water service for failure to comply. If any contracting party fails or refuses to contact the Director to show cause why water service should not be suspended to the serviced premises, or to demonstrate that a licensed plumber has been retained or arrangements have been made with a licensed plumber to make the necessary repairs within a reasonable time, or if any contracting party fails or refuses to make or cause to be made such repairs as necessary to terminate the public nuisance within a reasonable time, or has failed or refused to have the licensed plumber verify the arrangement to make the necessary repairs hereunder by contacting the Director, such a failure or refusal shall be cause for the suspension by the City of water service at the serviced premises without further notice. In addition, should said necessary repairs not have been made within said reasonable time, or pursuant to the standards, specifications, and requirements of the City, or should said repair not have been made pursuant to said arrangements, then said water service to the serviced premises shall be suspended. Once suspended, water service to any serviced premises shall not be reinstated until such time as the aforementioned necessary repairs are completed and inspected by the City and costs paid, or good cause shown by the responsible party.
(e) Responsible party. All repairs required under this article and all maintenance of private sewer lines, and any expense resulting therefrom, shall be the responsibility of the contracting party, the owner, or the occupant of the premises serviced by said private sewer line.
(f) Addition to other regulations. This section shall be in addition to any other ordinance or regulation, or authority of the City or the Health Department to deal with a public nuisance.
(g) Contract. This section shall be incorporated in and be a part of each and every contract for water or sewer service provided by the City within the City limits.
(h) Denial of water connection. The Director is hereby authorized to deny initiation of water service to any serviced premises which has a defective private sewer line or system.
(i) Definitions.
(1) Costs as referred to herein shall include all inspection fees, water service initiation and suspension charges, and any other fee provided for by this Code.
(2) Serviced premises as referred to herein shall include any and all premises which directly or indirectly contribute effluent to the defective private sewer line causing or contributing to the public nuisance.
(3) Contracting party as referred to herein shall include any person, party or parties, corporation, association, or other entity or entities which has contracted for or is requesting a contract for sewer service from or in the City.
(Code 1980, § 47-6.2; Ord. No. 17864, § 1(31-50), 10-16-84)
Source: City of Oklahoma City, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ok/oklahoma_city/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=OKMUCO2020_CH47SESEDI_ARTIINGE_S47-9PRMASESYFetched: 10/28/2026