Sewer Connections

Chapel Area

April 29th, 2011 is the deadline to connect or defer connecting to the sewer, according to City of Sedona Communications Director Ginger Wolstencroft. Residential property owners have 180 days from the date of the notice of sewer availability to take action. Official “notice” for the Chapel Area was dated November 10, 2010.

Sewer Connection Options

There are three connection options available to not only Chapel Area residents, but to all homeowners who may receive sewer availability connection notices in the future. These are summarized below.

* Equivalent Residential Unit

If a deferred system fails, or if the capacity needs on the property increase, e.g., building additional bedrooms, immediate connection and all concomitant fees may be required.

Penalties

If the property owner(s) fail to pay the monthly non-user or user service fee, or to make a timely wastewater connection or on-site system inspection, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the agreement, the penalties can include but are not limited to late charges of 1.5% of the unpaid balance per month for failure to pay a capacity fee; determination of an environmental nuisance per Sec. 13-9-1 of the City Code and assessment of potential fines and penalties as set forth in Article 13-11 of the City Code. This includes a possible lien on the property for unpaid user fees for delinquency of more than 90 days.

Monthly Fees

The following chart shows the accumulation of monthly fees. Since the city chart extends only through June, 2015, an assumption of a fourth consecutive annual increase of 10 percent has been made.

If you own contiguous properties, you can have them combined to reduce your monthly charges. The resulting property can be redivided at a later time if need be.I

Sewer Connection Deferral Agreement

Click to open agreement

Notary

The agreement (above) must be notarized. You can have it notarized in the Finance Department where you drop the form off.

Payment

Please make all payments payable to City of Sedona. The can be mailed or dropped off at 102 Roadrunner Dr, Sedona, AZ 86336. If dropping off, take them to the Administration or Community Development buildings.

Inspection

Below is a list of certified wastewater system inspectors and contractors. While it is not mandatory to select an inspector from this list compiled by city engineers, please note that city engineers  review the inspection reports before the city accepts them. Several have been returned for corrections.

Have your inspection performed well ahead of the deadline in case your system needs corrections.

Should you have questions, please call the Financial Services Department at 928-204-7185.

Prices quoted below are based on pumping a 1500 gallon tank and were gathered by telephone in April, 2011. Beginning Thursday, April 21, 2011, the Sedona Wastewater treatment Plant reached its capacity for accepting septage brought in by area haulers. Through May 2011, haulers will now have to empty their tanks in Camp Verde, which will cost a little more. Besides what the driver charges, Camp Verde charges about 16 cents per gallon off-loaded there, whereas Sedona charges only 12 cents. The haulers should all already know they need to take it to Camp Verde.

Graywater

Coconino County has provided several documents explaining its stance on graywater, including what you can and cannot do with it. Graywater is previously used water from washing machines, showers, etc., but excluding the kitchen sink and toilets.

Gray water use conditions explained

Gray water conditions concerns benefits

Gray Water – Permit Instructions

Rainwater

The city’s Public Works Department has expressed no objection to converting a used septic tank into a rainwater storage cistern. However, they failed to write that into the code when the Wastewater Code (Chapter 13) was updated. Therefore, more work needs to be done to make sure permission is grated in writing.

In addition, I received telephone approval from the county. I will add to this section when find my documentation of that event.

From a Dec 24, 2008 email from Charles Mosley (head of Public Works) to Lin Ennis:

A private citizen(s) could research the issue, on their own initiative.  They could then bring their findings to the City and propose a change to the City Code, if they desired.  City staff would evaluate the request and respond back to the citizen. .

Precedent

In a first-of-its-kind project in Martin County, the Rio Civic Center’s septic tank will be converted to a freshwater cistern, collecting and holding rainwater for future irrigation use on the property.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/mar/02/rio-civic-center-to-convert-septic-tank-to-for/

And another:

Florida Department of Health’s rule (64E-6.0185 Conversion of a Septic Tank into a Cistern) that allows conversion of septic tanks (tanks that would otherwise be abandoned) into non-potable landscape cisterns.
http://blog.sed-eng.com/2011/03/05/convert-a-septic-tank-to-rainwater-harvesting-cistern.aspx

One more:

In Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture we convert disused septic tanks into rainwater tanks by firstly getting cleaning experts to empty the tank and then wash it out with water. In some cases, simple chemical disinfection is carried out. If tank water is changed many times for several months before the start of use, the tank water will become clean.
http://www.skywater.jp/QA_e.html

Converting a septic tank to a rainwater storage tank

Taking Care of Your Septic System, Yavapai County Style