Adoption of this Ordinance will amend Chapter 12 (Sewers) of the Goodyear City Code to update definitions and change responsibilities between owners and City in regard to sewer connections.

1. ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2023-2337 DECLARING A PUBLIC RECORD THAT CERTAIN DOCUMENT FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK AND TITLED “AMENDING CHAPTER 12 (SEWERS) OF THE GOODYEAR CITY CODE.” 

2. ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 2023-1583 AMENDING CHAPTER 12 (SEWERS) OF THE GOODYEAR CITY CODE TO AMEND AND REPLACE CHAPTER 12 IN ITS ENTIRETY; PROVIDING FOR CORRECTIONS; SEVERABILITY; PENALTIES AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (Todd Carpenter, Deputy Water Services Director and Barbara Chappell, Water Services Director)

Currently, owners are responsible for service line repairs from the dwelling unit to the sewer main connection in the street. The proposed amendment will have the owners responsible for only the sewer service lines on their private properties. This leaves any repairs on the sewer service lines from the private property to the main sewer connection the responsibility of the City. These types of repairs are not planned, but the Collections Division anticipates between 10-15 repairs of this type annually given the age of our sewer system. The current annual budget has a line item and funds to support these types of unplanned repairs. Future base budget impacts will be evaluated and likely increased due to increase in repairs costs, increase in the number of service connections in the system, and age of the system.

The current language in the Sewer Ordinance has the Owner responsible for service line repairs from the dwelling unit to the sewer main connection in the street. As written and enforced, this ownership responsibility requires residents and businesses to repair or replace service lines under sidewalks and in the right-of-way at their own expense. This requirement creates large repair costs for our customers as well as inequity in repair costs based on where the sewer main line might be constructed under the street.

Staff reviewed other city policies, city responsibilities, owner’s responsibilities, and insurance programs for comparison. Upon review of the information and efficacy of various policies and programs, staff thought it was in the best interest of our customers to revise the current sewer ordinance.

Water Services staff have worked with Legal, Customer Service, and Collections Operations staff to review and provide suggested revisions and edits which have been incorporated into the proposed Ordinance to change the service line repair responsibilities.

As the responsibilities of owners are written in the current ordinance, residents and businesses can be impacted financially for service line repairs, typically in a range between $7,000 to $15,000 depending on the specific issue with the sewer pipe. These repairs also require private contractors, hired by the owners, to tap into our sewer mains as well as to replace pavement and sidewalks in city rights-of-way.

By revising the definition of Service Line, the responsibility for service line repairs in easements, and right-of-way to the city, will be consistent with other utilities. This limits the residents and business owners’ responsibility for repairs of service lines to their private property.

The advantage of these changes to the city is that public sewer infrastructure can be protected and repaired in a consistent and reliable fashion. Ensuring that the sewer collection system is repaired, replaced, and that it flows correctly, is a quality-of-life benefit to our residents and businesses.