General Provision

PURPOSE: This rule sets forth the general provisions of and defines the terms used in Chapter 60, Standards of Service by Sewer Utilities. (1) The chapter applies to all sewer service by sewer corporations, as defined in section 386.020, RSMo (1986) and is to become effective March 2, 1973. All previous rules or standards conflicting with those contained in Chapter 60 are annulled and superseded. The rules apply to any sewer corporation which is now or may become engaged in the business of furnishing sewer service to any customer within the state of Missouri. (2) The adoption of the rules in Chapter 60 shall in no way preclude the Public Service Commission from altering, amending or revoking them in whole or in part or from requiring any other or additional service equipment, facility or standard, either upon complaint, upon its own motion or upon the application of any utility. (3) The following definitions shall apply to this chapter: (A) Commission—The Public Service Commission of Missouri; (B) Customer—Any person, individual, partnership, association, corporation or governmental agency being provided with sewage disposal service by a utility; (C) Outfall sewer line—Sewers, either force or gravity, carrying effluent from treatment facility to point of discharge; (D) Collecting sewers—Sewers, including force lines, gravity sewers, interceptors, laterals, trunk sewers, manholes, lampholes and necessary appurtenances, including service wyes; (E) Service sewers to customers—Any sewer pipe extending from the customer’s residence or other structure to the utility’s collecting sewer, but excluding service wyes; (F) Lift station—That portion of the sewerage system which is used to lift the sewage to a higher elevation; (G) Premises—A tract of land or real estate, including buildings and other appurtenances thereon, belonging to the customer; (H) Sewage—Sewage shall mean ground garbage, human and animal excretions and all other liquid waste normally disposed of by a residential, commercial or industrial establishment, through the sanitary sewer system; (I) Sewer system—Includes all pipes, pumps, canals, lagoons, plants, structures and appliances and all other real estate, fixtures and personal property, owned, operated, controlled or managed in connection with or to facilitate the collection, carriage, treatment and disposal of sewage for municipal, domestic or other beneficial or necessary purpose; (J) Sewer utility—Includes every corporation, company, association, joint stock company or association, partnership or person, their lessees, trustees or receivers appointed by any court, owning, operating, controlling or managing any sewer system, plant or property, for the collection, carriage, treatment or disposal of sewage anywhere within the state for gain; provided, that the provisions of this order shall not apply to sewer systems with fewer than twenty-five (25) outlets; (K) Outlet—A service sewer connection to the collecting sewer; (L) Treatment facility—A facility to treat sewage; and (M) Sewer service—Removal and treatment of sewage. (4) Each utility shall investigate promptly and thoroughly any complaint concerning its charges, practices, facilities or service. The utility shall maintain a file of customer complaints received on the service it provides. The file shall include the name and address, as well as the nature of the complaint and date of occurrence. A detailed explanation of what the utility did to correct the trouble which originated the complaint shall be recorded. The file shall be open to inspection of the commission or its staff during regular working hours and copies will be furnished the commission if requested. (5) Unless otherwise specified by the commission, all records required by this chapter shall be preserved for two (2) years. Each utility shall notify the commission of the location at which it keeps the various classes of records required by these rules, if outside the state of Missouri. Each utility shall also maintain up to-date maps, plans or records of its entire sewer system, with such other information as may be necessary to enable the utility to advise prospective customers and others entitled to the information, as to the facilities available for serving any locality. (6) Each utility shall file with the commission the name, title, address and telephone number of the person who should be contacted in connection with general management duties; customer relations (complaints); engineering operations; and emergencies during nonoffice hours. The commission shall be notified promptly of any changes which the utility may make in these contacts. (7) A utility shall attempt to give advance notice to the customers before making smoke tests on sewers, indicating the date and approximate hour. AUTHORITY: sections 386.310(1) and 393.140(11), RSMo 1986.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 240-60.010. Original rule filed Feb. 23, 1973, effective March 2, 1973. Moved to 20 CSR 4240-60.010, effective Aug. 28, 2019. *Original authority: 386.310(1), RSMo 1939, amended 1979, 1989, 1996 and 393.140(11), RSMo 1939, amended 1949, 1967.