onwasa owned and maintained grinder pumps

WHAT IS A GRINDER PUMP?

A grinder pump is a self-contained appliance that consists of a collection tank, a small pump, on-off controls, and a high-water alarm.  The grinder pump system collects all the wastewater from a home, grinds it into a slurry, and pumps it through a small pipe to the sewer main in the street.

A grinder pump has a pumping system with many components - tank, pump assembly, level controls, piping, valves and electrical.  A grinder pump will normally run for one to two minutes and automatically turn off when the wastewater in the tank pumps down to a preset level.

The pump is powered by electricity and is connected to a control panel mounted near the tank.  The control panel is wired to an outside breaker box fed by a circuit breaker in the home's electrical panel.  The grinder pump is not a septic system.

WHY DOES MY HOUSE HAVE ONE?

Whenever possible, sewers are designed to use gravity to move wastewater from the home or business through the sewer system.  Certain difficult terrain types make gravity sewers cost prohibitive or infeasible.  In some cases, using a grinder pump is more practical for moving wastewater through low-pressure sewer systems.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

A grinder pump is placed in a tank that is buried in a convenient outdoor location on your property.  When the water is used in the house, wastewater flows into the tank.  When the wastewater in the tank reaches a preset level, the grinder pump automatically turns on, grinds the waste, and pumps it out of the tank via a pressure discharge line into the public sewer system.

WHAT ARE MY RESPONSIBILITIES?

Your primary responsibilities are best summarized as:

• Provide electricity to the pump
• Protect your pump and underground lines
• Notify ONWASA when the alarm goes off
• Provide access to the property for maintenance of the system

HOW DO I PROVIDE ELECTRICITY TO THE PUMP?

The customer is responsible for paying for the electricity that powers the pump, keeping their home electrical system in proper repair, and allowing authorized ONWASA personnel or contractors to access a properly sized and maintained breaker box mounted outside the home near the pumping unit so that the electricity to the pump can be disconnected safely during maintenance.

HOW DO I PROTECT MY UNDERGROUND LINES?

It is not advisable to plant trees or large shrubs or place such items as fences, decorative pilings, fishponds, etc., within the immediate area as damage to the pump, underground electrical, or piping systems may occur.  Electrical power and alarm wires are buried near the control panel and the tank.  A 2 inch diameter plastic low-pressure pipe runs between the tank and the property line.  Before digging in these areas, you should call 811 to have a technician locate the lines.

WHAT DO I DO WHEN I GO ON VACATION?

If you will be away for more than a week, leave the power to the pump on and take the following steps before you leave:

• Run water from an inside tap long enough for the grinder pump to start working.
• When the pump starts, turn off the water.
• The grinder pump will run until the tank is empty and then shut off.  This process will clean the pump and leave the tank holding a small amount of the rinse water and minimize odor.

WHAT TO DO DURING A POWER OUTAGE?

Your grinder pump cannot operate without electrical power.  The grinder pump storage tank has limited amount of storage capacity, so it is imperative to keep water usage to a minimum during a power outage.  Minimizing water usage (bathing, flushing the toilet, washing dishes, etc.) during a power outage may prevent the sewer from backing up into your home.

If you witness an alarm occurring at a neighbor's home, notify the neighbor or contact ONWASA directly to report the alarm.  ONWASA crews will respond and resolve the issue.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ROUTINE GRINDER SYSTEM MAINTENANCE?

Provided you meet your responsibilities described above, ONWASA crews will perform maintenance on the grinder system.  This includes the control panel, tank, pump, and the low-pressure pipe.  ONWASA is not responsible for the plumbing lines inside the house or from the house to the station.  Repeated failure to meet these responsibilities will result in direct charges for maintenance due to negligence or disregard.  Routine maintenance is covered by your monthly fees related to sewer service with a grinder pump system.

WHAT ARE THE COSTS?

In addition to the normal ONWASA sewer rates, a $15 fee will be added (per the current fee schedule) to your monthly bill.  This fee will be used to offset the maintenance and replacement of the grinder pump system as they age.