We recently came across this newscast that really hits home about how damaging and costly “Flushable” wipes can be to the grinder pump and our sewer system.

 

Grinder Pumps:
In some parts of the District sewage must be pumped uphill from homes or businesses to the main sewer.  Small sewage pumps known as “grinder pumps” serve buildings in these areas.

The Sanitary District owns and maintains approximately 200 grinder pumps that serve more than 300 private homes and businesses.  The pumps are located in underground basins on or near the property line and have a green cover, about 2 ½ feet in diameter.  Many are shared by two homes and a gray alarm box with a red light on top is located on the outside of one of the buildings.

Maintenance Of Grinder Pumps:
Grinder pumps are designed to handle normal domestic sewage.  Customers should take care not to allow foreign objects to enter the system.  Rags or other foreign objects can cause the pump to jam or malfunction.

Grinder Pump Emergencies or Alarms:
Customers who own their own grinder pumps should contact a plumber for service. Customers on Sanitary District owned grinder pumps should use the following procedure to report alarms.

To report a grinder pump alarm or any other malfunction call our emergency number, 262-534-2031, which is connected to an answering machine that automatically contacts District personnel.  This number should be used only in emergencies.  You will be asked to leave your name, address, the nature of the problem, and the date and time of your call.   District personnel will respond as soon as possible. Do not tamper with the alarm box, the basin cover, or the pump.

If you experience a grinder pump alarm, you should stop using water until the problem is corrected.  If you share a grinder pump with neighbors, notify them to curtail their water usage.  The grinder pump basins have a reserve capacity of only 30 to 50 gallons after an alarm sounds.  Continued water use during a malfunction could result in sewage backing up into homes.

Silencing The Alarm Bell:
On District owned pumps a small reset button is located on the underside of the gray alarm box.  Pushing in this button will silence the bell.  However, the red light will continue to flash until the problem is corrected.  If you have a grinder pump alarm, please call it in immediately to the emergency phone number listed above.