Grinder Pumps
Why are grinder pumps needed in some areas?
With wastewater (sewer) utilities throughout the county, including BCSS, there are gravity sewer systems and pressure sewer systems. Some areas aren’t suitable for gravity sewer systems, so low-pressure sewer systems are implemented. When low-pressure sewer systems are installed, each home or building that is connected within that service territory requires a grinder pump and pressure pushing wastewater to the main line, even if the land from home/building to main road slopes downward.
When new roads and developments are being planned, the engineers and developers decide what type of sewer main infrastructure will be installed. After the new sewer lines are installed, typically by contractors, the utilities own and maintain the main sewer system infrastructure and provide service to that area. BCSS has no preference on the type of main sewer infrastructure installed in new developments. The developments must meet our Standard Specifications to connect to the rest of our sewer system.
If you’re an existing BCSS customer and have sewer service/grinder pump inquiries or repairs, contact us at (251) 971-3022 anytime, day or night. BCSS repairs grinder pumps and sewer service lines on our system and offers flexible financing for repair charges that are conveniently added to monthly bills. We continually seek the best and most updated pumps for our system and our customers.
· We also do not offer indoor plumbing services, and we cannot install or repair services/ pumps on other sewer utilities’ systems.
· The low-pressure sewer systems within our service territory have been designed to meet strict specifications and require certain types of pumps to function properly. If BCSS does not provide and/ or install a pump, customers must purchase and have installed any progressive cavity, sometimes called a semi-positive displacement pump and have it installed by a qualified plumber. Contractors and plumbers must follow this pump type and BCSS Standard Specifications when installing lines, pumps and lift stations on the BCSS system.
Recommendations for customers with grinder pumps:
- There are several different pumps that have been installed at customers’ properties throughout the years.
- The grinder pumps BCSS installs at homes and businesses require very low preventative maintenance, and there are precautions listed below that can help uphold the pump, in addition to the normal User Tips.
- If your pump’s alarm is on for more than 15 minutes, you could try to troubleshoot, or call BCSS or a plumber to schedule service for it. Continuing to use water without having the pump serviced can cause more damage to your pump and/ or your sewer system. If you don’t know where you grinder pump and alarm panel box are, look for something that looks like the picture to the right.
- BCSS recommends that customers who are comfortable with it, open their grinder pump lid (if newer type like one pictured here) and hose the pump out every year. It’s a quick and easy task that can be added to your Spring cleaning or landscaping to-do list.**
- BCSS can clean your grinder pump for $100, if needed.
- Pour 1 cup of dish soap down the drain once per month to help break up any possible build- up in the pump.
- Before a Gulf Shores waterfront property will be unoccupied for longer than 3 months, we suggest you fill up the bathtub and drain it to flush the pump.
*Please understand that BCSS cannot be held accountable for any damage to the sewer system. We suggest you use your best judgment in maintaining your system.
**This suggestion applies to newer pumps with float systems, like the one shown below. Older pumps must be removed to be cleaned.
About Keen Grinder Pumps:
The Keen brand pump that BCSS currently installs for most of the applications on our sewer system has many advantages, including:
- American made oil cooled progressive cavity grinder pump
- Single oil lubricated silicon carbide seal
- Field serviceable panel mounted capacitors
- Field serviceable level sensors versus internal pressure switches
> For our customers’ convenience, BCSS will continue to service existing E-one pumps on our system for as long as needed.
Keen Simplex Grinder Station Manual
This is a cut out model of a standard simplex Keen grinder pump, which is installed at most residences and some additional applications.
