§ 1-13-445. Grinder pump maintenance policy.

(a)

Purpose. County staff is responsible for repairing non-functioning grinder pump stations in which the NCDENR operation and maintenance agreement is in the county's name. Currently, the costs associated with these repairs are billed back to the property owner. Under the policy below, owners of grinder pump stations shall be charged a monthly flat fee for maintenance rather than billing for the actual costs of the repairs. The policy outlined below will ensure that owners of grinder pump stations are never saddled with the unanticipated high cost to replace or repair a worn out grinder pump, guarantee that funds are available to replace and repair worn out grinder pumps as they reach their life expectancy, increase the efficiency of grinder pump repairs, and reduce the actual costs of grinder pump repairs.

(b)

Policy. County sewer customers being served by a grinder pump station that the county is responsible for operating and maintaining shall pay a grinder pump maintenance fee. Responsibility for operation and maintenance shall be as defined in the operation and maintenance agreement that accompanies the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources sewer permit or as agreed to by formal contract. Typically, grinder pump stations associated with residential developments are permitted by the county and grinder pump stations for commercial developments are permitted by private entities. This policy does not apply to commercial developments permitted by private entities in which the NCDENR operation and maintenance agreement is in the name of the private entity. The grinder pump maintenance fee shall be paid monthly as part of the customer's regular water and sewer bill. The county board of commissioners shall set the grinder pump maintenance fee and make fee adjustments as necessary. The fee shall be indicated on the wastewater fee schedule. Fees paid into the grinder pump maintenance fee fund shall be used exclusively for the repair and maintenance of customer-owned grinder pump systems. Each year, fees collected in excess of those required to cover the actual costs associated with grinder pump maintenance and repair shall be put into a grinder pump maintenance reserve fund for the exclusive use of paying costs associated with customer-owned grinder pump system repairs. Customer-owned grinder pump systems include the small diameter force main from the property line/easement line to the grinder pump wet well, the grinder pump, valves and valve boxes on the small diameter force main, the wet well, the grinder pump electrical panel, and associated appurtenances. The gravity service line from the structure to the grinder pump wet well, electrical connections to the grinder pump panel, telephone lines connected to any telemetry system, and generators connected to the grinder pump power supply are not considered part of the "Customer-owned grinder pump system" and repairs to such are not covered under this policy. The cost for telephone service and telephone repair, if required for telemetry systems, shall be the responsibility of the customer and shall not be covered under this policy. The customer shall bear the cost of repairs required due to negligence or misuse of the grinder pump station. Negligence or misuse includes violations of the county sewer use ordinance, disposing of sand, rock, gravel, metal, or any other substance that cannot reasonably be expected to be ground and conveyed by a grinder pump.

(Ord. of 6-2-08(3))

Editor's note

An ordinance adopted June 2, 2008(3) did not specify manner of inclusion; hence, inclusion as section 1-13-450 is at the discretion of the editor. This section was not treated as repealed by the sewer use ordinance of April 1, 2013, and was renumbered to fit in the new sewer use ordinance. Formerly, this section was designated § 1-13-450.