Problem: Sewage Backing Up Into Homes

Some privately owned grinder pumps, which have gone days without power, are filled up, and sewage is backing up into some people’s homes, First Selectman Dan Steward said.

Grinder pumps are installed when an individual’s sewer line is below the town’s sewer line. The pumps have a tank, and when it fills to a certain level, sewage is pumped uphill to the town line.

If the pumps do not have power, the tank fills and the sewer begins to back up into peoples’ homes. That is happening in some homes, Steward said.

The town is responsible for 240 grinder pumps, and has been pumping them and energizing them regularly, Steward said. But there are many other privately owned grinder pumps that are not being maintained, and if no contractor is called there have been issues, he said.

Town Ordinance

Approximately seven years ago, the town passed an ordinance that it would not maintain any new grinder pumps. Additionally, if the deed of the house changed since that time, the town would stop maintaining the grinder pump and the homeowner would be responsible, Steward said.

Some homeowners were not aware that they are responsible for the grinder pumps, Steward said. In one example, a woman’s husband died in January, and then the deed changed to her, and now the grinder pump went from being maintained by the town to maintained by her, Steward said.

What To Do

If people have a grinder pump and are unsure if it is privately or publicly maintained, they should call the utility commission at 860-444-5886, Steward said.

No problems have been raised about publicly owned pumps, Steward said. However, if the utility pump is privately owned, the homeowner should call a contractor immediately, he said.