In 1983, the City of Belle Meade installed gravity sewers and an innovative pressure sewer system with the capacity to serve all Belle Meade households. Components of the pressure system include an underground pump station located between the household waste line and the main. The electrical supply and red light (a visual alarm) were installed on a wall of the residence within sight of the pump station. In the event of mechanical failure, the light signals that repairs are needed. Please call City Hall – 297-6041 for any repairs that may be needed….twenty-four hour emergency service is available.

USER INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR GRINDER PUMP

Care and use of your Grinder Pump

The Grinder Pump is capable of accepting and pumping a wide range of materials. Regulatory agencies advise the following items should NOT be introduced into any sewer either directly or through a kitchen waste disposal unit:

• Cooking oil or grease
• Glass
• Metal
• Seafood shells
• Diapers, socks, rags or cloth
• Plastic objects (toys, utensils, etc.)
• Sanitary napkins or tampons

In addition, you must NEVER introduce into any sewer:
• Explosives
• Flammable material
• Paint
• Lubricating oil and/or grease
• Strong chemicals
• Gasoline

Weekly Maintenance

Homeowner can provide maintenance by pouring ½ cup of household bleach once a week, late in the evening, to the garbage disposal/sink. This helps to eliminate failures due to grease in the Grinder Pump, and will also deodorize and clear laterals in the internal plumbing.

Periods of Disuse

If your home or building is left unoccupied for more than a couple of weeks, you must purge the system. Run clean water into the unit until the pump activates. Immediately turn off the water and allow the Grinder Pump to run until it shuts off automatically.

CAUTION: DO NOT DISCONNECT POWER TO THE UNIT

Power Failure

Your Grinder Pump cannot dispose of wastewater without electrical power. If electrical power service is interrupted, keep water usage to a minimum!

Pump Failure Alarm

Your pump has been manufactured to produce an alarm signal (120 volt) in the event of a high water level in the basin. The homeowner must see the alarm signal (red light) and notify the City in a prompt manner. The visual alarm is to provide adequate warning to the user that service is required. During the interim prior to the arrival of an authorized service technician, water usage must be limited to the reserve capacity of the tank. If you are having a problem with internal plumbing, call the City first as this could save you unnecessary plumbing charges.

General Information

In order to provide you with suitable wastewater disposal, your home is served by a low-pressure sewer system. The key element in this system is a Grinder Pump. The tank collects all effluent from the house. The solid materials are then ground to a small size suitable for pumping as slurry with the effluent water. The Grinder Pump generates sufficient pressure to pump this slurry from your home to the wastewater treatment receiving line and/or disposal plant.