SEWER FAIRNESS ALLIANCE OF CHELMSFORD

www.sfa-chelsmford.org

To our Town Representatives;

We want to introduce you to the Sewer Fairness Alliance of Chelmsford, which was formed in November 2012 to seek equity for homeowners in Chelmsford who were compelled by the now defunct Sewer Commission to install grinder pumps and to maintain them, at their own expense. At present, there are over 500 homes impacted. When formed, there were 23 homeowners in the Alliance, but now that number is nearing 200 and growing. What the SFA-Chelmsford seeks from you is your support that the Town of Chelmsford treat all homeowners equally in the use of the now-completed sewer system.

The sewer system project was started in 1989, and homeowners were required to pay a “betterment fee” of approximately $1300 for installing the sewer line under their street. Their connection to the sewer was by gravity feed and they had to pay for connecting the sewer line from their home to the sewer. That was their only cost. The sewer line ran to a pumping station and the cost of maintaining the pumping station was included in their semi-annual sewer bill.

Throughout the project there were some homes that, because of geography, could not connect to the sewer system by gravity feed and those homes required grinder pumps. However, toward the end of the project, the funding was low, and the cost to dig deep enough for the gravity feed pipe was more costly, as were the pumping stations that were placed at various points to move the gravity feed systems. The Sewer Commission determined that it would

be less expensive for the town to require homeowners to install grinder pumps, even when gravity feed was more than plausible, without providing other options for connecting to the sewer system. The pipe feed for a grinder pump was less costly, did not need to be placed so deep in the ground, and the pump itself would be installed at the home. To reduce the Town’s cost, the Sewer Commission passed on the cost to individual home owners.

Home owners required to install grinder pumps not only had the hook up to street as other gravity feed homes did, but also had many additional costs. Electrical panels needed to be installed in their home to handle the pump, there were additional costs for the install of the pump, and there are ongoing electrical costs and all maintenance costs as well as replacement costs. While promised by the Sewer Commission that these pumps would last nearly 20 years, our experience is much different. The SFA-Chelmsford is collecting data from homeowners that indicates parts wear out and break down frequently. There is only one company authorized to service and/or replace the E-One Grinder Pumps that we were forced to have; F.W. Mahoney Co., located in Rockland, Massachusetts. This company services five out of the six New England states, which results in significant delays in service during power outages or breakdowns. The company charges a $150 travel fee just to inspect the problem, and charges additionally for labor, parts and/or replacement.

Homeowners with grinder pumps bear additional cost and great inconvenience when there is a power outage (and the Town seems to experience power outages quite frequently). If the homeowner does not own a generator, or one with enough capacity to run the grinder pump, the use of water by the homeowner (showers, toilet, dish and clothes washers)

is impossible. The elderly and disabled are particularly adversely affected if there is no alternative power during a power outage. Many of us had generators that provided sufficient power for refrigerators, lights, and other necessities, but these generators do not supply sufficient power for the grinder pump and we have to invest in yet another generator to protect ourselves during the power outages, or we will suffer the consequences. The pumps do not have capacity, without power, to last more than 24 hours, with sewage spilling over into the yard, or worse backing up into the basement of the home. Many home owners have had to stay at hotels when the pumps have not been working, due to power outages or breakdown.

These extra costs are substantial. We have started surveying homeowners with grinder pumps and many have reported repeated breakdowns and multiple replacements, all at their own cost. Those homeowners connected to the sewer system by gravity feed do not have or share these extra costs. All taxpayers receive semi-annual sewer bills from the Sewer Department to maintain the gravity feed pumping stations, including the homeowners who have grinder pumps. These semi-annual sewer bills are the only expense homeowners with gravity feed receive, while homeowners with grinder pumps bear the additional expense of electricity, maintenance, repair and replacement of the pump in perpetuity.

In addition, while the initial installation (“betterment fee”) was about $1300 at the beginning of the project, many were charged over $4,000 at the end of the project. Even when adjusting for inflation, those at the end of the project paid twice as much as those who were charged the betterment fee at the early stages of the project. There was no uniformity in this charge, some homeowners were given

rebates of inconsistent amounts, and some were not.

The Sewer Commission acted arbitrarily in forcing us to install grinder pumps. We were threatened with fines and liens on our homes if we did not connect to the sewer system. Many of us had septic systems in perfect working order that had passed Title V inspection. Grinder pumps have devalued our property and no one seems to be responsible; indeed, sadly, to date, not one public official has come to our support, or has stated publicly that the situation is inequitable and must be addressed.

Clearly, this situation is inequitable and intolerable. Whether you are in office or currently running for office, we seek your public views on this situation and support for a remedy that will treat all Chelmsford homeowners equally.

Sincerely,

Alan Jay Rom

Mansfield Drive