General Sewer Information

NOTE: All homes and business establishments with sewer service are required by Hamburg Township Ordinance to use potassium chloride in water softeners. Sodium chloride is prohibited.

The Hamburg Township Sanitary Sewer System (also known as the HTSSS) is comprised of a very small section of gravity sewers located in the Village of Hamburg and Industrial Drive area of the Township with the remaining 2,700+ sewer connections made through low-pressure sanitary sewer collection systems. Those homes and businesses on the low-pressure sewer system each have an individual grinder pump station. The grinder pump does just what its name implies. It grinds up the wastewater that is generated by the home or business and pumps it through a small 1 ½” or 2” service lateral into the sanitary sewer main line located within the road right-of-way.

The pressure in the sewer main helps to pump the sewage to either the Brighton Wastewater Treatment Plant or to the Hamburg Township Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) located near the intersection of M-36 and Merrill Road. The Hamburg Township WWTP treats over 77,000,000 gallons of wastewater per year and is unique in the fact that it does not discharge the treated water directly into a water body like many other wastewater treatment facilities. The Hamburg WWTP discharges the treated water into huge sand filtration beds that allows the water to have another level of cleaning before it eventually re-enters the ground water table.

For a sewer emergency call (810) 217-6085 and follow the voice mail prompt. Calls are monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week, weekends and holidays. Please discontinue water use until a DPW Technician has responded to your emergency and can diagnose and repair the problem. All other sewer related questions should be directed to the Utilities Coordinator, Brittany K. Campbell at (810) 231-1000 Ext. 210 or via email at bcampbell@hamburg.mi.us.

SEWER GUIDE

IS YOUR HOUSE WITHIN 400 FEET OF A SEWER LINE?

How Do I Know Where The Sewer Lines Are Located?

Several maps and sewer drawings located at the Township offices show where existing sewer lines have been installed.

The DPW Administrator and Utilities Coordinator can also assist you in determining exactly where the sewer lines are located as well as provide information regarding proposed sites where new sewer lines will be built.

To contact the Utilities Coordinator or DPW Administrator please call (810) 231-1000 Ext. 210.

Do I Have To Connect To the Sewers?

Under Ordinance No. 69 there are several conditions that mandate connection to the sanitary sewers.

If you are building a new home that is located within 400 feet of an existing sewer line you are required to connect to sewers and would not be permitted to install a septic tank and drain field.

If you have an existing home located within 400 feet of a sewer line you would be required to connect to sanitary sewers if you meet any one of the following three conditions:

1. If the septic system is failing.
2. If you try to repair or modify the septic system in any way that would require a permit from the Health Department or DEQ.
3. If the existing septic system is 15 years old or older.

If any of the above three conditions apply, then connection to the sanitary sewers would be mandatory under Ordinance No. 69.

How Much Does It Cost To Connect To Sewers?

On February 2, 1999, the Hamburg Township Sewer Committee approved and adopted the new sewer connection Policies and Procedures outlining the steps to be completed to connect to sanitary sewers.

For single residential structures located within 400 feet of an existing sewer line, an application form must be completed by the property owner and submitted along with a site plan and a $200.00 non-refundable application fee.

The application will then be forwarded to the Township engineer for review an analysis of the proposed sewer connection and development of an estimate of cost for the project.

For commercial or multi-residential units, an application form must be submitted by the property owner along with a site plan and a $1,000.00 non-refundable application fee.

The Township engineer will review the application and provide a letter of analysis outlining any Township requirements that must be met for the connection project and prepare the estimate of cost to serve the property with sanitary sewers.

How Do I Pay for My Sewer Connection?

For single residential sewer connections, property owners have several options to pay for their connection. The connection charges may be paid up-front in cash or financed through the homeowner's lending institution.

Applications are also being accepted to allow property owners to participate in a Contract Special Assessment District. This allows property owners to pay for their sewer connection charges plus interest over a twenty year period as part of their property taxes. The applications are collected for a period of 6 months to 1 year. Once there are enough participants, bonds would be sold to finance the projects. Upon receipt of the bond proceeds by the Township, the sewer connections can be completed.

For commercial or multi-residential units, the developer or owner of the property would be required to enter into a Sewer Installment Agreement between the owner and the Township before connection is made to the Hamburg Township Sanitary Sewer System (HTSSS).

Because of particular requirements of the sewer system, submission of an application together with non-refundable application fee does not guarantee you will be connected to the sewer system.

Are There Any Other Charges For Sewer Connection?

There is a $149.50 charge for operation and maintenance of the sewer system billed on a quarterly basis. This fee includes 24-hour, 7 days a week, 365 days per year technical support and response in the case of a grinder pump alarm or emergency.

To reach a grinder pump technician please dial (810) 217-6085. Please speak clearly and leave your name, address, and a telephone number where you can be reached. A technician will automatically be paged and will respond to your call. Magnets with the Township's telephone number are available at the Township offices.

When am I liable for repair costs to my grinder pump, sewer line and connections (bill back procedures)?

Bill Back Procedures for Owner Related Sewer Repairs

The Hamburg Township Board of Trustees adopted the following bill back procedures for owner related sewer repairs at its regular meeting on Tuesday, February 17, 2009, 7 p.m.:

The following procedures shall apply to all properties connected to the Hamburg Township Sanitary Sewer System (HTSSS), including but not limited to residential, commercial and/or industrial users. The Owner and, where appropriate, his authorized representative, shall indemnify and hold the Township, its officers, agents, employees, and representatives free and harmless from any liability or responsibility for all injury, loss or damage that may result directly or indirectly from any damages resulting from the Owner’s negligence or misuse of the HTSSS. Township policy requires, for safety purposes, that two (2) DPW Technicians shall report to all grinder pump and sewer emergency calls.

1. Grinder calls received during regular Department of Public Works (DPW) hours of operation, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., shall be responded to as follows:

DPW Technicians will take thorough notes regarding the nature of the problem(s) for inclusion in the home’s grinder pump maintenance file, and
If it is determined by DPW staff that the call is a result of a blown fuse, shut-off power breaker, or other minor problem that does not require the removal of the grinder pump, the property owner will not be billed; however,
If the DPW Technicians conclude that the call is a result of neglect, misuse, intentional damage to the grinder pump parts, or introduction of substances prohibited from being discharged into the HTSSS, a bill will be issued to the owner of the property.

2. Grinder pump calls responded to after normal DPW hours of operation, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., or on holidays and/or weekends shall be documented by the DPW Technicians, including complete notes describing the problem(s), photographs if necessary, and written transcripts of conversations between the DPW staff and the property owners or parties involved in the call.

3. All grinder calls received for equipment failures and/or repair such as blown fuses, blocked or plugged building sewer pipes, etc., that are not a part of the Hamburg Township Sanitary Sewer System (HTSSS), or other work not related to, or part of the HTSSS equipment, including misuse of any part of the HTSSS will be billed back to the property owner.

4. The Township shall be authorized to recoup all costs and expenses associated with sewer emergency calls for Owner related operation and/or maintenance services.

5. Grinder calls that are found to be the responsibility of the property owner due to neglect or misuse of the sanitary sewer system or for repairs to equipment that is not a part of the Township’s sewer system the property owner shall be billed at a blended hourly rate for the DPW staff time. A minimum charge of two (2) hours for two DPW Technicians shall be billed for said call.

6. All reports of grinder related incidents will be forwarded by the DPW Technicians to the DPW Field Superintendent for review and determination if an invoice should be sent to the property owner. The DPW field superintendent shall prepare a memo outlining the charges, including labor, materials, and a 10% administrative fee, resulting from DPW staff services provided for owner related sewer repairs.

7. A request to bill the property owner for the owner related damages to the HTSSS shall be forwarded to the Accounting Department for creation of an invoice. A copy of the invoiced shall also be forwarded to the Utilities Coordinator for inclusion in the address file maintained at the Township offices.

8. Pursuant to Ordinance No. 69, the property owner shall have the right to appeal the sewer repair charges to the Municipal Utilities Committee (MUC). The DPW Field Superintendent shall forward all documentation to MUC for their review and recommendation to the Board of Trustees.

9. If the Township Board of Trustees determines that the Owner is responsible for the sewer repair costs, the Owner shall reimburse the Township for said expenditures immediately. The Owner shall be subject to and shall comply with the provisions of Section 7(F)(5) as set forth in Ordinance No. 69.