Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Regulations Sewer topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board reviews clarified sewer rules, low‑pressure districts and grinder‑pump standard
Summary
Staff presented revisions clarifying residential sewer service ownership, low‑pressure sewer district requirements (DP Road example), annual grease‑trap inspections, and proposed language requiring department‑approved grinder systems (E1 standard or approved equivalent) with a case‑by‑case exception.
Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities staff walked the Board of Public Utilities through proposed revisions to the sewer section of the DPU rules and regulations on Sept. 3, clarifying ownership and maintenance responsibilities and adding technical standards for isolated low‑pressure sewer districts.
Staff said the clarified language designates the property‑line cleanout and the segment from that cleanout to the home as the residential service line owned and maintained by the property owner. The draft also adds definitions and requirements for low‑pressure sewer districts, such as DP Road, where pressurized pumping systems move wastewater to the gravity system. Staff noted those pressurized systems must meet the hydraulic demands of the route, not rely on small low‑capacity grinder pumps.
On equipment standards, staff cited E1 as the industry standard for residential packaged grinder/pump systems and said systems must satisfy E1 pump performance or an approved equivalent. A board member questioned naming a single brand; staff and board agreed to edit the language to require a “department‑approved grinder system (E1 standard or equivalent)” with a process to approve alternatives on a case‑by‑case basis. As one board member suggested, staff will maintain or publish a list of preapproved pump systems to reduce sole‑source impressions.
Staff also added a short note that the department performs annual grease‑trap inspections for commercial users and clarified that most proposed edits are language cleanups to reduce recurring confusion in customer interactions.
Next steps: Staff said the revised rules will be brought back to the board for formal approval in two weeks after incorporating the suggested edit to allow equivalent, department‑approved systems.
Quotes: “If it’s just a single continuous line … it is owned and the responsibility is entirely upon the resident,” staff said when describing property ownership. On the pump standard, staff explained, “E1 is the industry standard … exceptions to the E1 grinder pump system will be considered on a case‑by‑case basis.”
The board did not adopt the rule changes at the Sept. 3 meeting; staff will return with revised language and implementation details.
