Council warns residents after grass clippings repeatedly clog pond pumps; letters, camera surveillance possible

City Manager Goodwin and public works staff told the Cedar Hills City Council on Sept. 16 that grass clippings dumped in ponds are repeatedly clogging pumps and causing significant reductions in water‑system flow.

Goodwin said the city has seen pumps go down after clogs and that two pumps may need replacement. "Please don't dump their grass in the ponds," Goodwin told the council, adding that the city will send letters to homeowners who back up to the ponds and may install temporary security cameras if dumping persists. He said the city is concerned about the expense of replacing pumps.

Public works staff provided technical detail: pump output in the upper zone dropped from roughly 3,000 gallons per minute to between 700 and 1,000 gpm; staff cleaned pumps and initially suspected moss, but later found it was grass clippings causing the problem. "It ends up being it's just grass clippings as they dry up," a public works speaker said, noting clogs recurred within days after cleaning. Staff cautioned that slower flow can overheat pumps and lead to equipment failure and said some pumps already appear broken or degraded.

The council discussed enforcement and communications: staff will send letters to adjacent homeowners telling them not to dump yard waste in ponds, consider signage, and may temporarily install cameras if dumping continues. Staff also asked residents to reduce upper‑zone water use to lower system strain while the problem is addressed.

Next steps: the city will notify affected homeowners, evaluate signage and temporary surveillance options, and monitor pump performance; staff also said scheduled pump maintenance and potential replacements will be prioritized to protect system reliability.