Sump Pump and Footing Drain Program Background

In the fall of 1999 and the spring of 2000 Grand Blanc Township experienced two wet weather events that caused considerable flooding, sanitary sewer backups, and sanitary sewer overflows. The damage caused by these two events included flooded basements for many residents. The primary cause of the sanitary sewer backups and overflows was clean water entering the sanitary sewer system from leaks in pipes, leaks in manholes, and from sump pumps and footing drains that were connected to the sanitary sewer.

Following the 1999-2000 wet weather events, Grand Blanc Township embarked on an aggressive Inflow and Infiltration (I & I) removal program to try to reduce the possibility of flooded basements and sanitary sewer overflows. This program consisted of four phases:

1. Televise all residential sanitary sewers and make any necessary repairs.
2. Physically inspect all manholes in the sanitary sewer system and make any necessary repairs.
3. Develop an ongoing preventative maintenance program that televises and repairs all residential sanitary sewers on a regular basis.
4. Develop a program to remove illicit sump pump and footing drain connections from the sanitary sewer system with no cost to the individual homeowner

The first three phases of the I & I removal program have been completed and the Township has spent in excess of $3,500,000 removing clean water from the sanitary sewer system. Grand Blanc Township is now entering the fourth phase of the program, the removal of sump pumps and footing drains from the system. Phase 4 of the program will focus on pre-1980 subdivisions. These are subdivisions that were constructed when it was acceptable to connect sump pumps and footing drains to the sanitary sewer. There will be no cost to the homeowner to participate in this program.

The program will consist of five steps at each home:

1. The township's engineering consultant will inspect each basement to determine if sump pumps or footing drains are connected to the sanitary sewer.
2. The townships engineering consultant and an approved contractor will work with the homeowner to develop the most cost effective method of disconnecting the sump pump or footing drains from the sanitary sewer and redirecting to an appropriate outlet.
3. Construction of the selected method by the approved contractor and restoration of the property to its preconstruction state.
4. Inspection and approval of the work by the township's engineering consultant and the homeowner.
5. Payment of the contractor

|History|

|SRF Project Plan|

|Public Act 222|

|Township Ordinance |