[HISTORY: Adopted by the Annual Town Meeting of the Town of Chelmsford 5-23-1983 by Arts. 52 and 53. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Health regulations — See Ch. 201.
To ensure compliance with the requirements of the Board of Health, every owner, agent or occupant of premises on which there is a private wastewater or sewage disposal system shall keep such system in proper operational order and shall provide a reasonable means of access for inspection and pumping. Residential properties shall have such system pumped when necessary. All commercial, industrial and other nonresidential establishments shall have their systems pumped every two years. Such pumping shall be made by private operators duly licensed by the Board of Health. More frequent pumpings may be ordered as deemed necessary by the Board of Health for the proper operation of the subsurface septic system.
[Amended 10-19-2020 ATM by Art. 19]
The Board of Health may order any person to connect with the public sewer at any time if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the Town, and if it is informed by the Sewer Division of the Department of Public Works that a connection to the public sewer is reasonably available (which shall be defined as the Town having sufficient available sewer capacity to allow the connection and whether sewer infrastructure is located within 300 feet of the subject property) upon giving 30 days' notice to do so. The Board of Health shall not require a connection to the public sewer for properties which have existing and properly functioning septic systems or private wastewater treatment facilities. If a connection to the public sewer is reasonably available (as defined above), the Board of Health may require a connection for septic systems which are not properly functioning, and which are located within environmentally sensitive areas (as determined by the Board of Health), rather than allowing such improperly functioning septic system to be repaired and replaced.
[Added 4-28-2014 ATM by Art. 25]
A. 
The preferred method of discharge of sewage from an individual building or group of buildings to the Town's sewer system is gravity flow. Grinder pumps shall be approved only after alternatives for gravity service connections have been thoroughly considered and, in the opinion of the Town of Chelmsford Department of Public Works, such alternatives cannot reasonably discharge to the Town's sewer system by gravity flow. Grinder pumps shall only be used in accordance with regulations established by the Town of Chelmsford Department of Public Works.
[Amended 10-19-2015 ATM by Art. 7]
B. 
Licensed drain layers shall submit required documentation to the Department of Public Works, apply for a sewer connection permit and install the grinder system. The owner shall be responsible for all of the costs related to the connection to the Town's sewer system.
[Amended 10-19-2015 ATM by Art. 7]
C. 
Grinder pumps remain the private property of the homeowner. Existing single- or two-family residential grinder pumps, installed controls and new single- or two-family DPW-approved residential grinder pumps and installed controls shall be maintained, repaired or replaced by the Town of Chelmsford at the election of the Department of Public Works. The Town of Chelmsford shall not be responsible for the maintenance or repair of grinder pumps or systems servicing commercial properties and residential properties comprised of three or more units.
[Amended 10-19-2015 ATM by Art. 7]
D. 
Items that may cause damage to the Town's sewer system or grinder pump system shall not be introduced into any sewer system either directly or through a drain or waste disposal, including:
[Amended 10-19-2015 ATM by Art. 7]
(1) 
Glass, metal or plastic.
(2) 
Diapers, sanitary napkins, tampons or baby wipes.
(3) 
Socks, rags or clothes.
(4) 
Explosives or flammable material.
(5) 
Lubricating oils or grease.
(6) 
Strong chemicals or gasoline.
(7) 
Seafood shells or kitty litter.
E. 
The property owner shall be responsible for any and all costs to repair and/or replace a grinder pump as a result of improper disposal of materials into the sewer system.
F. 
Allegations of misuse or abuse of any grinder pump system pursuant to Chelmsford Bylaw Chapter 132, § 132-3, Subsection E shall comply with the following procedure.
[Amended 6-21-2021 ATM by Art. 32]
(1) 
The Town of Chelmsford shall send prior written notice of its intent to charge a property owner for the repair or replacement of any grinder pump or grinder pump system pursuant to Chelmsford Bylaw Chapter 132, § 132-3, Subsection E. Such notice shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested. Copies of Chelmsford Bylaw Chapter 132, § 132-3 and any repair reports completed by grinder pump repair technicians shall be provided with said notice. Property owners have the right to contest any charges to be assessed by the Town of Chelmsford for the repair or replacement of a grinder pump or grinder pump system. The three-level review process for contesting such charges is as follows:
(a) 
First, within 30 days of the Town's written notice of intent to assess a grinder pump charge, a property owner may file a written request for relief with the Superintendent of the Department of Public Works Sewer Division, together with copies of any documentation or information the property owner wishes to submit in support thereof. The Superintendent shall review the request and supporting materials and respond in writing within 30 days.
(b) 
Secondly, if a property owner remains aggrieved by the Superintendent's response to a request for relief, he or she may appeal that response in writing to the Director of the Department of Public Works within 14 days. Upon receipt of that appeal, the Director shall schedule a grinder pump hearing to be held within 21 days. The Director shall direct the grinder pump technician who repaired or replaced the property owner's grinder pump or grinder pump system to attend the grinder pump hearing. The property owner may attend the grinder pump hearing (with or without counsel), call witnesses, question any Town witnesses or technicians, and offer any evidence regarding the request for relief. The Director shall issue a decision in writing on the appeal within 30 days after the close of the grinder pump hearing. The attendance of the technician shall be at no cost to the property owner, and if the technician cannot attend due to sickness, vacation, or other comparable reason, the hearing shall be rescheduled at a mutually convenient date for both the Director, the technician, and the property owner. If the technician cannot attend due to death, serious injury, or because he/she is no longer employed by the entity responsible for the grinder pump repair, or other comparable reason, the Director shall direct another technician to attend, who has comparable experience in servicing grinder pumps and can review the prior technician's report and be capable of testifying in the prior technician's stead.
(c) 
Thirdly, if a property owner remains aggrieved by the Director's decision on appeal, he or she may submit a further appeal in writing to the Town Manager within 14 days. The Town Manager shall review the proceedings and decision below and, within 30 days, issue a decision in writing. The Town shall not assess any charges for the repair or replacement of a grinder pump or grinder pump system until the conclusion of this three-level process.
(2) 
Regardless of whether a property owner pursues the three-level review process described above, he or she also has the right to contest a sewer assessment by filing an application for an abatement on an approved form with the Chelmsford Board of Assessors, pursuant to MGL c. 59, § 59. For deadlines for filing such applications, contact the Chief Assessor.
(3) 
Finally, if the Board of Assessors denies an application for an abatement of a sewer assessment, either in whole or in part, an applicant may appeal to the Appellate Tax Board upon the same terms and conditions as a person aggrieved by a refusal of the Assessors to abate a tax. MGL c. 83, § 16E.
{END OF CHAPTER}