Grinder pumps are small sewage pumps that serve residential areas, usually one to two households. When Wrangell’s public works department began maintaining just five decades ago, it’s now up to 30, and most are on private property. And that is a huge problem, according to Borough Manager Mason Villarma. While figuring out what to do with this dilemma last month at a Borough Assembly meeting, the assembly voted to transfer the responsibility of 23 grinder pump stations on private property to the respective property owners, even though community members disapproved of the transfer.
According to borough law, public resources can only fund public purposes. Villarma said that even with agreements of a buyout, there is significant risk for the city and borough. That includes liability due to damaged property and injury.
“We’re very plainly looking to divest ourselves of liability for our workers and for the borough,” he said. “We shouldn’t be working on private property for grinder stations.”
Villarma said workers compensation covers city workers for emergencies, but not routine maintenance and repair on private property.
Grinder pumps have lifespan up to 20 years
He said the pumps have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years and there are several contractors in town that property owners could hire to fix their pumps.
Wrangell residents, like Don McConachie, disagreed with the responsibility being passed onto property owners. He said he has one at his home and he understands there can be an impression of liability, but he adds that the cost is extraordinary for a new station.
“I don’t agree with the city letting go of maintaining my pump when it was demanded of property owners that we hook up to this system,” he said. “Ask and you shall receive. We were just merely complying with what was asked. But to divest of these pumps seems wrong, especially when, no matter what, all roads lead back to the city.”
Public Works Director Tom Wetor said on top of liability, it’s also an issue of resources and expense.
“In the report here, I think I wrote there’s nine that have been replaced since 2020,” he said. “So we’ve basically done a third of them in the last four years, which I think we can expect we’re going to see that continue to happen.”
He said if the proposal passes, the department will still maintain a pump inventory, so they’ll always have pumps in case of emergency work. In that case, borough employees could help replace the pumps with a price for around $15,000.
“it’s not constitutional…to do this kind of private service using public funds.”
Assembly board member Bob Dalrymple said he hopes the issue of grandfathering in infrastructure will not continue in the future.
“I think the borough attorney showed us that it’s not constitutional, basically, to do this kind of a private service using public funds,” he said. “It’s kind of a broad umbrella on that, but I think that’s why other communities don’t do it. They just don’t go there.”
The assembly voted unanimously to transfer the pumps to property owners. The change goes into effect on June 30.
