Sherman Lake Sewer Project

The sewer is scheduled to be available for connection on August 1, 2007.
Connection is not mandatory as long as your septic system is working properly.
If your system fails or requires any modification, then connection to the sewer is mandatory.
Estimated connection costs:

– $8,500 connection fee to the GLS&W Authority due at the time of the permit.

Fee includes grinder pump station and controls, and point of connection (called

service lead) at the edge of the property. Financing may be available for

homeowners. The assessment is expected to increase about $250 each year

(e.g. $8,750 assessment in 2008).

– $3,500 on site installation cost to Authority approved contractor for on-site hook-up. Includes installation of grinder pump station and piping to the service lead.$28 monthly bill for service and maintenance.

For answers to specific questions, contact the GLS&W Authority via email at gullakesewer@tds.net or by telephone at (269) 731-4595.

Benefits to the Lake

The sewer project has the potential to significantly reduce the flow of new nutrients (phosphorous and nitrogen) into the lake. A study by the Four Townships Water Resources Council revealed that 50% of the phosphorous input into the lake comes from septic systems. Phosphorous is the key nutrient repsonsible for excessive weed and algea growth.

The pressure sewer can be offered on a non-mandatory basis because the public capital expenditure is much lower than a gravity system and can be financed before everybody hooks-up.
Pressure sewers are closed, watertight systems that protect the groundwater by keeping the wastewater in the sewer system.
Network layout is not restricted by ground contours providing more flexibility for location of piping and hook-ups.
Pressure systems can be installed with less disruption to existing landscaping than gravity systems.
Pressure systems can be installed in the road right-of-way off the pavement versus low lying terrain (typically located at the lake shoreline) required for gravity flow.

Higher maintenance costs resulting in higher monthly sewer bills. The estimated difference for 2007 is $28 per month versus $20 per month for gravity.
Pressure systems are not operable in power outage situations. However, the size of the grinder pump tank is sufficient to handle most outage situations.

Reducing nutrient sources is a proven lake management tool making the public sewer project an important part of our overall strategy.

Based on the experience of many other lakes (including Gull Lake and Crooked Lake), expecting short-term results from the system is unrealistic. It will likely take a minimum of five years before we begin to see a significant impact from the system (assuming the majority of residents hook-up).

Summary & Conclusions

Conversion to a sewer will deliver a significant benefit to the lake in the long-term. The impact will depend on how quickly residents hook-up.
The current plan allows each resident to make the decision on whether and when to connect as long as their existing septic systems are working properly.
The sewer system is one part of a comprehensive lake management strategy. A sewer will not reduce the existing nutrient load in the lake or reduce nutrient loading from others sources (i.e. water runoff). Therefore, other lake management strategies such as chemical treatment, harvesting, aeration, etc. in combination are needed to reduce the nutrient loading to the lake to keep the weeds in check.

The Ross Township Board determined that insufficient petition support existed for a gravity sewer system on June 3, 2006 and voted to approve a pressure system. Accordingly, The Gull Lake Sewer & Water Authority, as agent of the Township, will begin construction of a Pressure Sewer around Sherman Lake in spring of 2007.

Description of Pressure Sewer Systems

Instead of relying on gravity flow through downward sloping pipes, pressure sewers as the name implies utilize the pressure from grinder pumps to transport the wastewater. Since pressure sewers do not rely on gravity, the network of piping can be laid in shallow trenches that follow the natural contour of the land.

Each house in a pressure sewer has a grinder pump station. Wastewater from the house flows through gravity to an on-site tank buried in the ground that contains a pressure/grinder pump. The pump much like a garbage disposal in your kitchen shreds the solids into tiny particles. The waste slurry created is then pumped into small diameter pipes that travel under pressure to the wastewater treatment plant.

Pressure sewers have higher energy demands, lower system reliability and higher maintenance costs than gravity systems. This results in higher monthly sewer bills.
Pressure systems are not operable in power outage situations. However, the capacity of the grinder pump tank is sufficient to handle most outage situations.