(Atlantic) The Atlantic City Council on Wednesday approved the amendment of a section of city code titled “Sewer Connection Required.” The council passed the first reading, waived the second and third readings, and officially approved the amendment.
The City of Atlantic began to review its ordinance governing sewer connections following ongoing service issues experienced by a resident whose property is connected to the city’s sanitary sewer system.
Atlantic Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent Travis Hanson submitted a letter to City Council members outlining the situation and the proposed review of City Code Section 95.05.
The ordinance currently requires properties located within 500 feet of a sanitary sewer line to connect to the city sewer system. The resident’s property has been connected since 2001 and meets the 500-foot requirement.
However, the property cannot discharge wastewater to the sewer system by gravity. Instead, wastewater must be pumped uphill more than 300 feet to reach the sanitary sewer main.
Since approximately 2018, the resident has reportedly replaced three grinder pumps at a cost of several thousand dollars. Despite the replacements, pump failures have continued.
Hanson said the distance and elevation required to convey wastewater may be contributing to excessive wear on the grinder pumps and reducing their service life.
Each pump failure has resulted in sewage backing up into the resident’s basement, creating concerns about property damage and additional expenses.
Due to repeated backups and the costs associated with replacing the pumps, the resident has requested permission to install a septic system and disconnect from the city sewer system.
As part of the review of Section 95.05, city officials considered whether the ordinance should be amended to address situations where connecting to the sewer system requires mechanical pumping rather than gravity flow.
During its August 3, 2026, meeting, the Personnel & Finance Committee directed Hanson to work with city officials on ordinance changes that would address these specific issues without opening the door to widespread requests for sanitary sewer disconnections.
The review focuses on determining whether changes to the ordinance can address properties with unique mechanical pumping requirements while maintaining the city’s existing sewer connection requirements.
