Owner Resources

The sewage collection system subsequently built in Brickyard Creek III is a limited common element specifically set up to provide sewage collection service for BC III and units 14 and 24 of BC I. It is governed by the benefactors of this system by way of a BC III Sanitary Sewer Association, as addressed in the Disclosure Documents provided to each lot and cottage owner by the developer. This discussion is limited to the technical and logistical aspects of the sewer system.

Each lot and cottage site has a curb stop (similar to the well curb stops used throughout Brickyard) stubbed out from the force main in the road to the lot or cottage site. This is where each house or cottage hooks into the force main. It is the homeowner or cottage owner’s contractor’s responsibility to provide the hookup.

The force main has one pressure release valve located in a 4’x4’ concrete box on the lake side of Casey Lane near Cottage #1. This is to relieve any air block that might form in the force main and prevent a smooth flow of sewage through the line. This is a rare occurrence that could be caused by a break or repair to the force main.

The BC III Sewer Association maintenance responsibility and ownership stops at each curb stop. The home or cottage owner’s responsibility starts on the house side of the curb stop.

Each home or cottage will have a solids tank, installed at owner’s cost, outside the home to collect sewage from the home. In most cases, this will be a gravity feed line from the home to the tank. However, it is possible that some homes (depending on lowest plumbing drain in the house; for example, a basement with a bath) will need an ejector, or sump, pump to move sewage up to the solids tank. The solids tank is very similar in size and shape to the holding tanks used throughout Brickyard. However, these tanks have two chambers – one for solids and one for liquids. Sewage from the house enters the first chamber of the tank (solids side). Liquid spills over a weir at the top of the wall separating the two chambers into the second  chamber. This second (liquids side) chamber has a small effluent pump and a one-­‐way check valve (so that sewage from the force main cannot get into the solids tank) that pumps the liquid into the force main system. The pump and valve are accessible for maintenance from the top of the tank. If the tank is full or if there is a problem with the pump a warning light located on a post above the tank, or in a mechanical room within the house, will come on.

The liquids side of the tank should never be full unless there is a problem with the force main. However, depending on use, the solids side will fill up after several years. Bayfield County requires that the solids side of this type of tank be pumped every three years. They normally send a notice to the homeowner addressing this. It is possible that BC III owners may not be receiving these notices because of the relationship between BC III and the Red Cliff Sanitary System. But each owner should monitor their solids tank every few years and pump it out when needed.

Red Cliff is obligated by contract to charge BC III Sewer Association the prevailing rate charged within the Reservation for each house or cottage sewage collection. Red Cliff is responsible for the maintenance of their system only – in this case only the one manhole near Highway 13 that collects sewage from the BC III force main. BC III Sewer association is responsible for repair and maintenance of its own system. It is recommended that the Sewer Association hire a qualified person to check the pressure relief valve and the connection into the Red Cliff system at least one time a year. The BC III Sewer Association may collect fees from its members in order to set up a reserve fund for the maintenance of the sewage system.