STEP Systems: Your Guide
If you’re new to STEP Systems, our website provides an FAQ, maintenance tips for homeowners, and information about CUD’s effort to upgrade STEP infrastructure throughout the county. We have also developed a Rules and Regulations booklet that carries a section about STEP Systems.
What should I do if my STEP System alarm sounds?
If your home is serviced by STEP, you likely have a control box with an alarm similar to the one shown above on the outside of your house.
Call CUD at 615-893-7225. The alarm can be silenced by pushing the light located directly above the “PUSH TO SILENCE” label on the front of the control panel or the silence toggle switch on the left side of the control panel. The tank has a reserve storage capacity to last for another 24 to 48 hours.
If your STEP system needs service after normal business hours, CUD has on-call technicians who will diagnose and address the issue. If any problem with the STEP system occurs, CUD should be called first. The STEP system on your property – the STEP risers and pipes – is actually owned by CUD.
If the water level in your STEP tank gets too high — above the normal high level where the pump kicks on — then an alarm will sound until the homeowner silences it. There is a sticker on the panel with CUD’s number to call if that alarm sounds. When this happens, there is still reserve capacity in the tank to give CUD time to respond.
Keeping Your STEP System in Working Order
The STEP risers – which look like green-topped manhole covers – prevent rainwater from entering your system. CUD asks ratepayers to avoid placing any landscaping or trees near or around the risers. The space should be clear for ease of access if CUD needs to provide service to your system.
Regarding stoppages or issues with wastewater, there is a simple rule. If the STEP alarm sounds and requires servicing, it is CUD’s responsibility to solve the issue. If there is a problem and the alarm does not sound, it is most likely a plumbing matter – which is the ratepayer’s responsibility.
Prime causes of damage and stoppages at a ratepayer’s property include:
- Dumping of fats, oils, and greases (called FOGs) down the drain. Ratepayers should also avoid putting vegetables down their garbage disposals. FOGs and food scraps are best placed in household trash.
- Flushing of wipes or paper towels. These items don’t easily decompose.
- Lawnmower damage to the STEP risers. The cost of service and/or replacement covers goes to the ratepayer.
How does a STEP System work?
There are three actions in the wastewater treatment process …
- Starting at your home, the first action takes place when wastewater (also called effluent) is separated from other layers in your STEP tank. Wastewater is then pushed to the recirculating sand filter (RSF) at the STEP field in your neighborhood. STEP System pumps turn on every 1-2 days with normal water use.
- Treatment at the RSF is the second action and uses naturally occurring materials (rocks, sand, and dirt). Crushed river rock provides a place for micro-organisms to consume and remove organic material in the effluent. In fact, the effluent flows through the sand filter five times.
- For the third action, effluent passes through ultraviolet (UV) light treatment for final disinfection. After UV treatment, the wastewater moves to the STEP field for final disposal where it eventually returns to the groundwater.
Additional Background …
Because Rutherford County rests largely on limestone – a rock that doesn’t easily accept water – establishment of STEP Systems paves the way for residential development. A STEP System serves as decentralized wastewater collection and treatment for a neighborhood or subdivision.
Many subdivisions would not exist without STEP Systems managing their water infrastructure needs. It is critical to the water service at your home and your neighbors’ homes that the STEP field in your neighborhood be kept clear and undisturbed.
STEP tank requirements include a minimum of 10 feet from the property line, 10 feet from any structure, 10 feet from potable water lines, and 10 feet from drainage easements. STEP tank easements are not allowed to have any landscaping, driveways, sidewalks, or fencing. No other utilities are allowed.
CUD is currently the largest operator of STEP systems in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation often refers other utilities to CUD for guidance about best practices.