Grinder Pump Alarm Going Off? What to Do in Myrtle Beach and Horry County

Why is my grinder pump alarm going off?

Usually because the pump has stopped or fallen behind a burst of water, and sometimes because the panel has shut it down to protect it.

Grinder pump alarm during a power outage

Without power the pump can’t empty the tank, but your water may keep running, so every flush adds to a tank with nowhere to send it. GSWSA says a typical home unit holds about 70 gallons and asks owners on individual pumping units to limit water use until power returns, warning that an outage raises the chance of sewage backing up into the home.

Hurricane season here runs June 1 to November 30, and GSWSA’s storm advice for every home is to flush only when necessary until services are restored. To stretch those 70 gallons:

• Skip the washer and dishwasher. If someone must wash, plug the tub and drain it after power returns.
• Don’t wait for the alarm; a standard panel shares the pump’s power and may stay silent.
• When power returns, the alarm may sound while the pump catches up; E/One says to call if it doesn’t clear within a few minutes.
• Run a generator only through a connection installed for the pump, outdoors, and never backfeed through an outlet.
• Stay away from a flooded tank or panel, and never touch a breaker while standing in water.

More storm prep is in our guide to flood sewer backups.

Who to call when the alarm won’t stop

Start with whoever maintains the pump; with sewage in the house, call your sewer utility first.

E/One tells owners to ask the local sewer department whether the utility or the homeowner owns and maintains the pump. Locally, GSWSA’s standards include residential grinder pump stations and STEP systems, the City of Myrtle Beach installed grinder stations for its Briarcliffe Acres sewer district, and GCWSD’s Service Line Protection Program in Murrells Inlet excludes private grinders. None of that settles who owns yours, so ask your utility, check your HOA documents and look for a service sticker on the alarm panel, where E/One says the service number usually goes.

GSWSA’s rule is “Call GSWSA before you call your plumber,” and it investigates backups at any hour, at no charge. When the problem is yours, we find out whether it’s the pump, its controls or the pipe (with a camera, when drains are backing up) and give you a written, itemized quote before work starts. Angi’s January 2025 cost guide puts grinder pump installation at $2,000 to $4,000 nationally, E/One calls pump life expectancy “difficult to pinpoint,” and we found no published repair figure. Active sewage backups go to the front of our schedule. See grinder pump repair, or emergency sewer repair when sewage is already in the house.

What not to flush with a grinder pump

Only water, regular toilet paper and human waste belong in the drains, E/One says, and its FAQ and user instructions list what to keep out:

• Wipes (flushable ones too), sponges, diapers, socks, rags and cloth
• Sanitary products, cotton swabs, dental floss and syringes
• Glass, metal, plastic objects and disposable toothbrushes
• Seafood shells, cigarette butts, aquarium gravel, kitty litter and sand
• Grease, oil, paint, gasoline, strong chemicals and anything flammable

Before leaving for a few weeks, E/One suggests running clean water into the tank until the pump starts, letting it run until it stops, and leaving the power on.