WHAT HAPPENS TO THE WATER USED IN YOUR HOME?

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 The Wastewater Collection System

Have you ever wondered what happens to the water you use for drinking, cooking, flushing, showering, washing dishes, and doing laundry? Until I was in the "water business' I really didn't give it much thought. But it's a very important process!

Sewer Service Lines: The plumbing in your house or business connects to a sewer service line that goes through your property and connects to the utility's wastewater collection system (also called the sanitary sewer collection system). 

The sanitary sewer system is designed to transport wastewater to a treatment plant to remove contaminants. The treated water is then discharged to a receiving water and/or reused.

NOTE: Some utilities combine the sanitary sewer system with the storm sewer system. These are called combined sewer systems. Florida law does NOT allow combined sewers. Stormwater and wastewater must be transported in separate piping systems.

This illustration from the EPA shows both types of systems: 
  • Separate sanitarysewer systems and 
  • Combined sewer systems.

Sewer Cleanouts: On the sewer service service line that goes from your home or business to the sewer main, there are usually two  sewer cleanouts. Cleanouts are pipes that extend from the ground to your sewer service, allowing access for maintenance. One cleanout is close to the home and the other is at the property line. 



Avoid covering these cleanouts with dirt, grass, rocks or other items. They become important if you have a clog in your sewer service! Also, be sure the cap on your cleanout is intact. Otherwise, dirt, debris, and rainwater can enter your sewer service and create a blockage.

Sanitary Sewer Mains: These are pipes that carry the wastewater to the treatment plant. They are usually located in the city right of way. (EPA estimates there are approximately 800,000 miles of sewer main in the U.S.)

Manholes: Manholes are installed at strategic points and every 300 to 400 feet apart to allow for inspection and maintenance of the sewer system.

Lift Stations: Most wastewater collection systems are gravity systems. The pipes are installed in a downhill direction, allowing the sewage to flow by gravity. When the pipeline gets too deep or cannot flow by gravity, the wastewater is collected in a wetwell, then pumped to a higher elevation where it can again flow downhill or be sent to the wastewater treatment facility.

Force Mains: When a lift station is pumping wastewater through a pipe under pressure, the pipe is called a force main. 

Types of Wastewater Collection Systems

GRAVITY SYSTEMS: This is the most common type of system, where sewer mains slope downward using gravity to transport the wastewater as much as possible. Since Florida is so flat, lift stations are built at strategic locations to pump the water back up to a higher level and then let it flow downhill again. 

LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS: In a low pressure system, a small lift station is located on the property of each home or business. This lift station pumps into a small force main shared by the rest of the community. In Florida, these types of systems are usually used in areas of high groundwater combined with difficult construction conditions.

VACUUM SEWER SYSTEMS: Vacuum sewer systems are also used in low-lying areas with high groundwater. Wastewater flows from homes to a vacuum valve pit, where a valve opens and pulls the wastewater into a vacuum pipe and to a vacuum pump station. The vacuum pump station pumps the sewage through a force main to the wastewater treatment facility.

Want to Learn More? 

Here's a description of a vacuum sewer system being installed to replace septic tanks in Hillsborough County, Florida.

Geek Out


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