Oftentimes, we take our basic utilities for granted. Nobody seems to put too much thought into how houses are powered with electricity or how sewer systems work. When it comes to disposing of wastewater, the process is much more interesting than you might think.

Let’s take a look at how the sewage industry operates.

Sanitary Sewers

This is the type of sewer system that most people envision when they hear the term.

As the name suggests, the purpose of this system is to provide wastewater treatment for homes and businesses. The major components of sanitary sewer systems include manholes, pumping stations, and pipes. Without a reliable sanitary sewer in place, the local community would not be able to maintain water quality.

This can come with a large number of adverse health effects. After wastewater is removed from the above locations, it transports it to a water treatment facility so that contaminants and pollutants can be removed. Afterward, it is returned to the environment.

For this reason, it’s essential that you never flush non-biodegradable items or products, as you could cause issues at the processing plant. In general, sanitary sewer systems will rely on gravity to transport the wastewater. In areas that have a high elevation, though, low-power pumps may be required in order to propel the water to its destination.

Storm Sewers

Storm sewers are specifically designed to carry water runoff away from cities and property. This means that they are built to accommodate massive amounts of rainwater and melting snow.

Without a proper storm sewer system, water would accumulate on roofs, roads, and open land. Flooding would be much more prominent, and vast property damage would occur. After the storm sewer collects runoff water, it disperses it into rivers, streams, and similar bodies of water.

As technology evolves, more and more sewage solutions become available. You can check out this resource to learn more about a concrete wet well lift station.

Combined Sewers

As the name suggests, combined sewers use a combination of both systems in order to transport wastewater. In this context, a single pipe is used to handle wastewater and storm runoff.

Interestingly, the systems are generally not used today since they cannot accommodate a large amount of either type of water at once. For instance, the system may not be able to handle a regular volume of wastewater if it also handles a large volume of storm runoff.

Under the right circumstances, this type of system could fail and cause overflow on a massive scale.

Quality Sewer Systems Are Essential

Otherwise, people would encounter a large number of consequences in virtually every setting. Sewer systems are a key pillar of any society, and it’s essential that governments continually maintain and fund them appropriately.

Looking for more tips that can help you out later on? Check out the rest of our blog for plenty of more useful information.