Sewage is something you don’t think about unless you happen to be in an experienced team of plumbers like us. A lot goes into keeping sewage out of your home and community. It’s surprisingly easy to understand once you get the hang of it.

The Gravity of the Situation

The first stage of the journey is through laterals. These are the small sewer lines that run from your home, and they’re only a few inches in diameter. They run downhill with gravity moving your wastewater towards your nearest sewer main, which usually runs beneath the nearest street. These lines are much wider with some reaching up to five feet. Periodically, these mains include vertical pipes that go up to the surface. They’re sealed by manholes, which allow the experts to examine the lines if the need arises.

In a perfect environment, these lines also flow downhill with gravity doing its job. They go into even bigger lines until they reach the sewage and water treatment plant. Of course, most places don’t have perfect geography, so many sewer mains include pump stations that pump the water to allow it to go uphill.

What Sets Storm Sewers Apart

Unlike regular sewer mains, storm sewers don’t send water off for treatment. Instead, they use gravity to send excess water from rain or snow to a nearby body of water. Right underneath your nearest storm drain, there’s a catch basin that collects water. When the basin fills with enough water, it flows into the storm sewer line, which uses gravity to carry it on its way.

Time for Treatment

As for the sewage line, the first order of business at the treatment plant is primary treatment. Primary treatment uses the same principles as a septic tank. Large screens are used to separate solid sewage, moving it to the tank bottom while scum floats on top. The solid waste is disposed of, and the water moves through the tanks into secondary treatment.

Here, large, aerated tanks store water as bacteria grow and consume the remaining organic materials and nutrients. Once the bacteria’s done its job, the water is moved into a settling basin before heading into tertiary treatment. This involves adding chemicals to remove any remaining phosphorus, nitrogen, and other unwelcome interlopers before putting the water back into circulation.

A lot of pipes and tanks go into keeping our water clean, and good sewer line care starts with you taking care of your laterals by not dumping things like wipes into them. Don’t believe the packaging that says you have flushable wipes. If you live in Granada Hills, CA or a surrounding area and need sewer line services, make your first call to Turbo Plumbing & Rooter.