Water Infrastructure

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Water Distribution

The City’s Water Distribution Division constructs and maintains approximately 427 miles of water distribution mains ranging in size from 2″ to 30″. Water is transported under pressure through this network of buried pipes. Smaller pipes, called service lines, are attached to the main water lines to bring water from the distribution network to your homes and businesses. The City currently has 20,500 water taps ranging in size from 3/4 inch to 10 inches.

Water storage is provided by five one-million gallon elevated tanks and 4 million gallons of on ground storage. This system is maintained by the Water Distribution Division, which also provides special programs in back flow prevention, leak detection, hydrants, meters, hydraulic modeling, and GIS.

Wastewater Collection

Each person uses an average of 75 gallons of water per day. All of the clean water that comes into your house by one set of pipes leaves your house by another set of pipes. Clean water becomes wastewater which travels through our collection system to the City’s wastewater treatment plant to be purified before being released into Contentnea Creek. Every day, an average of 9 million gallons of wastewater flows through our collection system.

Our wastewater collection system consists of almost 358 miles of piping ranging in size from 4 inches to 36 inches. A total of 21 pump stations lift wastewater from low lying areas to gravity outfall lines. This system is maintained by the Wastewater Collection Division, which also provides special programs in I&I reduction, manhole rehab, grease trap program, sewer monitoring, hydraulic modeling, and GIS.

I&I Program

Infiltration/Inflow (I&I) is defined as excess water inflowing into sanitary sewers or infiltrating sewer lines. Excess water may come from too much rainfall infiltrating through the ground, leaking manholes, or illegal connections such as roof drains. Sewer lines can also be infiltrated by growing tree roots. I&I is a major cause of Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs), which can be a public health issue.

The City has an aggressive I&I program to significantly reduce and/or eliminate SSOs. A full-time I&I Technician inspects the collection system daily for leaks and other problems. The Wastewater Collection Division has a new closed circuit TV (CCTV) truck that uses a TV camera and video recording equipment to record leaky joints, breaks in pipes, etc. A full-time Sewer Monitoring Technician is dedicated to monitoring the system using the CCTV. We also have a crew for the rehab of manholes to eliminate leaks. Replacing and rehabilitating these lines and manholes reduces I&I into the sanitary sewer system, thereby protecting the public health, improving wastewater treatment plant efficiency and reducing system maintenance.

FAQ

Water Resources FAQ

Backflow Prevention Program

For questions about the Backflow Prevention Program please call 296-3406 or 296-3403.

Sanitary Sewer Overflows

Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs) are discharges of untreated wastewater from municipal sanitary sewer systems. SSOs are unsightly and a public health issue. Problems that can cause SSOs include:

Infiltration/Inflow (I&I): too much rainfall infiltrating through the ground into sanitary sewers not designed to hold stormwater; leaking manholes; and excess water inflowing through illegal connections such as roof drains.
Pipe Failures: blocked, broken or cracked pipes which can be caused by tree roots growing into the sewer lines; fats, oils and grease being poured down drains; and settlement/shifting of ground or pipe.
Deteriorating Sewer System: older infrastructure systems can be expensive to repair over time; or system capacity may need to be increased.

The City has an aggressive I/I program to significantly reduce and/or eliminate SSOs. Replacing and rehabilitating these lines and manholes reduces I/I into the sanitary sewer system, thereby protecting the public health, improving treatment plant efficiency and reducing system maintenance.

Customers who observe a sanitary sewer overflow should report these as emergencies to the Wastewater Collection Division by contacting 252-399-2424. Because SSOs can carry bacteria and viruses, do not approach an overflow!