Sanitary Collection System

Water Utility Division

The Water Utility Division is responsible for the sanitary collection system including:

• Operation and maintenance
• Cleaning and rehabilitation, utilizing a preventative maintenance program
• Video inspection
• Responding to service calls for backups and blockages

Sanitary Collection System

Homes and businesses connect to the sanitary collection system through a pipe known as the sanitary lateral. Used water, commonly called sewage or wastewater travels from your home, business, or industry through a series of increasingly larger pipes.

Property Owners Responsibilities

Property owners are responsible for the installation and maintenance of the sanitary lateral. This consists of the service from the building connection to, and including, the tap into the sanitary main line. Sanitary main lines are located in the utility right of way, also in property easements.

Description of System

The sanitary collection system serves more than 185 miles of gravity mains and force (pressurized) main pipes, ranging in size from 6-inches to 33-inches in diameter, and approximately 9,500 service connections. Employee knowledge of the collection system and expertise in maintenance and repair helps ensure the city provides a safe, quality service to our customers.

The sanitary collection system also includes 21 sanitary lift stations and over 1,500 manholes. In many areas, pump stations are necessary to move the wastewater further down the pipe until it reaches the wastewater treatment facility. We are constantly working toward improving the collection system infrastructure and service to our customers.