Cities and towns have a complex relationship with water. Too little water, and humans can’t survive. Too much, and buildings and property suffer severe damage. To keep the balance exactly right, complex systems of sewer lines and storm drains become necessary. Here’s how they work.
Wastewater Systems
A ready supply of fresh, potable water is critical to the habitability of any city or town. Residents use it for drinking, cooking, bathing, clothes washing, and more. That creates two competing challenges. One is securing a reliable water supply. The other is keeping dirty wastewater away from the freshwater supply. To handle the latter, cities rely on sewer systems.
Municipal sewers allow homes and businesses to connect to them via sewer pipes. Typically, they carry grey and black water from plumbing systems to centralized treatment facilities. There, the harmful chemical and biological substances in the wastewater get neutralized or removed. Then, the resulting clean water can flow back into local aquifers and waterways. Critically, sewer systems and treatment facilities have excess capacity to handle higher-than-normal water flows. That prevents unintentional wastewater releases during peak use.
Stormwater Management
Modern storm drains are distinct and separate from wastewater systems and sewers. They feature their own pipes and drain openings. That ensures that only rainwater and meltwater enter them. Importantly, water collected in storm drain systems doesn’t go into a centralized treatment facility. Typically, it flows to outlets that release it into natural bodies of water or waterways. Since there’s no direct cross-contamination with wastewater, it’s generally safe and efficient to do so.
In some places, stormwater systems feature vast underground cisterns and water storage. Those provide a critical buffer during strong storms. By providing a place for stormwater to gather, it’s possible to prevent flooding of streets and buildings. It also allows for the controlled release of water to avoid flooding around natural bodies of water.
Combined Sewers
While you won’t find any around here, some older cities and towns once relied on combined sewer systems. Those collect both wastewater and stormwater simultaneously. Most date back to a time when planners had little understanding of the dangers of water contamination. Eventually, most places with combined sewers connected them to treatment facilities. However, you’ll often hear of flooding problems in those places. That’s because the treatment facilities create a bottleneck during strong storms. Without a way to release uncontaminated stormwater to relieve the strain, the entire system can back up. That can lead to unpleasant and unsanitary flooding.
Now you know the difference between sewer systems and stormwater systems. Each plays a key role in preventing flooding. These systems also keep local waterways and aquifers clean and uncontaminated. They’re the unsung heroes of your local water system. If you live in Nipomo, CA or a surrounding area and need sewer line services, make your first call to Sargent’s Plumbing and Heating.
