Pipes Carry Sewage Downhill to the Plant

We use 2,409 miles of pipe to carry our sewage to the Southside Wastewater Reclamation Plant. Including the cost of labor to lay this pipe, it is valued at almost $2 billion. We collect 55 million gallons of wastewater each day.

Smaller pipes, those with a diameter of one foot or less, carry the sewage from homes and businesses. They meet up with trunk lines which run underground down the middle of the streets and can be as wide as 78 inches (5 1/2 feet) in diameter.

Pollution Prevention

The Pollution Prevention Program (P2 Program) was created by the City in 1992 to protect the treatment plant and the river from harmful wastes. One of the goals of the P2 program is to educate the public, and assist businesses with ideas and changes that prevent harmful wastes from going down the drain. Another goal is to help businesses find ways to reduce waste through simple changes in housekeeping, maintenance, employee training, and inventory control. Read more about our sewer system.