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What Homeowners need to Know
How Homes are Connected to the Sewer System
How often do we think about the
wastewater we generate in our homes? Everyday, we flush the toilet, take
showers or wash dishes without thinking about where it goes next. As long
as we don't experience any clogged drains, we assume that the sewer system is
working properly. And in dry weather, for the most part, it is.
However, in Sellersburg (and many
surrounding communities in the region), wet weather—rain or snow
melt—creates a host of problems throughout the sewer system that result in
raw sewage flowing into our waterways.
A basic understanding of how your
home is connected to the sewer system will bring this underground,
out-of-sight problem into clear view.
Fresh water enters the home
through a main water supply line from the municipal water company. Inside
the home, the main water supply splits into two sets of pipes: the hot
water pipes lead to the hot water heater first and then follow a set of
cold water pipes throughout the home supplying bathroom fixtures, such as
showers and sinks as well as kitchen dishwashers and clothes washers.
Every time we turn on a faucet,
wash a load of laundry or flush the toilet, we generate wastewater, which
is measured by a water meter connected to the main water supply line. The
average person in Sellersburg uses 100 gallons per day.
As we use the water, it flows
into a drain in the home and passes through a trap, a U-shaped pipe that
holds water and prevents sewer gases from entering the home. If the trap
becomes dry from non-use, you may notice a sewer odor; pouring water into
the unused drain will refill the trap and eliminate the odor.
After passing through the trap,
the wastewater continues to flow downward through large drain pipes that
eventually exit the home underground at one location—through a pipe called
a house
lateral. The house lateral runs the length of your property
usually out to the street or the rear of your property where it connects to
the public sewer system. Laterals generally have a cleanout, an opening
that allows for removing any debris or obstructions that might block the
flow of wastewater.
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