The Wastewater Division is responsible for the operation, maintenance, and repair of the City’s sanitary sewer system and wastewater treatment infrastructure. Its key duties include:
- Sewer Collection System: Maintaining an estimated 24 miles of sanitary sewer mains, including various-sized pipes and lift stations that collect sewage from property service connections (maintained by property owners). The system is designed to transport sewage to the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
- Sewer Maintenance: Conducting sewer flushing to clear blockages and performing repairs or replacements of sewer mains and manholes to prevent water infiltration, increase capacity, and reduce strain on the treatment plant.
- Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP): Operating and maintaining the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, built in 1976, which processes an average of 0.67 million gallons of wastewater per day (245 million gallons annually). Preventative maintenance is carried out to ensure optimal function and minimize repair costs.
- Excess Flow Holding Pond & Lift Stations: Overseeing the excess flow holding pond and three lift stations, which help manage the flow of wastewater to the treatment plant.
- Sampling and Testing: Collecting and testing wastewater samples to comply with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s discharge permit requirements. The Division also performs process control testing to assess the Plant's efficiency.
The Division’s efforts are crucial to maintaining the City’s wastewater infrastructure, ensuring effective treatment of sewage, and protecting environmental standards.