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To
prolong the life of the collection system
infrastructure and transport waste to point
of treatment without disruption or overflows,
while meeting the needs of the citizens in
our service area and all Federal, State and
Local regulations.
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Have
your ever stopped to think what happens after
you flush? All the "used" water from your
toilets, tubs and sinks-we call it wastewater-flows
into a hidden world of underground sewer pipes.
You'll find that world well worth exploring,
because understanding how your sewer system
works, and who to call if you have a sewer
stoppage, can save you time and money.
The people who keep the sewers running smoothly
throughout the service area-all of us at the
North San Mateo County Sanitation District
(NSMCSD)-will also let you in on a secret:
the two most common causes of sewer backups,
and how you can avoid them.
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Sewers Carry the Load |
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Hidden
beneath your feet, an intricate web of thousands
of miles of sanitary sewers collects wastewater
from homes, businesses and industries. Although
virtually invisible, this wastewater collection
system plays a vital role in protecting public
health. In the NSMCSD alone we maintain over
178 miles of sewer pipe!
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Sewer Maintenance and Operation |
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The
Collection System Maintenance Section involves
preventive and corrective maintenance of the
sanitary wastewater mains in the City of Daly
City, Unincorporated Broadmoor, and contractual
services to the Town of Colma , the Westborough
Water District and the San Francisco Jail.
The Section provides preventive maintenance
to eight sewage lift stations, four in Daly
City, one in Colma, and three in the Westborough
Water District.
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Pipes Come in All Sizes |
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The
smallest sewer pipes, six inches or
less in diameter, are known as "collectors."
Wastewater from homes, businesses, schools-in
short, any building-enters the system
via these service lines. |
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After
leaving the collectors, wastewater flows
into a system of "trunk lines"-larger
pipes with a diameter greater than 12
inches and a capacity ranging from one
to ten million gallons per day (mgd).
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Finally,
these trunk lines connect to a central
system of giant "interceptors," that
carry wastewater directly to our Wastewater
Treatment Plant located on the corner
of John Daly Blvd and Lake Merced Blvd.
The interceptors can be as large as
3.5 feet in diameter. NSMCSD owns and
operates the treatment plant and the
interceptor system that serves Daly
City, Broodmoor, Colma, Westborough
and the San Francisco Jail. |
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Call Us First |
If you have a sewer backup, you can save time
and money by calling us first, before you
call a plumber, at (650) 991-8200. Maintenance
crews are available to respond to your sewer
service calls seven days a week, 24 hours
a day, 365 days a year. We'll determine whether
the sewer problem is NSMCSD's responsibility,
at which time we'll fix it at no charge to
you or if the stoppage is on your property,
at which time we'll advise you to call a plumber.
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Our Service Call Response |
Our crews make every effort to respond to
your service call within one hour. Our average
response time is within thirty minutes.
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Accessing Sewers for Maintenance |
If you have a sewer maintenance hole (sometimes
called a "manhole") on your property, our
crews may need access to it for routine maintenance
or emergency repair. Some homes have sewer
"cleanouts"-smaller openings into which equipment
may be lowered to inspect and evaluate the
condition of the sewer service line.
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Sewer Mains: NSMCSD is responsible for backups
in sewer mains.
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Side Sewers: Property owners are responsible
for maintaining side sewers. Side sewer means
the sewer line beginning at the foundation
wall of any building and terminating at the
main sewer and includes the building sewer
and lateral sewer together. Where the side
sewer provides service to single-family residential
units with common walls, condominiums, stock
cooperatives, community apartments or other
similar improvements, the obligation to maintain
the side sewer shall be the homeowners' association
or other entity responsible for the maintenance
of the property and facilities owned in common.
(Ordinance 56 § 4.8, 1982)
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The
two most common causes of sewer backups are:
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Putting
items down your sink that should be
put into your garbage. |
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Invasive tree roots.
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That's the bad news. The good news is that
both are often preventable. Here's what you
can do to help avoid problems in your sewer
system: |
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Don't
put grease, oil or egg shells down
your sink. When
grease and egg shells combine they
create a mixture similar to concrete;
oil sticks to the pipe at the waterline.
Both of these conditions can clog
the sewer line. Instead, keep a small,
empty container handy to contain these
items. When the container is full,
put it outside with the garbage. |
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Avoid
trees with shallow, spreading root
systems. Tree roots
tend to grow towards sources of water-like
sewer pipes. Two of the most troublesome
species of trees are the fruitless
mulberry and the Modesto ash. If you're
upgrading your home's landscaping,
you can save yourself headaches and
money by choosing trees with deep
root systems. |
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After
you select a tree, follow proper planting
procedures. Be
sure to dig a hole deep enough to
cut below heavy clay deposits. If
your hole is too shallow, the tree's
roots won't be able to penetrate the
clay, and they'll spread out horizontally.
The tree won't be healthy . . . and
neither will your sewer system. |
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Speaking
of things you shouldn't put down your sink
. . .
Many
consumer products are considered household
hazardous waste. Never pour items like these
into your sink or toilet:
Motor Oil
Weedkiller
Antifreeze Solvents
Gasoline
Wood preservatives
Paint Lighter fluid
Insecticides
Many other common consumer products
For
more information about household hazardous
waste and a schedule of collection days and
locations, call the San Mateo County Household
Hazardous Waste Program at 650-363-4718. |
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