Where Does Sewer Water Go?

Ever wondered what happens to sewer water when you flush a toilet? Where exactly does sewer water go? If you don’t have a septic tank, there are two main options:

• If your city utilizes a combined sewer system, wastewater from homes and businesses flows into a sewer drain that also collects stormwater.
• If it’s a separate sewer system, wastewater flows into a drain that specifically collects waste.

In both scenarios, the wastewater will make its way to a municipal water treatment facility for sanitation and purification before being made available for public use or discharged back into a local water source. Learn more about where sewer water goes and how it can be recycled.

What is Sewer Water?

Sewer water is any wastewater that flows out of your home and through the sewer system. It includes water from toilets, sinks, showers, washing machines, and dishwashers. Because sewer water contains contaminants, it must be treated before it can be safely released back into the environment.

Types of Sewer Water

• Wastewater is the liquid left over from toilet flushing, bathing, dishwashing, laundry, and other uses within your home or business. When not treated correctly, it can cause disease and infection. It is classified into two categories:
• Black water is water from toilets and kitchen sinks – the water that is in the greatest need of sanitation and purification.
• Gray water comes from laundry, showers, baths, washing machines and dishwashers. It can be classified as basically any water not coming from a toilet or kitchen sink.
  
  

Is Sewer Water Recycled? How the Process Works

Yes, sewer water can be recycled if it’s appropriately treated by a water treatment plant. Here’s how the process of purifying and sanitizing water works:

• Screening – Large screens or metal grates help to separate trash and other debris from the water.
• Filtration – Water collects in tanks or pools to give solid material the chance to float to the surface. This matter is then collected and disposed of. The water can then be filtered through sand to remove smaller solids, odors, and bacteria.
• Heat – the water is then heated to reduce methane and other bacteria. This step also helps stabilize leftover sludge for safer disposal.
• Sanitation – The water is treated with chemicals like chlorine to ensure all bacteria are eradicated.
• Discharge – The water is then safely discharged back into a local water source. At this point, it is clean enough to re-enter the natural water cycle.
  
  

Where Does Storm Sewer Water Go?

So far, we’ve been talking about wastewater that flows from a home or business into the sewer system. But what about water that flows in after a rain or flood? Typically, this water isn’t treated. Here’s what typically happens:

• Street drains and gutters collect rainwater and melted snow.
• Underground storm sewer pipes carry that water away from neighborhoods and roads.
• Outfalls release the water directly into rivers, streams, lakes, or the ocean.
  
  

Maintaining Your Sewer Line

Call Roto-Rooter as soon as possible if you are in need of sewer line repair. If your sewer line is backed up, it can lead to other problems in no time, including drain backups that can push wastewater into unwanted portions of your home. Typical sewer line clogs are caused by a buildup of debris over time, but a sewer line cleaning can get things back to normal.

If you suspect that wastewater has flooded any portion of your home – call us immediately, and our water cleanup team can dry and sanitize the area before further damage occurs. Our licensed and insured professionals will use state-of-the-art video cameras to conduct a video inspection of sewer lines and other underground pipes to locate areas of concern or the source of a clog. Call 800-768-6911 or schedule service online today!

FAQS on What Happens to Sewer Water

Does sewer water go to the ocean?

Not directly. In most places, sewage is treated at a wastewater facility first. After treatment, the cleaned water may be released into the ocean, depending on the location.

Do we end up drinking sewage water?

Not in its raw form. Wastewater is treated before being returned to the environment, where it may end up back in drinking reservoirs. 

Where does sewer water go in the USA?

It depends on where you live. Most sewage flows into municipal wastewater treatment plants where the water is treated before being released into rivers, lakes, or oceans. Rural homes may use septic systems, where water flows into a tank and is naturally filtered through the ground.

What happens to 90% of human sewer water?

Globally, about 80% of wastewater is discharged into the environment untreated. In the U.S. and other developed countries, we treat the water before releasing it, but that’s not true everywhere.