Sanitation Department/Waste Water Treatment Plant

The Sanitation Department is located at the site of the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The Sanitation Department operates and maintains the sewage treatment plant and Boroughs sanitary sewage collection system, consisting of main lines, manholes and 3 pump stations which are owned by the Greenville Sanitary Authority and are leased to the Borough. It is also responsible for the enforcement of state and federal laws and requirements as they relate to waste water collection and treatment and the general protection of the environment.

Wastewater Treatment is one of the most vital services any community can provide. Without it, disease and infection could become epidemic resulting in many deaths as were recorded prior to modern treatment facilities. Diseases such as hepatitis A and cholera are common in countries without proper treatment of there wastewater. Contaminated water and seafood can carry viral hepatitis, cholera, typhoid fever, and a range of stomach and intestinal diseases.

Once collected, sewage water flows into a highly important multi-step treatment facility. There are numerous variations on the treatment plant theme, but they all work to achieve the same goals:

  • remove sludge and scum so they don't accumulate in rivers where the water is discharged, everything from rags, plastics, sand, and bicycles are found in wastewater;

  • prevent oxygen-demanding organic material from entering rivers where it kills aquatic life by stealing oxygen,

  • prevent odors created in water lacking enough dissolved oxygen, and

  • remove potential disease-causing bacteria and viruses (pathogens).

FAQs

Where does the wastewater come from?

Homes--human and household wastes from toilets, sinks, baths, dishwashers, garbage grinders, clothes washers and drains.
Industry, Schools, and Business--chemical and other wastes from factories, food-service operations, school activities, hospitals, shopping centers, etc.
Storm Water Infiltration and Inflow from Runoff and Groundwater--water that enters the sanitary sewer system during a storm, as well as groundwater that enters through cracks in sewers. 

The Borough of Greenville has one set of sewers for wastewater from homes and businesses (sanitary sewers) and a separate system for storm water runoff (storm sewers)

On the average, each person in the U.S. contributes 75-100 gallons of wastewater every day.

The most common questions and complaint is, why am I getting a sewage smell in my home?

There is always odor in the sanitary sewer system. It is not allowed to enter your home because of traps in your plumbing system. The trap lays full of water so the odor can not come into your home. In most situations of odor, water has evaporated from a basement drain that is rarely used, allowing fumes from the sewer to come into the home. Usually dumping a bucket of water into all basement drains will correct an odor problem.