Before wastewater can be treated, it must be collected from homes, businesses, and factories and pumped to the treatment plant.  The collection system consists of a grid of underground sanitary sewers that conveys domestic and industrial sewage to lift stations where pumps send the sewage to the treatment plant.  It includes all areas inside the corporate limits and also several areas bordering Grand Lake St. Marys.

Regular maintenance is a very important part of operating a wastewater collection system.  Personnel are charged with many tasks and projects in order to keep the collection system operating at peak levels.  Examples include: routine inspections and preventative maintenance of sanitary sewers, manholes, and lift stations, regular cleaning and video inspections of sanitary sewers, efforts directed toward keeping excess storm water (inflow and Infiltration) from entering the collection system, and many other activities.

The collection system is maintained by three full time employees, directed by a foreman.  Most employees are Ohio EPA certified operators.  The increasingly technical nature of Federal and State regulations requires continuing training on the part of all employees.

Send mail to dsprague@cityofstmarys.net with questions or comments about this web site.