McElroy Discussion Forums

In a recent Trenchless Technology magazine article about the problems presented by clear water entering into sewer systems, it states that “Mainlines are the largest contributors to infiltration; manholes and service laterals are approximately tied for second place.” “The biggest cost of infiltration is well known: the need to treat essentially clear water at the wastewater treatment plant. The U.S. EPA estimates that anywhere from 25 to 60 percent of all flow in sewer lines is inflow and infiltration (I/I). For a 10-mgd treatment plant, that amounts to an excess cost of $3,000 to $8,000 per day – more than $1 million a year. Even a seemingly small leak can add significant clear water to a sewer system. A leak equivalent to a half-inch-diameter hole can admit more than 5 million gallons per year at a treatment cost of some $13,000.”

The article also mentions that when a treatment plant is pushed to near capacity, it can inhibit a community’s opportunity for growth due to the cost of expanding capacity.



The benefits of a system without leaks show themselves to be extremely valuable once again!