Sewer Collection & Treatment Systems

The City of Vienna / Vienna Utility Board here operates and maintains the city's sewer collection and treatment systems. This includes preventive and emergency maintenance, line replacement, line extensions and connections, development permitting and inspections. Our treatment process uses a simple aerated lagoon designed to convert nutrients in the waste stream so the water can then flow to infiltration basins where it seeps into the groundwater.

Everything that is sent to the sewer will have influences on both the collection system and the treatment process. If the equipment gets clogged with garbage it will not work. Items that belong in the solid waste or garbage stream should never be placed in the sewer system.

What You Cannot Flush or Dump Into Sewers

  • Anti-freeze - can be recycled
  • Anything that can cause a film, sheen, or discoloration of the water or adjoining shorelines
  • Concentrated soaps and detergents
  • Dirty water from washing cars
  • Gasoline (not in the garbage either!)
  • Hazardous or toxic chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, acids, bases - follow label instructions for proper disposal
  • Oil or any other petroleum-containing waste - most can be recycled
  • Paints - follow label instructions, allow to dry before placing in garbage
  • Sewage from septic tanks
  • Solvents - can be recycled

Tips for Taking Care of Your Sewer System

  • Do not put grease or cooking oil into your sewer system. Place leftover grease into a container and allow it to cool and solidify before disposing of it in the garbage. Place used cooking oil in a can or other suitable container and place it in the garbage. Besides the problem of clogging house and street sewer lines, fats, oils and grease are concentrated sources of carbon and will upset the treatment process.
  • Do not throw into the sink or toilet coffee grounds or any non-organic materials. Place them in your garbage where they belong. Be proactive and protect the environment by thinking before you toss - put the right things in the right waste stream. Examples of non-organic materials include:
    • Paper towels
    • Fabric or paper clean wipes
    • Baby wipes
    • Diapers
    • Tea bags
    • Dental floss
    • Sanitary napkins
  • Keep tree roots away from your sewer pipes through routine maintenance cleaning schedules. Don't plant trees or bushes with invasive roots where the roots could reach your sewer line. Cooperative Extension services can help you learn which plants to use near sewer lines.

Why Pay Attention to What Goes in the Sewer

It's simple: Materials that won't be treated in the wastewater system or that clog the system cause us to spend more money and more energy. Keeping solid waste and other disallowed items out of the wastewater system in the first place means less spending for us, keeping costs as low as possible for you.

The only manufactured item that can be placed in the sewer is toilet paper.