Why does sanitary sewage treatment cost so much?
A survey conducted by the City of Carbondale, Illinois (July 2007) of Illinois cities with both water and sewer utilities can be found here. 60% of the 54 sewer utilities responding have lower residential sewage costs than O’Fallon. Our costs are higher than many others at this time due to a surcharge needed to pay for the $8,000,000 dollar upgrade to our plant eleven years ago that should see us through the next fifteen years without major upgrade cost. Additionally, the sewer trunk mains transporting wastewater
from the city to our treatment plant are 40 years of age and are in need of ever increasing maintenance.
Why does the City make homeowners replace their sewer laterals when mains are replaced in the neighborhood?
If the sewer main is in need of repair due to age the laterals are also due to age in need of repair. Old lateral lines are the source of the majority of inflow and infiltration of groundwater entering the sewer mains causing additional costs of pumping and treatment.
How many miles of sewer main does the City service?
The City has approximately 110 miles of gravity mains and 5 miles of force mains.
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