Where does the Water go?

2/11/2021 (Permalink)

Where does the water go?

Where does all the Water go?

Have you ever been in the shower and then find yourself wondering where is all this water going? Is this the same water I drink? How do they get the soap out? SERVPRO can help explain where it goes once it swirls down the drain...and how that can affect you as a home/business owner.

The Drain

If you're connected to a sewer system, your water is moving through a network of pipes and turns that increase in size the closer they get to a wastewater treatment plant. Every drain in your home is connected to a pipe that moves used water from your house to a sewer in the street. That includes every toilet, shower, sink, washing machine, dishwasher, and anything else that uses water connects to one singular pipe. This is true for every home around you as well and every home's pipe then connects to another, larger pipe which collects water from other streets, then another that connects neighborhoods….. and so on.  The system continues until the water finally makes it to the wastewater treatment plant.

If you are not connected to a sewer system, your water drains into a septic tank. In the tank most of the solids settle out while the liquid water will go on to flow through underground pipes that have holes drilled into them; those holes allow the water to seep out and into the ground. This particular system of pipes is called a leach field. Safely dispersing out and leaving what has to be professionally cleaned in the tank.  

Wastewater Treatment…..or pure Magic?

If your water took the sewer system route, it made its way to a wastewater treatment plant. First, the wastewater that you washed down your drains will go through a the primary treatment process, which aims to remove all large particles and debris.

Then, for secondary treatment process, organic matter is removed with bacteria that break down pollutants before the water is disinfected with chlorine to remove the bacteria.

Finally, in some cases, the water goes through one last advanced treatment process to get rid of any remaining pollutants that could go on to cause problems in the area. So, your water flows through all kinds of pipes to the wastewater treatment plant where it is treated, cleaned, and made safe to be reentered into the environment and local bodies of water. The treated water could go on to become drinking water, it may be used to irrigate crops, it could help sustain aquatic life, and it can even end up back in your shower where it all began!

How does this affect you has a property owner?

You may want to check into your local guidelines, but most locations-it is the homeowner/business owner that is responsible for drainage on their property. What can happen if a pipe collapse, gets clogged, back-flows, etc.? Everything that is draining stops and goes back where it was. Odor and drainage can start flowing back into the property instead of away from the property-causing an enormous amount of damage.

The sooner you address any pipe/drainage issue, the less of an impact it will have on your property. But sometimes that sewer system gets clogged and backs into your property. Call the team that’s trained and ready to clean up the mess and make it right. The Team at SERVPRO of Bloomington/Pontiac has the crews ready-24/7-to fix what isn’t right after your pipe is repaired.

Contact SERVPRO of Bloomington/Pontiac at 309-827-7500 or visit our website at SERVPRObloomingtonpontiac.com for more information.

Don’t feel like you are left with the mess. Call the team to make it right!