Where does water from
your bathtub, toilet, sinks, dishwasher and washing machine go
once it goes down the drain? Where does rainfall or melting snow
in a combined sanitary and storm sewer system go after flowing
down storm drains located slong curbs on your street?
It flows by gravity or is pumped through underground pipe lines
to the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) located along
the Ohio River on the Northside.
Located along the river, these large pipes
carry sewage and storm water (influent) to ALCOSAN for treatment.
Two of the six pumps run at one time pumping
128,000 gallons of wastewater per minute into the purification
process.
Remove solids (leaves, styrofoam, rags,
large food waste, candy wrappers, etc.) using rake-like bars with
items placed on conveyor belt and sent to the incinerator or deposited
into trucks to be landfilled.
