What is done when a house's sewer line is below the level of the main sewer
line? I didn't think those lines were pressurized, so how does a house's
sewage system work in those conditions?

For instance in my neighborhood half the houses are about 20 feet below my
street. In this instace would the city install a pumping unit for those
houses or would they route the sewer line towards those houses and out? I
guess it depends on the situation, but still, if the waste treatment plant
is above your house (vertically that is) does that mean your sewage is
pumped to that plant or is sewage all gravity fed?

Always wondered about that, I never hear pumps running under the street and
I didn't think lines were pressurized anyway.

Generally sewage is routed to the low point of the development. If
that is below the level of mainline to the sewage plant then a pump
station is developed. The output of the pump station is under
pressure. Most of the pump station is below grade. You can sometimes
spot one by looking for a concrete pad, surrounded by a fence. On the
pad is a watertight electrical box and usually a backup generator. The
watertight box is the control for the multiple pumps located below
ground in the pit.

On Jan 15, 9:19 pm, "Eigenvector" wrote:
What is done when a house's sewer line is below the level of the main sewer
line? I didn't think those lines were pressurized, so how does a house's
sewage system work in those conditions?

For instance in my neighborhood half the houses are about 20 feet below my
street. In this instace would the city install a pumping unit for those
houses or would they route the sewer line towards those houses and out? I
guess it depends on the situation, but still, if the waste treatment plant
is above your house (vertically that is) does that mean your sewage is
pumped to that plant or is sewage all gravity fed?

Always wondered about that, I never hear pumps running under the street and
I didn't think lines were pressurized anyway.

occasionally a single home, or a few homes on a street get trash or
grinder pumps that pulverize the waste and raise it so gravity can do
the rest.

my father in law has oine in his basement, since the sewer line is
above the basement floor

Cities often have to pump sewage from a low lying area to a higher trunk
line. Where houses are below the street sewer line, I would imagine that the
responsibility is on the owner (builder) to install a residential sewage
pump to provide the lift to reach the street sewer. Practice may vary in
different regions, states and countries.

"Eigenvector" wrote in message
. ..
What is done when a house's sewer line is below the level of the main
sewer line? I didn't think those lines were pressurized, so how does a
house's sewage system work in those conditions?

For instance in my neighborhood half the houses are about 20 feet below my
street. In this instace would the city install a pumping unit for those
houses or would they route the sewer line towards those houses and out? I
guess it depends on the situation, but still, if the waste treatment plant
is above your house (vertically that is) does that mean your sewage is
pumped to that plant or is sewage all gravity fed?

Always wondered about that, I never hear pumps running under the street
and I didn't think lines were pressurized anyway.

It is referred to as a "force(d) main". You may or may not see,
hear, or smell the pump house, but it will be there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DanG
A live Singing Valentine quartet,
a sophisticated and elegant way to say I LOVE YOU!
(local)
http://www.singingvalentines.com/ (national)


"Eigenvector" wrote in message
. ..
What is done when a house's sewer line is below the level of the
main sewer line? I didn't think those lines were pressurized,
so how does a house's sewage system work in those conditions?

For instance in my neighborhood half the houses are about 20
feet below my street. In this instace would the city install a
pumping unit for those houses or would they route the sewer line
towards those houses and out? I guess it depends on the
situation, but still, if the waste treatment plant is above your
house (vertically that is) does that mean your sewage is pumped
to that plant or is sewage all gravity fed?

Always wondered about that, I never hear pumps running under the
street and I didn't think lines were pressurized anyway.

"Howard" wrote in message
oups.com...
Generally sewage is routed to the low point of the development. If
that is below the level of mainline to the sewage plant then a pump
station is developed. The output of the pump station is under
pressure. Most of the pump station is below grade. You can sometimes
spot one by looking for a concrete pad, surrounded by a fence. On the
pad is a watertight electrical box and usually a backup generator. The
watertight box is the control for the multiple pumps located below
ground in the pit.

Hmm, thanks, I'll have to take a closer look next time I'm walking around
the neighborhood. Seems like a pretty tenuous solution given the
consequences if it fails but what else can you do?


On Jan 15, 9:19 pm, "Eigenvector" wrote:
What is done when a house's sewer line is below the level of the main
sewer
line? I didn't think those lines were pressurized, so how does a house's
sewage system work in those conditions?

For instance in my neighborhood half the houses are about 20 feet below
my
street. In this instace would the city install a pumping unit for those
houses or would they route the sewer line towards those houses and out?
I
guess it depends on the situation, but still, if the waste treatment
plant
is above your house (vertically that is) does that mean your sewage is
pumped to that plant or is sewage all gravity fed?

Always wondered about that, I never hear pumps running under the street
and
I didn't think lines were pressurized anyway.

Actually they seem to have thought out the idea pretty well. Usually
they use two pumps with circuitry to alternate them to equalize wear.
That way there is a backup in place, tested, ready to go if one pump
fails. They are fed by utility electric power and usually have the
generator as backup. Add a large pit and lots of monitors, alarms and
a maintenance force and they work well. Ever heard of sewer system
failure?

On Jan 15, 10:30 pm, "Eigenvector" wrote:
"Howard" wrote in ooglegroups.com...

Generally sewage is routed to the low point of the development. If
that is below the level of mainline to the sewage plant then a pump
station is developed. The output of the pump station is under
pressure. Most of the pump station is below grade. You can sometimes
spot one by looking for a concrete pad, surrounded by a fence. On the
pad is a watertight electrical box and usually a backup generator. The
watertight box is the control for the multiple pumps located below
ground in the pit.Hmm, thanks, I'll have to take a closer look next time I'm walking around
the neighborhood. Seems like a pretty tenuous solution given the
consequences if it fails but what else can you do?



On Jan 15, 9:19 pm, "Eigenvector" wrote:
What is done when a house's sewer line is below the level of the main
sewer
line? I didn't think those lines were pressurized, so how does a house's
sewage system work in those conditions?

For instance in my neighborhood half the houses are about 20 feet below
my
street. In this instace would the city install a pumping unit for those
houses or would they route the sewer line towards those houses and out?
I
guess it depends on the situation, but still, if the waste treatment
plant
is above your house (vertically that is) does that mean your sewage is
pumped to that plant or is sewage all gravity fed?

Always wondered about that, I never hear pumps running under the street
and
I didn't think lines were pressurized anyway.

Are you sure they use your street for the main sewer, is there a street
behind their backyard at a lower grade?


"Eigenvector" wrote in message
. ..
What is done when a house's sewer line is below the level of the main
sewer line? I didn't think those lines were pressurized, so how does a
house's sewage system work in those conditions?

For instance in my neighborhood half the houses are about 20 feet below my
street. In this instace would the city install a pumping unit for those
houses or would they route the sewer line towards those houses and out? I
guess it depends on the situation, but still, if the waste treatment plant
is above your house (vertically that is) does that mean your sewage is
pumped to that plant or is sewage all gravity fed?

Always wondered about that, I never hear pumps running under the street
and I didn't think lines were pressurized anyway.

On Mon, 15 Jan 2007 18:19:19 -0800, "Eigenvector"
wrote:

What is done when a house's sewer line is below the level of the main sewer
line? I didn't think those lines were pressurized, so how does a house's
sewage system work in those conditions?

For instance in my neighborhood half the houses are about 20 feet below my
street. In this instace would the city install a pumping unit for those
houses or would they route the sewer line towards those houses and out? I
guess it depends on the situation, but still, if the waste treatment plant
is above your house (vertically that is) does that mean your sewage is
pumped to that plant or is sewage all gravity fed?

Always wondered about that, I never hear pumps running under the street and
I didn't think lines were pressurized anyway.

In Austin, many of the pump stations are located 70 feet under
ground.

On Mon, 15 Jan 2007 19:30:23 -0800, "Eigenvector"
wrote:


"Howard" wrote in message
roups.com...
Generally sewage is routed to the low point of the development. If
that is below the level of mainline to the sewage plant then a pump
station is developed. The output of the pump station is under
pressure. Most of the pump station is below grade. You can sometimes
spot one by looking for a concrete pad, surrounded by a fence. On the
pad is a watertight electrical box and usually a backup generator. The
watertight box is the control for the multiple pumps located below
ground in the pit.

Hmm, thanks, I'll have to take a closer look next time I'm walking around
the neighborhood. Seems like a pretty tenuous solution given the
consequences if it fails but what else can you do?


Restrict all bathrooms to the second floor or higher?

"Jeff" wrote in message
news
Are you sure they use your street for the main sewer, is there a street
behind their backyard at a lower grade?



It was more of a rhetorical question than anything. My street happens to be
a little higher than the actual main, but like I said other houses in my
neighborhood are well below that level. I'd just never realized that sewer
systems worked on pumps and the like.

"Eigenvector" wrote in message
. ..
What is done when a house's sewer line is below the level of the main
sewer line? I didn't think those lines were pressurized, so how does a
house's sewage system work in those conditions?

For instance in my neighborhood half the houses are about 20 feet below
my street. In this instace would the city install a pumping unit for
those houses or would they route the sewer line towards those houses and
out? I guess it depends on the situation, but still, if the waste
treatment plant is above your house (vertically that is) does that mean
your sewage is pumped to that plant or is sewage all gravity fed?

Always wondered about that, I never hear pumps running under the street
and I didn't think lines were pressurized anyway.

"Eigenvector" wrote in message
. ..

"Jeff" wrote in message
news
Are you sure they use your street for the main sewer, is there a street
behind their backyard at a lower grade?



It was more of a rhetorical question than anything. My street happens to
be a little higher than the actual main, but like I said other houses in
my neighborhood are well below that level. I'd just never realized that
sewer systems worked on pumps and the like.

"Eigenvector" wrote in message
. ..
What is done when a house's sewer line is below the level of the main
sewer line? I didn't think those lines were pressurized, so how does a
house's sewage system work in those conditions?

For instance in my neighborhood half the houses are about 20 feet below
my street. In this instace would the city install a pumping unit for
those houses or would they route the sewer line towards those houses and
out? I guess it depends on the situation, but still, if the waste
treatment plant is above your house (vertically that is) does that mean
your sewage is pumped to that plant or is sewage all gravity fed?

Always wondered about that, I never hear pumps running under the street
and I didn't think lines were pressurized anyway.




Another thing you may not be aware of is that the sewer lines are usually
very deep in most places. Layout of the entire system is done by an engineer
so that it works properly.

Don Young