Sanitary Sewer System
About the Sanitary Sewer System
In a separated system like the one detailed in this diagram, the sewage that comes from our homes and businesses is taken by a pipe directly to a treatment plant, treated and then released into the waterway. The water run offs from storms are taken by a separate system directly to the nearest waterway – thus never treated.
Nashville's original sewer system was built in the late 1800's and carried both storm water and sewage directly to the Cumberland River without treatment. It wasn't until the late 1950s that Nashville constructed the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant the first plant to treat the wastewater before it was released into our rivers and streams. Now routed to a wastewater treatment plant, most of the original system remains in service today.
Questions which are not addressed through this web site, please email Sonia Harvat.